Kerala High Court
Santha.D vs The State Of Kerala Represented By The on 24 October, 2019
Author: Alexander Thomas
Bench: Alexander Thomas
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ALEXANDER THOMAS
THURSDAY, THE 24TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2019 / 2ND KARTHIKA, 1941
Crl.MC.No.5317 OF 2018
AGAINST THE ORDER/JUDGMENT IN CC 2150/2017 OF JUDICIAL
MAGISTRATE OF FIRST CLASS ,VARKALA
PETITIONER/S:
1 SANTHA.D, AGED 67 YEARS, D/O. BHARGAVI,
KATTUVILA VEEDU OTTOOR VILLAGE,MOONGODU,
PARETTIL, VARKALA, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM.
2 RATHEESH R.S, AGED 38 YEARS, S/O. SANTHA. D,
RESIDING AT DO-DO.
3 SONY, AGED 45 YEARS, D/O. SANTHA DO-DO.
4 ROMIYA, AGED 42 YEARS, D/O. SANTHA DO-DO.
5 SOFIYA, AGED 38 YEARS, D/O. SANTHA DO-DO.
BY ADVS.
SRI.SHAMMI VIJAYAN
SRI.AYYAPPAN SANKAR
RESPONDENT/S:
1 THE STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE
PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
2 NEETHU SASI, AGED 28 YEARS, D/O. SASI,
SOORYAKANTHI, KAVALAYOOR P.O,
MANAMPOOR VILLAGE, VARKALA, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM.
R2 BY ADV. SMT.C.M.NATTASHA
OTHER PRESENT:
SRI.SAIGI JACOB PALATTY, PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON
24.10.2019, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING:
::2::
Crl.MC.No.5317 OF 2018
ALEXANDER THOMAS, J.
-----------------------------
Crl.M.C.No.5317 Of 2018
---------------------------------
Dated this the 24th day of October, 2019.
ORDER
The petitioners herein are the accused in the impugned Anx-A1 FIR in Crime No.1058/2013 of Kallambalam Police Station, Thiruvananthapuram District, registered for offences punishable under Secs.498A & 34 of the I.P.C, on the basis of the complaint of the 2nd respondent/de facto complainant and which has led to the institution of Anx-A2 Final Report/Charge Sheet in C.C.No.2150/2017 on the file of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, Varkala. It is stated that now the entire disputes, which arose out of matrimonial disputes, between the petitioners and the 2nd respondent/defacto complainant have been settled amicably through the Family Court as evident from Anx-A4(5) compromise entered into between the parties, wherein it is stated that the 2nd respondent has settled the entire disputes with the petitioners and that she has no objection for quashment of the impugned criminal proceedings pending against the petitioners. It is in the light of these aspects that the petitioners have preferred the instant ::3::
Crl.MC.No.5317 OF 2018 Crl.M.C. with the prayer to quash the impugned criminal proceedings against them.
2. In a catena of decisions, the Apex Court has held that, in appropriate cases involving even non-compoundable offences, the High Court can quash prosecution by exercise of the powers under Sec.482 of the Cr.P.C., if the parties have really settled the whole dispute or if the continuance of the prosecution will not serve any purpose. Here, this Court finds a real case of settlement between the parties and it is also found that continuance of the prosecution in such a situation will not serve any purpose other than wasting the precious time of the court, when the case ultimately comes before the court. On a perusal of the petition and on a close scrutiny of the investigation materials on record and the affidavit of settlement and taking into account the attendant facts and circumstances of this case, this Court is of the considered opinion that the legal principles laid down by the Apex Court in the cases as in Gian Singh v. State of Punjab reported in 2013 (1) SCC (Cri) 160 = (2012) 10 SCC 303 and Narinder Singh and others v. State of Punjab and anr. reported in (2014) 6 SCC 466, more particularly paragraph 29 thereof, could be applied in this case to consider the prayer for quashment.
::4::
Crl.MC.No.5317 OF 2018
3. Accordingly, it is ordered in the interest of justice that the impugned Anx-A1 FIR in Crime No.1058/2013 of Kallambalam Police Station, Thiruvananthapuram District, which has led to the institution of Anx-A2 Final Report/Charge Sheet in C.C.No.2150/2017 on the file of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, Varkala and all further proceedings arising therefrom pending against the petitioners/accused persons will stand quashed.
The petitioners will produce certified copies of this order before the investigating officer concerned and the competent court below concerned. The office of the Advocate General will forward a copy of this order to the investigating officer concerned for information.
With these observations and directions, the above Criminal Miscellaneous Case stands finally disposed of.
Sd/-
ALEXANDER THOMAS, Judge.
bkn/-
::5::
Crl.MC.No.5317 OF 2018 APPENDIX PETITIONER'S/S EXHIBITS:
ANNEXURE A1 CERTIFIED COPY OF FIR NO: 1058/2013 OF KALLAMBALAM POLICE STATION DATED 11- 10-2013.
ANNEXURE A2 CERTIFIED COPY OF THE CHARGE SHEET AND FINAL REPORT IN CRIME NO: 1058/2013 OF KALLAMBALAM POLICE STATION DATED 11- 10-2013.
ANNEXURE A3 CERTIFIED COPY OF JUDGMENT IN O.P 320/2014 OF FAMILY COURT ATTINGAL DATED 20-1-2015.
ANNEXURE A4 CERTIFIED COPY OF DECREE I O.P
320/2014 OF FAMILY COURT ATTINGAL
DATED 20-1-2015.
ANNEXURE A5 CERTIFIED COPY OF JUDGMENT IN O.P(HMA)
NO: 78/2015 OF FAMILY COURT ATTINGAL
DATED 3-8-2015.
ANNEXURE A6 ORIGINAL AFFIDAVIT SWORN BY THE 2ND
RESPONDENT ON 24.8.2019.