Kerala High Court
Subin Varghese vs State Of Kerala on 12 September, 2013
Author: V.K.Mohanan
Bench: V.K.Mohanan
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V.K.MOHANAN
THURSDAY, THE 12TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2013/21ST BHADRA, 1935
Crl.MC.No. 4002 of 2013 ()
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CC.NO. 79/2013 OF JUDICIAL FIRST CLASS MAGISTRATE COURT -I, ALAPPUZHA
CRIME NO. 1310/2012 OF ALAPPUZHA SOUTH POLICE STATION ,ALAPPUZHA
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PETITIONER(S)/ACCUSED NOS.1 TO 3:
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1. SUBIN VARGHESE, AGED 18 YEARS, S/O.VARGHESE,
THAIVELIKKAKAM, MULLATH WARD, THIRUVAMPADY.P.O.,
ALAPPUZHA.
2. ABIN, S/O. JOSEKUTTY, AGED 19 YEARS,
THAIVELIKKAKAM VEEDU, ERAVUCAD WARD, ALAPPUZHA.
3. MANOOF, S/O.ASHRAF, AGED 19 YEARS,
THAIPARAMBIL VEEDU, ERAVUCAD WARD, ALA.
BY ADVS.SRI.B.PRAMOD
SRI.V.DEEPAK
SMT.R.REJI (ATTINGAL)
RESPONDENTS/COMPLAINANT, DEFACTO COMPLAINANT AND CW2:
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1. STATE OF KERALA, REP. BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,
HIGH COURT OF KERALA, ERNAKULAM.
2. ANJALOSE, S/O.ANTONY, AGED 23 YEARS,
KADUNGAMPARAMBIL HOUSE, MULLATHUVALAPPU WARD,
ALAPPUZHA,PIN-688 536.
R1 BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SMT. S.HYMA
R2 BY ADV. SRI.P.SHANES
THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION
ON 12-09-2013, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING:
sts
CRMC.NO.4002/2013
APPENDIX
PETITIONER'S ANNEXURES:
ANNEX 1 COPY OF THE CHARGE-SHEET IN CRIME NO.1310/2012 OF ALAPPUZHA
SOUTH POLICE STATION, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT.
ANNEX II COPY OF THE AFFIDAVIT OF THE 2ND RESPONDENT.
RESPONDENT'S ANNEXURES: NIL
/TRUE COPY/
P.S.TO.JUDGE
sts
V.K.MOHANAN, J.
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Crl.M.C.No. 4002 of 2013
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Dated this the 12th day of September, 2013
O R D E R
The above petition is filed under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code (for short 'Cr.P.C.') at the instance of the petitioners, who are accused Nos. 1 to 3 in C.C.No.79/2013 of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, Alappuzha which is a case instituted upon the police report in Crime No. 1310/2012 of Alappuzha South Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 323,324 read with Section 34 of I.P.C. with a prayer to quash Annexure-I charge sheet and all further proceedings in C.C.No.79/2013 of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, Alappuzha as the matter is settled out of court.
2. The allegation in the above case is that on 17.11.2012 at about 7.30 p.m., due to previous enmity towards the de facto complainant, he was attacked by the accused with a sword stick and hand pipe and inflicted injuries on the head of the de facto complainant and thus, the accused has committed the offences punishable under Sections 323,324 Crl.M.C.No.4002 of 2013 :-2-:
read with Section 34 of I.P.C. and now, the case of the petitioners is that the entire dispute is settled with the second respondent, who had sworn into Annexure II affidavit.
3. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners as well as the second respondent. I have also heard the learned Public Prosecutor.
4. The learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that during the pendency of the above case, the matter is settled amicably between the parties to the dispute which is the subject matter of the above case. Therefore, the continuation of the proceedings in the above case is abuse of process of law and proceedings.
5. The learned counsel for the second respondent, who on the basis of specific instruction received from the respondent, submitted that the above respondent, who is the de facto complainant does not intend to proceed any further against the petitioners and he has no grievance against them.
6. I have carefully considered the above submissions of the respective counsel. I have verified the documents and materials produced along with the above petition. In the given facts and circumstances of the case and especially Crl.M.C.No.4002 of 2013 :-3-:
in the light of the settlement arrived between the parties to the dispute, the learned Public Prosecutor has also no objection in allowing the above petition.
7. Having regard to the facts and circumstances involved in the case, it can be seen that the offences involved in the above case are only Sections 323,324 read with Section 34 of I.P.C. which are more or less personal in nature and no public interest is involved. It is pertinent to note that though such offences are involved, the real parties to the dispute approached this Court after having amicably settled the matter. From the submission made by the counsel for the respondent, it appears to me that the de facto complainant has no further grievance against the petitioners/accused in the light of the settlement arrived by them. In this juncture, it is relevant to note the decision of the Honourable Apex Court reported in Gian Singh v. State of Punjab [2012(4) KLT 108 (SC)], in which case, the Supreme Court has held as follows:-
"57. The position that emerges from the above discussion can be summarised thus: the power of the High Court in quashing a criminal proceeding or FIR or complaint in exercise of its inherent jurisdiction is distinct and different from the power given to a criminal court for compounding the offences under S.320 of the Code. Inherent power is of wide plenitude with no statutory limitation but it has to be exercised in accord with the guideline engrafted in such power viz;(i) to secure the ends of justice or (ii) to prevent abuse of the process of any Court. In what cases power to quash the criminal proceeding or complaint or F.I.R. may be Crl.M.C.No.4002 of 2013 :-4-:
exercised where the offender and victim have settled their dispute would depend on the facts and circumstances of each case and no category can be prescribed..
It is further held as follows:-
"......... But the criminal cases having overwhelmingly and pre- dominatingly civil flavour stand on different footing for the purposes of quashing, particularly the offences arising from commercial, financial,mercantile, civil, partnership or such like transactions or the offences arising out of matrimony relating to dowry etc. or the family disputes where the wrong is basically private or personal in nature and the parties have resolved their entire dispute. In this category of cases, High Court may quash criminal proceedings if in its view, because of the compromise between the offender and victim, the possibility of conviction is remote and bleak and continuation of criminal case would put accused to great oppression and prejudice and extreme injustice would be caused to him by not quashing the criminal case despite full and complete settlement and compromise with the victim........"
According to me, in the light of the facts and circumstances involved in the present case and particularly in view of the settlement arrived in the present case, the dictum laid in the above decision is applicable in the present case. Thus, I am of the view that as the parties to the dispute settled the issues amicably, it is the duty of this Court to promote and encourage such settlement, instead of compelling the parties to go on with the dispute. It is pertinent to note that since the matter is settled out of court, in the event of proceeding with the trial, there would not have any fruitful prosecution resulting the conviction Crl.M.C.No.4002 of 2013 :-5-:
of the accused, rather the net result would be sheer waste of judicial time and abuse of process of the court and proceedings. Thus, according to me, following the decisions cited supra, this Criminal M.C. can be allowed granting the relief as sought for.
In the result, this Crl.M.C. is allowed, quashing Annexure-I charge sheet and all further proceedings in C.C.No.79/2013 of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, Alappuzha, to the extent it is against the petitioners alone.
V.K.MOHANAN, Judge MBS/ Crl.M.C.No.4002 of 2013 :-6-: