Punjab-Haryana High Court
Sukhdev Singh @ Babba And Others vs State Of Punjab And Others on 26 April, 2011
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT
CHANDIGARH
Crl. M. No. M-32899 of 2010
Date of Decision:26.4.2011
Sukhdev Singh @ Babba and others
.... Petitioners
Versus
State of Punjab and others
.... Respondents
And
Crl. M. No.M-32734 of 2010
Date of Decision:26.4.2011
Varinder Singh and others
.... Petitioners
Versus
State of Punjab and others
.... Respondents
CORAM: Hon'ble Ms. Justice Nirmaljit Kaur
Present: Ms. Ravinder Kaur, Advocate.
Mrs. Neelam, A.A.G. Punjab.
Mr. A.S. Manaise, Advocate.
****
1.Whether Reporters of Local Newspapers may be allowed to
see the judgment?
2.To be referred to the Reporters or not?
3.Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest?
NIRMALJIT KAUR, J.
The instant petitions have been filed for quashing of FIR No.59 dated 5.5.2009 registered under Sections 452,326,323,324,148,149 IPC, Police Station Chherretta, District Amritsar City as well as Cross case in the aforesaid FIR and subsequent proceedings arising therefrom on the basis of compromise entered into between the parties.
The FIR in question mentioned in Crl. M No.32899-M of 2010 was got registered by respondent No.2-Varinder Singh whereas cross case mentioned in Crl. M. No.32734-M of 2010 was got registered by respondent No.2-Sukhdev Singh @ Babba.
However, the matter has since been compromised.
Compromise deed has also been placed on record in both the petitions as Annexure P-3 respectively.
Crl. M. No. M-32899 of 2010 -2-The parties are present in the Court through their respective counsel. Learned counsel for the parties have placed on record the affidavits of the complainants as well as the aggrieved parties (except respondent No.4 in Crl. M. No.32899-M of 2010, who has since expired) in their respective cases admitting the factum of compromise. As per the said affidavits, they have no objection if the FIR in question as well as cross case are quashed.
The Full Bench of this Court, in the case of Kulwinder Singh and others v. State of Punjab and another 2007(3) RCR (Criminal) 1052 has held that the compromise, in a modern society, is the sine qua non of harmony and orderly behaviour. It is the soul of justice and if the power under Section 482 of the Cr.P.C. is used to enhance such a compromise which, in turn, enhances the social amity and reduces friction, then it truly is "finest hour of justice". Disputes which have their genesis not only in matrimonial discord but others as well, such compromise deserves to be accepted. It is further held as under:-
" The only inevitable conclusion from the above discussion is that there is no statutory bar under the Cr.P.C. which can affect the inherent power of this Court under Section 482. Further, the same cannot be limited to matrimonial cases alone and the Court has the wide power to quash the proceedings even in non- compoundable offences notwithstanding the bar under Section 320 of the Cr.P.C in order to prevent the abuse of law and to secure the ends of justice."
In the case of Madan Mohan Abbot v. State of Punjab 2008 (4) S.C. Cases 582, the Apex Court emphasised and advised as under:-
" We need to emphasise that it is perhaps advisable that in disputes where the question involved is of a purely personal nature, the court should ordinarily accept the terms of the compromise even in criminal proceedings as keeping the matter alive with no possibility of a result in favour of the prosecution is a luxury which the courts, grossly overburdened as they are, cannot afford and that the time so saved can be Crl. M. No. M-32899 of 2010 -3- utilised in deciding more effective and meaningful litigation. This is a common sense approach to the matter based on ground of realities and bereft of the technicalities of the law."
In view of the settled position of law and in the facts of the present case, it is a fit case where there is no impediment in the way of the Court to accept the compromise and exercise its inherent powers under Section 482 Cr.P.C. for quashing of FIR in the interest of justice to promote peace and harmony. The compromise is entered into without any pressure.
Accordingly, the instant petitions are allowed and FIR No.59 dated 5.5.2009 registered under Sections 452,326,323,324,148,149 IPC, Police Station Chherretta, District Amritsar City as well as Cross case in the aforesaid FIR and subsequent proceedings arising therefrom on the basis of compromise entered into between the parties are hereby quashed in the interest of justice.
A photo copy of this order be placed on the connected case.
26.4.2011 ( NIRMALJIT KAUR ) rajeev JUDGE