Uttarakhand High Court
Pervej And Another vs State Of Uttarakhand And Others on 8 February, 2018
Author: U.C. Dhyani
Bench: U.C. Dhyani
IN THE HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND AT NAINITAL
Criminal Writ Petition 1518 of 2017
Pervej and another ....... Petitioners
versus
State of Uttarakhand and others ....... Respondents
Ms. Sarita Bisht, Advocate for the petitioners.
Mr. J.S. Virk, A.G.A. and Ms. Shiwali Joshi, Brief Holder for the
respondent State.
Mr. Bilal Ahmed, Advocate for respondent no. 3.
U.C. Dhyani, J.(Oral)
An FIR has been lodged against the petitioners for the offences punishable under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 307, 427 IPC.
2) Compounding application, being CLMA no. 13107 of 2018, has been filed by the parties to indicate that they have buried their differences and have settled their dispute amicably. Joint compromise has been filed alongwith affidavits of accused-petitioner no. 1 as well as of the complainant- respondent no. 3 and injured Danish.
3) All the petitioners are present in person before the Court, duly identified by their counsel Ms. Sarita Bisht, Advocate. Complainant-respondent no. 3 Abdul Jabbar and Injured-Danish are also present in person before the Court, duly identified by their counsel Mr. Bilal Ahmed, Advocate.
4) Injured states that he as well as complainant- respondent no. 3 are no more interested in prosecuting the petitioners, inasmuch as the dispute between the parties has been resolved amicably. They further stated that they may be 2 permitted to compound the offences complained of against the petitioners. The statement given by the injured in the open Court has been affirmed on behalf of the accused-petitioners.
5) The only question which arises for consideration of this Court is whether the complainant-respondent no. 3 and injured should be permitted to compound the offences complained of against the accused-petitioners or not?
6) Learned counsel for the petitioners drew attention of this Court towards a decision rendered by Hon'ble Supreme Court in the cases of Dimpy Gujral vs Union Territory through Administrator U.T. Chandigarh and others, [2013 (123) AIC 119 (S.C.)] and Narendra Singh and others vs State of Punjab and another, (2014) 6 SCC 466, where the said Court has permitted compounding of such type of offences, which are otherwise non-compoundable, within the scheme of Section 320 of Cr.P.C.
7) It will also be useful to reproduce the law laid down by Hon'ble Apex Court in Gian Singh vs. State of Punjab and another (2013) 1 SCC (Cri) 160, wherein it was observed, in the context of such cases, as under:
"The position that emerges from the above discussion can be summarized 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 Section 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 of F.I.R. may be 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. However, before exercise of such power, the High Court must have due regard 3 to the nature and gravity of the crime. Heinous and serious offences of mental depravity or offences like murder, rape, dacoity, etc. cannot be fittingly quashed even though the victim or victim's family and the offender have settled the dispute. Such offences are not private in nature and have serious impact on society. Similarly, any compromise between the victim and offender in relation to the offences under special statues like Prevention of Corruption Act or the offences committed by public servants while working in that capacity etc; cannot provide for any basis for quashing criminal proceedings involving such offences. 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. In other words, the High Court must consider whether it would be unfair or contrary to the interest of justice to continue with the criminal proceedings or continuation of the criminal proceeding would tantamount to abuse of process of law despite settlement and compromise between the victim and wrongdoer and whether to secure the ends of justice, it is appropriate that criminal case is put to an end and if the answer to the above question(s) is in affirmative, the High Court shall be well within its jurisdiction to quash the criminal proceeding."
8) Likewise, those cases, where the charge is framed but the evidence is yet to start, the High Court can exercise it's powers, but after prima facie assessment of the circumstances/material mentioned therein. This Court is of the opinion that this matter deserves to be given a quietus as continuance of proceedings arising out of the first information report in question would be an exercise in futility.
49) Reliance may also be placed in Dina Nath Prasad & others vs. State & Anr., decided by Hon'ble Delhi High Court on 12th January, 2016 in Criminal Misc. Case no. 111 of 2016, Judgment rendered by Hon'ble Allahabad High Court on 18.11.2015 in C-482 Petition No. 31751 of 2015, Rajendra Sharma and others vs. State of U.P. & another and the Judgment rendered by Punjab and Haryana High Court on 29.05.2012 in Crl. Misc. Case No. 22608 of 2011, Satwinder Singh & another vs. State of Punjab & others.
10) The reply to the question, posed by this Court in para no. 5 of this Judgment, therefore, is in the affirmative in view of the catena of decisions of Hon'ble Apex Court. Otherwise also, it will be a futile exercise if proceedings arising out of FIR in question against the petitioners are kept pending when the parties have settled their disputes amicably.
11) Compounding application is allowed. As a consequence thereof, criminal writ petition is also allowed. Impugned FIR/ case crime no. 389 of 2017, under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 307, 427 IPC, registered with police station Kotwali Manglor, District Haridwar is hereby quashed on the basis of compromise arrived at between the parties.
(U.C. Dhyani, J.) Vacation Judge 08.02.2018 Negi 6