Punjab-Haryana High Court
Sansar Chand And Another vs State Of Punjab And Another on 30 March, 2011
Author: Ritu Bahri
Bench: Ritu Bahri
Criminal Misc. No. M-1426 of 2011 -1-
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
AT CHANDIGARH
Criminal Misc. No. M-1426 of 2011
Date of decision:-30.3.2011
Sansar Chand and another
...Petitioners
Versus
State of Punjab and another
...Respondents
CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE RITU BAHRI
Present:- Mr. Vijay Lath, Advocate
for the petitioners.
Mr. Vishal Munjal, Addl.A.G. Punjab
for respondent No.1-State.
Mr. Surender Sharma, Advocate
for respondent No.2-complainant.
RITU BAHRI J.(Oral)
The present petition has been filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. for quashing the FIR No. 122 dated 12.8.2010 under Sections 420 and 406 IPC, read with Section 34 IPC, registered at Police Station Kapurthala City, Tehsil and District Kapurthala (Annexure P-1) on the basis of compromise (Annexure P-2).
As per FIR, the complainant used to do the business of dairy and also do the business of sale and purchase of buffaloes. On 06.9.2009 petitioners alongwith one Surjit Kaur, who was a teacher in a school came to his dairy and a deal was struck for an amount of Rs.2,33,000/- against five buffaloes and a cow. The said accused persons stated that they are taking the buffaloes and shall make the payment after reaching home. An amount of Rs.50,000/- was paid in cash to complainant at the spot. Thereafter, accused persons did not pay anything. In this background the present FIR was registered against the Criminal Misc. No. M-1426 of 2011 -2- petitioners.
During the pendency of investigation, the parties have entered into compromise. As per compromise (Annexure P-2) the complainant has received the entire amount from the accused and nothing is due towards them and he has no objection if the criminal proceedings are quashed qua petitioners. Respondent No.2 is present in the Court and has identified by his counsel and filed affidavit in the Court. As per his affidavit, it stated that due to intervention of respectable persons, the issue has been amicably settled between the parties. The complainant has received the amount from the petitioners, therefore he does not want to pursue the criminal proceedings against the petitioners.
Broad guidelines have been laid down by the Full Bench of this Court in the case of Kulwinder Singh and Ors. vs. State of Punjab and another 2007(3) RCR (Crl.) 1052 for quashing the prosecution when parties entered into compromise. The Full Bench has observed that this power of quashing is not confined to matrimonial disputes alone. The relevant portion of the judgment reads as under:-
"26. In Mrs. Shakuntala Sawhney v. Mrs. Kaushalya Sawhney and others, (1980)1 SCC 63, Hon'ble Krishna Iyer, J. aptly summoned up the essence of compromise in the following words :-
"The finest hour of justice arrived propitiously when parties, despite falling apart, bury the hatchet and weave a sense of fellowship of reunion."
27. The power to do complete justice is the very essence of every judicial justice dispensation system. It cannot be diluted by distorted perceptions and is not a slave to anything, except to the caution and circumspection, the standards of which the Court sets before it, in exercise of such plenary and unfettered power inherently vested in it while donning the cloak of compassion to achieve Criminal Misc. No. M-1426 of 2011 -3- the ends of justice. No embargo, be in the shape of Section 320(9) if the Cr.P.C., or any other such curtailment, can whittle down the power under Section 482 of the Cr.P.C.
28. 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 emity and reduces friction, then it truly is finest hour of justice". Disputes which have their genesis in a matrimonial discord, landlord-tenant matters, commercial transactions and other such matters can safely be dealt with by the Court by exercising its powers under Section 482 of the Cr.P.C. in the event of a compromise, but this is not to say that the power is limited to such cases. There can never be any such rigid rule to prescribe the exercise of such power, especially in the absence of any premonitions to forecast and predict eventualities which the cause of justice may throw up during the course of a litigation."
The ratio of the Full Bench judgment is a special reference which has been made to the offences against human body other than murder and culpable homicide where the victim dies in the course of transaction would fall in the category where compounding may not be permitted. Heinous offences like highway robbery, dacoity or a case involving clear-cut allegations of rape should also fall in the prohibited category. However, the offences against human body other than murder and culpable homicide may be permitted to be compounded when the Court is in the position to record a finding that the settlement between the parties is voluntary and fair. The Court must examine the cases of weaker and vulnerable victims with necessary caution.
The Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Madan Mohan Abbot Criminal Misc. No. M-1426 of 2011 -4- vs. State of Punjab 2008(2) RCR (Criminal) 429 has examined a case where quashing was sought of an FIR under Section 406 IPC being non- compoundable. The Hon'ble Supreme Court has held that :-
"1. No useful purpose would be served in continuing with the proceedings in the light of the compromise - There was no possibility of conviction.
2. It is advisable that in the disputes where question involved is of purely personal nature and no public policy is involved - Court should ordinarily accept the compromise.
3. Keeping the matter alive with no possibility of conviction is a luxury which the Courts, grossly overburdened as they are, cannot afford."
Consequently, in view of the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Madan Mohan Abbot vs. State of Punjab (supra) and the law laid down by the Full Bench of this Court in the case of Kulwinder Singh and others vs. State of Punjab and another (supra), FIR No. 122 dated 12.8.2010 under Sections 420 and 406 IPC, read with Section 34 IPC, registered at Police Station Kapurthala City, Tehsil and District Kapurthala, is quashed with all consequential proceedings arising therefrom qua petitioners.
The petition stands disposed of.
March 30, 2011 ( RITU BAHRI ) Vijay Asija JUDGE