Arjunsinh Surendrasinh Bhadoriya vs State Of Gujarat

S.H.Vora, J

Respondent No.2 - complainant is present before this Court.

Vide order dated 27.11.2019, this Court has passed following order :-

"Learned advocate Ms. Shweta Dave states that she has instructions to appear for victim girl- Ms. Nehaben. She is permitted to file her Vakalatnama. She has produced affidavit of the victim, which is ordered to be taken on record.

Victim girl is present before the Court and admits correctness and genuineness of the affidavit filed by her through her learned advocate. Learned advocate Ms.Dave identifies victim girl and confirms correctness and genuineness of the affidavit filed by her.

Notice returnable on 18.12.2019. Learned APP waives service of notice on behalf of the respondent - State. Learned APP is directed to take instructions."

Rule. Learned A.P.P. and learned advocate Ms. Sweta Dave waive service of Rule for respondent Nos.1 and respondent no.3 - victim girl respectively.

With the consent of learned advocate for the applicant and learned advocate for respondents , present application is taken up for final disposal today.

By way of the present applications under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (for short, the 'Code'), the applicant prays for quashing and setting aside the F.I.R. being C.R.No.I-170 of 2017 registered with Meghaninagar Police Station, Ahmedabad City for the offence punishable under Sections 363, 366, 376 of IPC and under the provisions of the POCSO Act.

Learned advocate for the applicant has taken this Court through the factual matrix arising out of the present application.

It is now stated at bar that the applicant and the victim have settled the dispute amicably and the victim has no grievance against the applicant. Not only that the victim and the applicant have married.

It is in light of this aspect, the applicant and the victim urged that impugned criminal proceedings being impugned FIR may be quashed.

Learned advocate Ms.Sweta Dave appearing for the victim points out that since the victim has already married with the applicant, it will be more in her interest that the impugned criminal proceedings may be quashed, as otherwise, their marital life will be put into jeopardize and there is no one to take care of her.

It is now settled that in serious offence as one u/s 376 of the IPC cannot be subject matter of quashment of the proceedings initiated u/s 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 on the ground of settlement between the accused and the victim. Suffice it to refer the various decisions rendered by the Hon'ble Apex Court on such aspect, more particularly, in cases of Anita Maria Dias Vs. State of Maharashtra reported in (2018) 3 SCC 290, Shimbu Vs. State of Haryana reported in (2014) 13 SCC 318 and Parbatbhai Ahir Vs. State of Gujarat reported in (2017) 9 SCC 641. However, this Court cannot overlook the fact that the applicant and the victim girl got married. Such situation is an exception to the approach to deal with the proceedings initiated u/s 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 on the basis of settlement between the victim and the accused and for the pre-dominant purpose of the welfare of the victim to ensure her better future life, it is just and proper for this Court in exercise of extraordinary inherent powers u/s 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 could quash the impugned criminal proceedings on the ground of settlement between the parties in cases where the accused has married and the victim insist for quashment of impugned criminal proceedings.

In view of the aforementioned aspect, more particularly, in light of the statement made by the victim supported by duly affirmed affidavit placed on record through her learned advocate Ms.Sweta Dave, this Court is inclined to consider the plea for quashment of the impugned criminal proceedings, as otherwise, it will detrimentally affect the family life of the victim girl and even the balance and harmony that could be achieved by them in the resolution of disputes that again be irrecoverably lost.

Since now, the dispute with reference to the impugned F.I.R. is settled and resolved by and between parties which is confirmed by the original victim through her learned advocate, the trial would be futile and any further continuation of proceedings would amount to abuse of process of law. Therefore, the impugned F.I.R. is required to be quashed and set aside in view of peculiar facts of the case being exception to the general principle of law to decline the quashment of proceedings of the nature like present one.

In view of this position, this application is allowed. Impugned F.I.R. being C.R.No.I-170 of 2017 registered with Meghaninagar Police Station, Ahmedabad City, all other proceedings taken out in pursuance thereof and proceedings of Special Case (POCSO) No.20 of 2019 pending before the learned Special Judge, City Sessions Court, Ahmedabad against the present applicant are hereby quashed and set aside. The applicant will produce certified copy of this order before the concerned learned Sessions Court and also before the investigating officer for necessary action. Rule is made absolute to the aforesaid extent. Direct service is permitted.