Gurbaz Singh And Others vs State Of Uttarakhand & Others

R.C. Khulbe, J

By way of present writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, petitioners seek to quash the FIR dated 11.11.2021 bearing Case

Crime No.641 of 2021, registered under Section 34, 406, 420, 467, 468, 471, 504 and 506 IPC at P.S. Rudraupr, District U.S. Nagar.

The parties have filed the above-numbered compounding application to show that they have buried their differences and have settled their disputes

amicably.

Learned counsel for the State opposed the compounding application.

It is contended by learned counsel for the petitioners that the offences u/s 406/420/504/506 IPC are compoundable whereas Sections

34/467/468/471 IPC are non-compoundable offences.

The parties are present before the Court through video conferencing being identified by their respective counsel; the informant fairly submits that a

compromise has taken place in this case and he does not want to pursue the matter against the petitioners.

The Apex Court has dealt with the consequence of a compromise in regard to non-compoundable offences in the case of B.S.Joshi and others vs.

State of Haryana and another, (2003) 4 SCC 675 and has held as below: -

“If for the purpose of securing the ends of justice, quashing of FIR becomes necessary, Section 320 Cr.P.C. would not be a bar to the

exercise of power of quashing. It is, however, a different matter depending upon the facts and circumstances of each case whether to

exercise or not such a power.â€​

Thus, the High Court, in exercise of its inherent power can quash criminal proceedings or FIR or complaint and Section 320 of Cr.P.C. does not

limit or affect the powers under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court has permitted compounding of such offences in the decision of Nikhil Merchant v. CBI and another, (2008) 9

SCC 650.

Learned counsel for the parties also drew the attention of this Court towards the citation of Gian Singh v. State of Punjab and another, (2013) 1

SCC (Cri) 160, in which Hon’ble Supreme Court observed as below:-

“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 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 or 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 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 statutes 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 proceeding 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.â€​

The instant case is squarely covered by the aforesaid judgments of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

Accordingly, compounding application is allowed. The entire proceedings, mentioned hereinabove, pending between the parties are hereby quashed

qua the present petitioners on the basis of compromise arrived at between the parties.

Present writ petition is disposed of, as above.

Pending applications, if any, also stand disposed of accordingly.