Ali Askar C.K. and Mohammed Arifudheen C. v. State of Kerala and Others

## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN THURSDAY, THE 26[TH] DAY OF OCTOBER 2023 / 4TH KARTHIKA, 1945** ## **CRL.MC NO. 7616 OF 2023** ## **PETITIONERS/ACCUSED 1 & 2:** 1 ALI ASKAR C.K. AGED 44 YEARS CHULLIKULAVAN HOUSE, THALIPPADAM, EDAKKARA, MALAPPURAM, PIN - 679333 2 MUHAMMED ARIFUDHEEN C. AGED 23 YEARS CHEENIKKAL HOUSE, KERALA ESTATE, MALAPPURAM, PIN - 676525 BY ADVS. P.K.NIJOY C.PRABITHA REJOICE B.CHEMBAKASSERIL ## **RESPONDENTS/STATE, DEFACTO COMPLAINANT & WIFE OF THE DECEASED** **VICTIM:** 1 STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA, PIN - 682031 2 RAJESHKUMAR B. AGED 45 YEARS SON OF BALAKRISHNA PILLAI, KUZHIVELIL VEEDU, KANNANKODE, CHADAYAMANGALAM P.O., KOLLAM, PIN - 691534 3 SREEJAKUMARI G. AGED 37 YEARS WIFE OF RAJEEV R., "NANDANA BHAVAN", KADANNOOR, CHADAYAMANGALAM P.O., KOLLAM, PIN - 691534 BY ADV. MAHESH V MENON SRI.RENJITH T.R., PP THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 26.10.2023, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING: Crl.M.C.No.7616 of 2023 2 ## **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J.** **------------------------------** **Crl.M.C.No.7616 of 2023 ---------------------------------------------Dated this the 26[th] day of October, 2023** ## **ORDER** This Criminal Miscellaneous Case is filed under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (“the Code” for the sake of brevity). 2. Petitioners are the accused in Crime No.1249/2023 of Chadayamangalam Police Station, Kollam. The above case is registered against the petitioners alleging offences punishable under Sections 336 and 304-A IPC. 3. The prosecution case is that, on 27.08.2023, the victim went to the furniture shop belonging to the 1[st] petitioner wherein the 2[nd] petitioner serves as a Crl.M.C.No.7616 of 2023 3 manager and fell from the first floor causing injuries. 4. The learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the parties have settled their dispute and do not wish to pursue the prosecution proceedings. The counsel relies on the affidavits filed by the victims in support of his contention. The counsel appearing for the victims also submitted that the matter is settled and the victims have no objection in quashing the prosecution. 5. The learned Public Prosecutor, on instructions, has expressed reservations about quashing the proceedings solely on the basis of the settlement. But the Public Prosecutor conceded that the matter is settled between the parties. 6. This Court has considered the submission of the petitioners, victims and the Public Prosecutor and has also gone through the records including the Crl.M.C.No.7616 of 2023 4 affidavits filed by the victims. 7. In **State of Madhya Pradesh v Laxmi Narayan and Others (2019 (5) SCC 688),** three judge bench of the Hon'ble Supreme Court has summarized the situation in which non compoundable offences can be quashed invoking the powers under Section 482 of the Code. The apex court in _**Laxmi Narayan**_ 's case (supra) also relied on the law laid down in **Gian Singh v. State of Punjab and another (2012 (10) SCC 303)** and **Narinder Singh and others v. State of Punjab and another (2014 (6) SCC 466)** . The apex court in paragraph 13 of the _**Laxmi Narayan**_ 's case discussed the law in detail and the same is extracted hereunder: _“13. Considering the law on the point and the other decisions of this Court on the point, referred to herein above, it is observed and held as under:_ _i) that the power conferred under S.482 of the Code to quash the criminal proceedings for the non - compoundable offences under S.320 of the Code can be exercised having overwhelmingly and_ Crl.M.C.No.7616 of 2023 5 _predominantly the civil character, particularly those arising out of commercial transactions or arising out of matrimonial relationship or family disputes and when the parties have resolved the entire dispute amongst themselves;_ _ii) such power is not to be exercised in those prosecutions which involved heinous and serious offences of mental depravity or offences like murder, rape, dacoity, etc. Such offences are not private in nature and have a serious impact on society;_ _iii) similarly, such power is not to be exercised for the offences under the special statutes like Prevention of Corruption Act or the offences committed by public servants while working in that capacity are not to be quashed merely on the basis of compromise between the victim and the offender;_ _iv) offences under S.307 IPC and the Arms Act etc. would fall in the category of heinous and serious offences and therefore are to be treated as crime against the society and not against the individual alone, and therefore, the criminal proceedings for the offence under S.307 IPC and / or the Arms Act etc. which have a serious impact on the society cannot be quashed in exercise of powers under S.482 of the Code, on the ground that the parties have resolved their entire dispute amongst themselves. However, the High Court would not rest its decision merely because there is a mention of S.307 IPC in the FIR or the charge is framed under this provision. It would be open to the High Court to examine as to whether incorporation of S.307 IPC is there for the sake of it or the prosecution has collected sufficient evidence, which if proved, would lead to framing the charge under S.307 IPC. For this purpose, it would be open to the High Court to go by the nature of injury sustained, whether such injury is inflicted on the vital / delegate parts of the body, nature of weapons used etc. However, such an exercise by the High Court would be permissible only after the evidence is_ Crl.M.C.No.7616 of 2023 6 _collected after investigation and the charge sheet is filed / charge is framed and / or during the trial. Such exercise is not permissible when the matter is still under investigation. Therefore, the ultimate conclusion in paragraphs 29.6 and 29.7 of the decision of this Court in the case of Narinder Singh (supra) should be read harmoniously and to be read as a whole and in the circumstances stated herein above;_ _v) while exercising the power under S.482 of the Code to quash the criminal proceedings in respect of non- compoundable offences, which are private in nature and do not have a serious impart on society, on the ground that there is a settlement / compromise between the victim and the offender, the High Court is required to consider the antecedents of the accused; the conduct of the accused, namely, whether the accused was absconding and why he was absconding, how he had managed with the complainant to enter into a compromise etc.”_ 8. Keeping in mind the above dictum laid down by the apex court, this court perused the facts in this case and also perused the documents produced by the parties. After going through the entire facts and circumstances I am of the considered opinion that the dispute is private in nature and the settlement can be accepted. Therefore, this Criminal Miscellaneous case is Crl.M.C.No.7616 of 2023 7 allowed. All further proceedings against the petitioners in Crime No.1249/2023 of Chadayamangalam Police Station, Kollam are quashed. Sd/- **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN** DM **JUDGE** Crl.M.C.No.7616 of 2023 8 ## **APPENDIX OF CRL.MC 7616/2023** PETITIONER ANNEXURES ANNEXURE A1 TRUE COPY OF THE FIR IN CRIME NO. 1249 OF 2023 OF THE CHADAYAMANGALAM POLICE STATION DATED 1-9-2022 ANNEXURE A2 ORIGINAL OF THE AFFIDAVIT DATED 129-2023 OF THE 2ND RESPONDENT ANNEXURE A3 ORIGINAL OF THE AFFIDAVIT DATED 129-2023 OF THE 3RD RESPONDENT RESPONDENTS EXHIBITS :NIL //TRUE COPY// PA TO JUDGE