Anoop and others v. State of Kerala and Sanu Stansilaus

## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT:** ## **THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V.K.MOHANAN** ## **THURSDAY, THE 20TH DAY OF JUNE 2013/30TH JYAISHTA 1935** ## **Crl.MC.No. 2514 of 2013 () ---------------------------** **C.C.2699/2010 OF JUDICIAL FIRST CLASS MAGISTRATE COURT, KOLLAM CRIME NO. 763/2010 OF PALLITHOTTAM POLICE STATION , KOLLAM -------------** ## **PETITIONERS/ACCUSED NO. 1 TO 6:** **-------------------------------** **1. ANOOP, AGED 22 YEARS,S/O. ANTONY, KUZHIVAYALPURAYIDAM, KAIKULANGARA CHERRY, KOLLAM WEST VILLAGE, KOLLAM.** **2. JINU, AGED 25 YEARS,S/O. EVEREST, THEVALLIPURAYIDAM, VADI,KAIKULANGARA CHERRY, KOLLAM WEST VILLAGE, KOLLAM.** **3. DARVIN , AGED 22 YEARS** - **S/O. VAITEX, THOPPILPURAYIDAM, KAIKULANGARA CHERRY KOLLAM WEST VILLAGE, KOLLAM.** **4. SANJU , AGED 22 YEARS** - **S/O. STEPHEN, THUNDUPARAMBIL VEEDU NEAR THANKASSERRY LIGHT HOUSE, KAIKULANGARA CHERRY KOLLAM WEST VILLAGE, KOLLAM.** **5. VIPIN, AGED 22 YEARS** - **S/O. SIRIL, KADAPPURAM PURAYIDAM, KAIKULANGARA CHERRY** - **KOLLAM WEST VILLAGE, KOLLAM.** **6. RICHU, AGED 22 YEARS** - **S/O. RAJU, THOPPILPURAYIDAM, FISHERMAN COLONY KAIKULANGARA CHERRY, KOLLAM WEST VILLAGE, KOLLAM.** ## **BY ADV. SRI.K.B.ARUNKUMAR** ## **RESPONDENTS/DE-FACTO COMPLAINANT AND STATE: ---------------------------------------------** **1. STATE OF KERALA,THROUGH THE SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE PALLITHOTTAM POLICE STATION REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF KERALA.** **2. SANU STANSILAUS, AGED 26 YEARS** - **S/O. STANSILAUS, NIRMITHI COLONY, THOPPILPURAYIDAM KAIKULANGARA CHERRY, KOLLAM WEST VILLAGE, KOLLAM.** **R1 BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SRI.RAJESH VIJAYAN R2 BY ADV. SRI.K.SIJU** **THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 20-06-2013, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING:** ## **VK** **Crl.MC.No. 2514 of 2013 () ---------------------------** ## **APPENDIX** **--------** **PETITIONER(S)' EXHIBITS** **-----------------------** **ANNEXURE 1- THE ATTESETED COPY OF FIR IN CRIME NO. 763/2010 OF PALLITHOTTAM POLICE STATION.** **ANNEXURE 2- THE ATTESTED COPY OF FINAL REPORT IN CRIME NO. 763/2010 OF PALLITHOTTAM POLICE STATION.** **ANNEXURE 3- THE ORIGINAL OF AFFIDAVIT SWORN BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT.** **RESPONDENT(S)' EXHIBITS** **-----------------------** **/ TRUE COPOY /** **P.A. TO JUDGE** **VK** ## **V.K.MOHANAN, J.** ## **----------------------------------------** ## **Crl.M.C.No. 2514 of 2013** ## **----------------------------------------** Dated this the 20[th] day of June, 2013 ## **O R D E R** The above petition is filed under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code (for short 'the Cr.P.C.') at the instance of the petitioners, who are accused Nos. 1 to 6 in C.C.No.2699 of 2010 of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-II, Kollam which is a case instituted upon the police report in Crime No. 763 of 2010 of the Pallithottam Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 294(b), 341,323,324,427 and 149 of I.P.C. with a prayer to quash Annexure I FIR and Annexure 2 Final Report in Crime No.763 of 2010 of Pallithottam Police Station as the matter is settled out of court. 2. The allegation in the above case is that on 25.10.2010 at about 9 p.m., the accused persons formed themselves into an unlawful assembly and in furtherance of their common intention to assault the de facto complainant due to previous animosity, used filthy language against him and wrongfully restrained him and inflicted injuries and thereby, Crl.M.C.No.2514 of 2013 :-2-: committed the offences punishable under Sections 294(b),341,323,324,427 and 149 of I.P.C. and now, the case of the petitioners is that the matter is settled out of court. 3. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners as well as the Adv.Sri.Siju Kamalasanan, counsel appearing for the second respondent. I have also heard the learned Public Prosecutor. 4. The learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that during the pendency of the above case, the matter is settled amicably between the parties to the dispute which is the subject matter of the above case. Therefore, the continuation of the proceedings in the above case is abuse of process of law and proceedings. 5. The learned counsel for the second respondent, who on the basis of specific instruction received from the respondent, submitted that the above respondent, who is the de facto complainant does not intend to proceed any further against the petitioners and they have no grievance against them. 6. I have carefully considered the above submissions of the Crl.M.C.No.2514 of 2013 :-3-: respective counsel. The second respondent filed Annexure 3 affidavit. I have verified the documents and materials produced along with the above petition. In the given facts and circumstances of the case and especially in the light of the settlement arrived between the parties to the dispute, the learned Public Prosecutor has also no objection in allowing the above petition. 7. Having regard to the facts and circumstances involved in the case, it can be seen that the offences involved in the above case are only Sections 294(b),341,323,324,427 and 149 of I.P.C. which are more or less personal in nature and no public interest is involved. It is pertinent to note that though such offences are involved, the real parties to the dispute approached this Court after having amicably settled the matter. From the submission made by the counsel for the second respondent, it appears to me that the the de facto complainant has no further grievance against the petitioners/ accused in the light of the settlement arrived by them. In this juncture, it is relevant to note the decision of the Honourable Apex Court v. reported in **Gian Singh State of Punjab** [2012(4) KLT 108(SC)], in Crl.M.C.No.2514 of 2013 :-4-: ## which case, the Supreme Court has held as follows:- _“57. 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 S.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.._ ## It is further held as follows:- “...... _... But the criminal cases having overwhelmingly and predominatingly civil flavour stand on different footing for the purposes of quashing, particularly the offences arising from commercial, financial,mercandile, 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_ Crl.M.C.No.2514 of 2013 **==> picture [21 x 9] intentionally omitted <==** _despite full and complete settlement and compromise with the victim........”_ According to me, in the light of the facts and circumstances involved in the present case and particularly in view of the settlement arrived in the present case, the dictum laid in the above decision is applicable in the present case. Thus, I am of the view that as the parties to the dispute settled the issues amicably, it is the duty of this Court to promote and encourage such settlement, instead of compelling the parties to go on with the dispute. It is pertinent to note that since the matter is settled out of court, in the event of proceeding with the trial, there would not have any fruitful prosecution resulting the conviction of the accused, rather the net result would be sheer waste of judicial time and abuse of process of the court and proceedings. Thus, according to me, following the decisions cited supra, this Criminal M.C. can be allowed granting the relief as sought for. In the result, this Crl.M.C. is allowed, quashing Annexure -I FIR and Annexure-2 Final Report in Crime No.763 of 2010 of Pallithottam Crl.M.C.No.2514 of 2013 :-6-: Police Station and all further proceedings pending against the petitioners in C.C.No. 2699 of 2010 on the file of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-II,Kollam. **V.K.MOHANAN, Judge** MBS/ Crl.M.C.No.2514 of 2013 :-7-: