Criminal Misc. Case No. 9112 of 2023 (Crl.M.C. 9112/2023)

# **`IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM`** ## **`PRESENT`** ``` THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN ``` ``` THURSDAY, THE 7[TH] DAY OF DECEMBER 2023 / 16TH AGRAHAYANA, 1945 ``` ``` CRL.MC NO. 9112 OF 2023 ``` ``` CRIME NO.1543/2014 OF , Thiruvananthapuram AGAINST THE ORDER/JUDGMENT SC 620/2018 OF ASSISTANT SESSIONS ``` ## **`COURT/SUB COURT,NEYYATTINKARA`** ``` PETITIONER/ACCUSED Nos. 1 TO 7: ``` ``` 1ANEESH KUMAR AGED 37 YEARS SHIJU BHAVAN, VEERANAKAVU VILLAGE, PANNIYODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, KERALA, PIN - 695575 2ANIL KUMAR AGED 38 YEARS S/O SASI, VEERANAKAVU VILLAGE, PANNIYODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, KERALA, PIN - 695575 3DINESH BABU AGED 46 YEARS S/ODEVARAJ,BABUSADANAMVEEDU, VEERANAKAVU VILLAGE, PANNIYODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, KERALA, PIN - 695575 4VAISAKH AGED 29 YEARS S/O DAS, PRAMEELA BHAVAN, V EERANAKAVU VILLAGE, PANNIYODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, KERALA, PIN - 695575 5SASI AGED 69 YEARS S/O KUMURU, SHIJU BHAVAN, VEERANAKAVU VILLAGE, PANNIYODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, KERALA, PIN - 695575 6RANJITH @ PRAMOD AGED 30 YEARS S/O RAJU, VILAPULIMOOTTUVILA PUTHEN VEEDU, VEERANAKAVU VILLAGE, PANNIYODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, KERALA, PIN - 695575 7RAJEEV AGED 30 YEARS S/O DUSHYANTHAN, VAZHAVILA VEEDU, VEERANAKAVU VILLAGE, PANNIYODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, KERALA, PIN - 695575 BY ADV ARUN SAMUEL ``` ``` CRL.MC NO. 9112 OF 2023 ``` ``` 2 ``` ## **`RESPONDENT/STATE OF KERALA/INFORMANT & VICTIMS:`** ``` 1STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA, PIN - 682031 2BIJU AGED 37 YEARS S/O SIMSON, BIJU BHAVAN AANACODE, THANNICHAMKUZHI, PANNIYODE, VEERANAKAVU VILLAGE, KATTAKKADA TALUK, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 695575 3ALEXANDER @ KUTTAPPAN AGED 47 YEARS S/O JOSEPH,RODARIKATHU VEEDU, URUVILAMCADE, AANACODE, THANNICHAMKUZHI, PANNIYODE, VEERANAKAVU VILLAGE, KATTAKKADA TALUK, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 695575 4DILEEP AGED 33 YEARS S/O VIJAYAN, DEEPU NIVAS, AANACODE, THANNICHAMKUZHI, PANNIYODE, VEERANAKAVU VILLAGE, KATTAKKADA TALUK, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 695575 5BIJU KUMAR AGED 44 YEARS S/O PATHROSE, CHENIVILA AKHIL BHAVAN, AANACODE, THANNICHAMKUZHI, PANNIYODE, VEERANAKAVU VILLAGE, KATTAKKADA TALUK, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 695575 SRI MP PRASANTH , PP SRI JITHIN BABU A ``` ``` THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 07.12.2023, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING: ``` ``` CRL.MC NO. 9112 OF 2023 ``` ``` 3 ``` ## **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J.** **-------------------------------Crl.M.C. No. 9112 of 2023 ---------------------------------------------Dated this the 7[th] day of December, 2023** ## **O R D E R** 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 S.C. No. 620/2018 on the file of Assistant Sessions Court, Neyyatinkara arising from Crime No. 1543/2014 of Kattakada Police Station. The above case is charge sheeted alleging offences punishable under Sections 143, 147, 148, 323, 324, 308 and 427 r/w 149 IPC. 3. The prosecution case is that accused persons formed themselves into an unlawful assembly and assaulted the victims and committed mischief. 4. The learned counsel for the petitioners submit that the parties have settled their dispute and do not wish to pursue the prosecution proceedings. The counsel relies on ``` CRL.MC NO. 9112 OF 2023 ``` ``` 4 ``` the affidavit 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 petitioner, victims and the Public Prosecutor and has also gone through the records including the 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** ``` CRL.MC NO. 9112 OF 2023 ``` ``` 5 ``` **(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 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_ ``` CRL.MC NO. 9112 OF 2023 ``` ``` 6 ``` _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 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_ ``` CRL.MC NO. 9112 OF 2023 ``` ``` 7 ``` _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 allowed. All further proceedings in S.C. No. 620/2018 on the file of Assistant Sessions Court, Neyyatinkara arising from Crime No. 1543/2014 of Kattakada Police Station, are quashed. ## **Sd/-** ## **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN JUDGE** sms ``` CRL.MC NO. 9112 OF 2023 ``` ``` 8 ``` ## **`APPENDIX OF CRL.MC 9112/2023`** ## `PETITIONER ANNEXURES` ``` Annexure 1CERTIFIED COPY OF THE FIR DATED 19/12/2014 IN CRIME NO. 1543/2014 ALONG WITH THE FIS REGISTERED AT KATTAKADA POLICE STATION, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM RURAL. Annexure 2CERTIFIED COPY OF THE FINAL REPORT DATED 21/01/2017 SUBMITTED BY THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER, KATTAKADA POLICE STATION, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM RURAL BEFORE THE JUDICIAL FIRST-CLASS MAGISTRATE'S COURT, KATTAKADA, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. Annexure 3THE AFFIDAVIT DATED 30/10/2023 SWORN BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT/INFORMANT. Annexure 4THE AFFIDAVIT DATED 30/10/2023 SWORN BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT/VICTIM. Annexure 5THE AFFIDAVIT DATED 30/10/2023 SWORN BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT/VICTIM. Annexure 6THE AFFIDAVIT DATED 30/10/2023 SWORN BY THE 5TH RESPONDENT/VICTIM. ```