High Court of KeralaSingle JudgeCrl.M.C. allowed; FIR and all further proceedin...

Kaisal S/O Mehamood v. State of Kerala

Case / Petition Number:Crl.MC.No.3914 of 2013

Case Details & Bench

Court
High Court of Kerala
Hon'ble Judges
  • V.K.Mohan/an
Judgment Date
2013-09-10
Court Decision / Holding
Crl.M.C. allowed; Annexure A1 FIR and all further proceedings in Crime No.46/13 of Kasaragod Police Station are quashed.
Final Disposition
Crl.M.C. allowed; FIR and all further proceedings quashed.

Parties to the Case

Appellants / Petitioners

  • Kaisal S/O Mehamood

Respondents

  • State of Kerala represented by Sub-Inspector Kasaragod Police Station
  • Sakkaria (de facto complainant)

Legal Representation & Advocates

Counsels for Petitioners

  • • Sri. Salim V.S.

Counsels for Respondents

  • • Public Prosecutor Smt. Hyma
  • • Sri. Nijamudeen

Case Synopsis & Summary

This is a Kerala High Court criminal miscellaneous case (Crl.M.C. No. 3914 of 2013) invoking the inherent power under Section 482 Cr.P.C. The petition is filed by Kaisal, the 1st accused in Crime No. 46/2013 of Kasaragod Police Station, seeking to quash the FIR (Annexure A1) and further proceedings on the ground that the dispute between the parties has been settled out of court. The respondents are the State of Kerala, represented by the Sub-Inspector of Kasaragod Police Station, and the de facto complainant Sakkaria who has sworn an affidavit (Annexure A2) stating no grievance against the petitioner and no desire to pursue the case. The State Public Prosecutor and the de facto complainant’s counsel support settlement and no objection to quashing. The court notes that the offences involved (sections 341, 323, 324, 506(i) r/w 34 IPC) are personal in nature and that although offences are present, the real parties to the dispute have amicably settled. Relying on Gian Singh v. State of Punjab (2012) 4 KLT 108 (SC), the court acknowledges the distinction between inherent powers and compounding, emphasizing that where settlement exists and continuation would cause oppression or injustice, quashing is appropriate. Hence, the petition is allowed; the FIR and further proceedings are quashed.

Provisions of Law Cited

Cr.P.C. Section 482IPC Sections 341, 323, 324, 506(i) r/w 34

Legal Doctrines & Maxims

  • Inherent power of High Court to quash criminal proceedings
  • Ends of justice
  • Prevention of abuse of process of the court
  • Settlement/out-of-court compromise as a factor in quashing (Gian Singh v. State of Punjab)

Submissions & Arguments

Contentions of Appellants / Petitioners

The petition contends that amicable settlement between the parties renders continued proceedings an abuse of process and not in public interest. The accused asserts that the matter has been resolved out of court with the de facto complainant, with no ongoing grievance, thus warranting quashing to prevent needless harassment and waste of judicial time.

Contentions of Respondents

The de facto complainant states there is no grievance against the accused and does not intend to pursue the case; the State and public prosecutor do not oppose quashing in light of the settlement and lack of public interest.

Cited Precedents (1)

Case NameCitationTreatmentExplanation
Gian Singh v. State of Punjab2012(4) KLT 108(SC)PositiveSupreme Court held that the High Court may quash criminal proceedings where the offender and victim have settled their dispute, applying ends-of-justice and prevention-of-abuse principles; the present case applies this principle due to amicable settlement.

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Extracted Judgment Text

Exact text extracted from official judgment records.

## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT:** ## **THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V.K.MOHANAN** **TUESDAY, THE 10TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2013/19TH BHADRA, 1935** ## **Crl.MC.No. 3914 of 2013 () ---------------------------** **CC 517/2010 of C.J.M.,KASARAGOD CRIME NO. 373/2010 OF KASARAGOD POLICE STATION, KASARGOD** **------------** **PETITIONERS/ACCUSED:** **--------------------** **KAISAL, S/O.MEHAMOOD, AGED 23 YEARS PALLIKKAL HOUSE, ANANGOOR, TIPPUNAGAR P.O.VIDYANAGAR, KASARAGOD-671123.** **BY ADV. SRI.SALIM V.S.** **RESPONDENTS:** **------------** **1. STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE KASARAGOD POLICE STATION REPRESENTED THROUGH PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KERALA, ERNAKULAM.** **2. SAKKARIA, AGED 33 YEARS S/O.HASSAINAR, YAKKOOB HOUSE, RAHMATH NAGAR 4TH MILE CHENKALA, KASARGOD DISTRICT, PIN-671121.** **R1 BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SMT.S.HYMA R2 BY ADV. SRI.NIJAMUDEEN** **THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 10-09-2013, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING:** **VK** **Crl.MC.No. 3914 of 2013 () ---------------------------** **APPENDIX** **--------** **PETITIONER'S ANNEXURES :** **-----------------------** **ANNEXURE A1. COPY OF THE FIR IN CRIME 46/2013** **ANNEXURE A2. AFFIDAVIT DULY SIGNED BY THE DEFACTO COMPLAINANT ATTESTED BY A NOTARY PUBLIC.** **RESPONDENT'S ANNEXURES : NIL** **-----------------------** **/ TRUE COPY /** **P.A. TO JUDGE** **VK** ## **V.K.MOHANAN, J.** **------------------------------Crl.M.C.No.3914 of 2013 ------------------------------Dated this the 10[th] day of September, 2013.** ## **O R D E R** The above petition is filed under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code (for short 'Cr.P.C.') at the instance of the petitioner, who is the 1[st] accused in Crime No.46/13 of Kasaragod Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 341, 323, 324, 506(i) r/w 34 of I.P.C. with a prayer to quash Annexure-A1 FIR and all further proceedings against the petitioners in the above crime, as the matter is settled out of court. 2. The allegation in the above case is that on 10.1.2013 at about 12.45 hrs. the accused attacked the de facto complainant with hand and iron rod causing injury to him. The investigation in this case is not completed and final report has not been submitted before the court. Now, the case of the petitioner is that the matter is settled out of **Crl.M.C.No.3914 of 2013** 2 court with the 2[nd] respondent/de facto complainant, who had sworn into Annexure-A2 affidavit. 3. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner as well as the 2[nd] respondent. I have also heard the learned Public Prosecutor. 4. The learned counsel for the petitioner 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 2[nd] 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 petitioner and he has no grievance against them. 6. I have carefully considered the above submissions of the respective counsel. I have verified the **Crl.M.C.No.3914 of 2013** 3 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 under Sections 341, 323, 324, 506(i) r/w 34 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 2[nd] respondent, it appears to me that the de facto complainant has no further grievance against the petitioner/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 reported in **Gian** **Crl.M.C.No.3914 of 2013** 4 ## **Singh** v. **State of Punjab** [2012(4) KLT 108(SC)]. In Gian ## Singh's 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 pre-dominatingly 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 **Crl.M.C.No.3914 of 2013** 5 to him by not quashing the criminal case 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. According to me, 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. 6 ## **Crl.M.C.No.3914 of 2013** In the result, this Crl.M.C. is allowed, quashing Annexure-A1 FIR and all further proceedings pending against the petitioner in Crime No.46/13 of Kasaragod Police Station. Sd/- **V.K.MOHANAN, Judge** ami/ //True copy// P.A. to Judge