Kiran and Ratheesh v. State of Kerala

## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN MONDAY, THE 30[TH] DAY OF OCTOBER 2023 / 8TH KARTHIKA, 1945** ## **CRL.MC NO. 2297 OF 2022** **CRIME NO.257/2018 OF Kuttampuzha Police Station, Ernakulam AGAINST THE ORDER/JUDGMENT SC 231/2019 OF SUB COURT, MUVATTUPUZHA** ## **PETITIONER/ACCUSED:** 1 KIRAN AGED 31 YEARS S/O. KANARAN, PUTHANVEETTIL HOUSE, PINAVOORKUDY KARA, KUTTAMBUZHA VILLAGE, KOTHAMANGALAM TALUK, ERNAKULAM DISTRICT. 2 RATHEESH AGED 31 YEARS S/O RAVI, PLANKOOTTATHIL HOUSE, PINAVOORKUDY KARA, KUTTAMBUZHA VILLAGE, KOTHAMANGALAM TALUK, ERNAKULAM DISTRICT. BY ADV ROY THOMAS (MUVATTUPUZHA) ## **RESPONDENTS/COMPLAINANT AND DE FACTO COMPLAINT:** 1 STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA, ERNAKULAM, KOCHI-682031. 2 GOPALAN AGED 67 YEARS S/O. KELA, PATHIKKAL HOUSE, PINAVOORKUDY KARA, KUTTAMBUZHA VILLAGE,URULANTHANNI P .O KOTHAMANGALAM TALUK, ERNAKULAM DISTRICT, PIN - 686681 BY ADVS. SRI.ABU MATHEW SRI.HRITHWIK C.S.,PP THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 30.10.2023, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING: Crl.M.C.No.2297 of 2022 2 ## **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J.** **------------------------------** **Crl.M.C.No.2297 of 2022** **---------------------------------------------Dated this the 30[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 S.C.No.231/2019 on the file of the Assistant Sessions Court, Muvattupuzha arising from Crime No.257/2018 of Kuttampuzha Police Station. The above case is registered against the petitioners alleging offences punishable under Sections 450, 323, 324, 307 and 506 (i) r/w 34 IPC. 3. The prosecution case is that the accused Crl.M.C.No.2297 of 2022 3 assaulted the victim and attempted to commit murder. 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 affidavit filed by the victim in support of his contention. The counsel appearing for the victim also submitted that the matter is settled and the victim has 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 perused the final report and also the wound certificate of the victim. There is no serious injuries sustained to the victim and the victim Crl.M.C.No.2297 of 2022 4 sustained injuries on hand. It is also clear from the medical certificate that, there was smell of alcohol to victim. Considering the injuries sustained to the victim and the overt act alleged against the accused, I think the offence under Section 307 IPC is not made out. This Court has also considered the submission of the petitioners, victim and the Public Prosecutor and has also gone through the records including the affidavit filed by the victim. 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.M.C.No.2297 of 2022 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 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_ Crl.M.C.No.2297 of 2022 6 _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 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.”_ Crl.M.C.No.2297 of 2022 7 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 against the petitioners in S.C.No.231/2019 on the file of the Assistant Sessions Court, Muvattupuzha arising from Crime No.257/2018 of Kuttampuzha Police Station are quashed. Sd/- DM **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN JUDGE** Crl.M.C.No.2297 of 2022 8 ## **APPENDIX OF CRL.MC 2297/2023** PETITIONER ANNEXURES ANNEXURE A1 THE TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN CRL.M.P.NO. 55/2023 IN CC NO. 38/2022 OF THE HON'BLE JUDICIAL FIRST CLASS MAGISTRATE-I, KANNUR DATED 18-01-2023 ANNEXURE A2 THE TRUE COPY OF THE PASSPORT NO. X6119917 ANNEXURE A3 THE TRUE COPY OF THE VISA ISSUED BY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA RESPONDENTS EXHIBITS :NIL //TRUE COPY// PA TO JUDGE