Lloyd M. Thomas v. State of Kerala and Others

``` INTHEHIGHCOURTOFKERALAATERNAKULAM PRESENT THEHONOURABLEMR.JUSTICERAJAVIJAYARAGHAVANV FRIDAY,THE16[TH]DAYOFJUNE2023/26THJYAISHTA,1945 CRL.MCNO.9008OF2022 ``` ``` AGAINSTTHEORDERINC.C.NO.1333/2019OFJUDICIALMAGISTRATEOF FIRSTCLASS,VARKALA ``` ## **`PETITIONER/ACCUSED :-`** ``` LLOYDM.THOMAS AGED41YEARS MANGALASSERILRESIDINGATT.C.36/1018, THIRUVATHIRAENCHAKKALVALLAKKADAVU THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,PIN-695008 ``` ``` BYADVS. R.SURAJKUMAR RESHMAK.RAJU ANJANAR.S. G.BINDU SUNILJ.CHAKKALACKAL ``` ## **`- RESPONDENTS/STATE/DE FACTO COMPLAINANT :`** ``` 1STATEOFKERALA REPRESENTEDBYTHEPUBLICPROSECUTOR HIGHCOURTOFKERALAATERNAKULAM.,PIN-682031 ``` ``` 2BOBYSUGUNAN LAVANYAMUNDAYILVARKALAP.O. THIRUVANANTHAPURAMDISTRICT,PIN-695141 ``` ``` BYADVS. LijuMP REVATHIR.KURUP(K/1866/2019) ``` ``` SRI.VIPINNARAYAN,SR.PP ``` ``` THISCRIMINALMISC.CASEHAVINGCOMEUPFORADMISSIONON 16.06.2023,THECOURTONTHESAMEDAYPASSEDTHEFOLLOWING: ``` ``` CRL.MCNO.9008OF2022 ``` ``` 2 ``` ## **ORDER** This petition is filed invoking the powers of this Court under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (“the Code” for the sake of brevity). 2. The petitioner herein is the accused in C.C.No.1333 of 2019 on the files of the Judicial First Class Magistrate, Varkala. In the said case, he is the accused of committing offenses punishable under Section 420 of the IPC. 3. The prosecution allegation is that the petitioner herein with intent to cheat the de facto complainant induced him to believe that he would arrange a tour package and VISA to travel to a foreign country and after accepting the amount, refused to provide the service. 4. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that the parties have settled their disputes and they are not desirous of pursuing the prosecution proceedings. Reliance is placed on Annexure-4 affidavit filed by the 2nd respondent to substantiate his contention. According to the learned counsel, if the proceedings are terminated, recording the amicable settlement, the parties can embark upon their future paths in an atmosphere of tranquility and mutual respect. ``` CRL.MCNO.9008OF2022 ``` ``` 3 ``` 5. When the matter had come up for admission, this court had directed the investigating officer concerned to record the statement of the defacto complainant/injured/victim and report as to whether the assertion in the petition and the affidavit filed in support that entire disputes have been resolved between the parties concerned is true and genuine. The investigating officer was also directed to report whether the petitioner is a person with criminal antecedents and whether there is any other impediment in terminating the criminal proceedings. 6. The learned Public Prosecutor has expressed reservations about quashing the proceedings based solely on the settlement. He argues that the facts and circumstances may not warrant the exercise of the court's inherent jurisdiction under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. However, it is fairly submitted that there have been no other crimes of serious nature registered against the petitioner to date. It is further submitted that the statement of the party respondent has been recorded, and he has unequivocally stated that he has no lasting grievances. 7. I have considered the submissions and have gone through the records. 8. In **State of M.P. v. Laxmi Narayan,[1]** , a three-judge bench of > 1 [(2019) 5 SCC 688] ``` CRL.MCNO.9008OF2022 ``` ``` 4 ``` the Hon’ble Supreme Court has summarised the law as laid down in **Gian Singh v. State of Punjab[2]** , **Narinder Singh v. State of Punjab[3]** , **State of Rajasthan v. Shambhu Kewat[4]** , **State of M.P. v. Deepak[5] , State of M.P. v. Manish[6]** , **J. Ramesh Kamath v. Mohana Kurup[7]** ; **State of M.P. v. Rajveer Singh[8]** , **Parbatbhai Aahir v. State of Gujarat[9] , State of M.P. v. Kalyan Singh[10] and State of M.P. v. Dhruv Gurjar[11]** . It was laid down as under: 15. Considering the law on the point and the other decisions of this Court on the point referred to hereinabove, it is observed and held as under: - 15.1. That the power conferred under Section 482 of the Code to quash the criminal proceedings for the non-compoundable offences under Section 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; - 15.2. Such power is not to be exercised in those prosecutions which involved heinous and serious offences of mental depravity or - 2 (2012) 10 SCC 303 3 2014 (6) SCC 466 4 (2014) 4 SCC 149 5 (2014) 10 SCC 285 6 (2015) 8 SCC 307 7 2016) 12 SCC 179 8 (2016) 12 SCC 471 9 (2017) 9 SCC 641 10 (2019) 4 SCC 268 11 (2019) 5 SCC 570] ``` CRL.MCNO.9008OF2022 ``` ``` 5 ``` offences like murder, rape, dacoity, etc. Such offences are not private in nature and have a serious impact on society; - 15.3. Similarly, such power is not to be exercised for the offences under the special statutes like the 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; 15.4. Offences under Section 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 Section 307 IPC and/or the Arms Act, etc. which have a serious impact on the society cannot be quashed in exercise of powers under Section 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 Section 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 Section 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 Section 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/delicate 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 paras 29.6 and 29.7 of the decision of this Court in Narinder Singh [Narinder Singh v. State of Punjab, ``` CRL.MCNO.9008OF2022 ``` ``` 6 ``` (2014) 6 SCC 466 : (2014) 3 SCC (Cri) 54] should be read harmoniously and to be read as a whole and in the circumstances stated hereinabove; - 15.5. While exercising the power under Section 482 of the Code to quash the criminal proceedings in respect of non-compoundable offenses, which are private in nature and do not have a serious impact 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. 9. Having carefully analyzed the nature of the allegations, the antecedents of the petitioner, and the amicable relationship that now exists between the parties, I am of the considered opinion that quashing the proceedings based on the settlement will not have any adverse impact on society. In fact, it would only serve to bring about peace and secure the ends of justice. Furthermore, persisting with the prosecution would be nothing but a waste of time, as the prospects of conviction are bleak. Having considered all of the relevant circumstances, I am of the considered view that this Court would be well justified in invoking its extraordinary powers under Section 482 of the Code to quash the proceedings. ``` CRL.MCNO.9008OF2022 ``` ``` 7 ``` Resultantly, this petition will stand allowed. Annexure-2 Final Report in Crime No.574/2019 of Varkala Police Station and all further proceedings pending against the petitioner as C.C.No.1333/2019 on the file of the Judicial First Class Magistrate-I, Varkala, are quashed. Sd/- **RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V, JUDGE** SMA ``` CRL.MCNO.9008OF2022 ``` ``` 8 ``` ## **`APPENDIX OF CRL.MC 9008/2022`** ## **`PETITIONER ANNEXURES :-`** ``` Annexure1ACERTIFIEDCOPYOFTHEFIRDATED09.04.2019 INCRIMENO.574/2019OFVARKALAPOLICE STATIONANDINC.C.NO.1333/2019ONTHEFILE OFTHEJ.F.C.M.-I,VARKALA Annexure2THECERTIFIEDCOPYOFTHEFIRDATED 09.04.2019INCRIMENO.574/2019OFVARKALA POLICESTATIONANDINC.C.NO.1333/2019ON THEFILEOFTHEJ.F.C.M.-I,VARKALA Annexure3ATRUECOPYOFTHEDOCUMENTCONTAININGTHE REASONFORTHEREJECTIONOFVISAAPPLICATION OFTHE2NDRESPONDENTISSUEDBYTHE IMMIGRATIONDEPARTMENTOFNEWZEALAND ```