Meghna v. State of Kerala and Narakkal Police Station and A.V. Abdul Wahab

## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** **PRESENT:** ## **THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V.K.MOHANAN** ## **MONDAY, THE 29TH DAY OF JULY 2013/7TH SRAVANA, 1935** ## **Crl.MC.No. 3156 of 2013 ()** **------------------------------------CRIME NO. 412/2013 OF NARAKKAL POLICE STATION , ERNAKULAM ..........** ## **PETITIONER/ACCUSED NO.1:-:** **-------------------------------------------** **MEGHNA, AGED 25 YEARS W/O.MOHAMMED RAHIL, 41/1125, PULLEPPADY ROAD ERNAKULAM - 682 018.** **BY ADVS.SRI.K.A.SHAMSUDEEN SRI.K.J.MOHAMMED ANZAR** ## **RESPONDENTS/STATE, COMPLAINANT AND DEFACTO COMPLAINANT:-:** - **-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------** **1. STATE OF KERALA, REP. BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA ERNAKULAM - 682 031.** **2. SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE, NARAKKAL POLICE STATION, NARAKKAL, ERNAKULAM PIN - 682 505.** **3. A.V.ABDUL WAHAB, AGED 56 YEARS S/O.ABDUL RAHMAN, VADAKKEPARAYIL CC11/135 SOUTH THAMRAPARAMBU, COCHIN - 682 001.** **R1 & R2 BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SMT. S.HYMA R3 BY ADV. SRI.A.D.SURESH BABU** **THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 29-07-2013, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING:** **tss** **Crl.MC.No. 3156 of 2013 ()** **-------------------------------------** ## **APPENDIX** ## **PETITIONER(S)' ANNEXURES** **------------------------------------------** **ANNEXURE 1. TRUE COPY OF THE FIR IN CRIME NO.412/2013 OF THE NARAKKAL POLICE STATION DATED 13.03.2013.** **ANNEXURE 2. ORIGINAL AFFIDAVIT OF THE DEFACTO COMPLAINANT DATED 25.07.2013.** **RESPONDENT(S)' EXHIBITS** **---------------------------------------** **NIL** **TRUE COPY** **P.A. TO JUDGE** **tss** ## **V.K.MOHANAN, J.** ## **---------------------------------------Crl.M.C.No. 3156 of 2013** **----------------------------------------** Dated this the 29[th] day of July, 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 1[st] accused in Crime No. 412 of 2013 of Narakkal police station, Ernakulam district for the offences punishable under Sections 403 and 420 of I.P.C. with a prayer to quash the investigation in Crime 412 of 2013 of Narakkal police station as the matter is settled out of court. 2. The allegation in the above case is that in Crime No.412 of 2013 of Narakkal police station, Ernakulam district is that the accused by using the A.T.M card number, assigned to the de facto complainant, withdrew an amount of Rs.10,000/- and Rs.20,000/- on two occasions, on 27.02.2013 and thus obtained pecuniary advantage of Rs.30,000/- and thereby the accused committed the offences punishable under Sections 403 and 420 of IPC. Now the case of the petitioners is that the matter is settled between himself and the de facto complainant who is the 3[rd] respondent herein who sworn into Annexure-A2 affidavit. 3. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner as **Crl.M.C.No. 3156 of 2013** **2** well as the 3[rd] respondent. I have also heard the learned Public Prosecutor. 4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that during the pendency of the above crime, the matter is settled amicably between the parties to the dispute which is the subject matter of the above crime. Therefore, the continuation of the proceedings in the above crime is abuse of process of law and proceedings. 5. The learned counsel for the 3[rd] 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 her. 6. I have carefully considered the above submissions of the respective counsel. 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. **Crl.M.C.No. 3156 of 2013** **3** 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 403 and 420 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 3[rd] respondent, it appears to me that the 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 Singh** v. **State of Punjab** [2012(4) KLT 108(SC)], in 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_ **Crl.M.C.No. 3156 of 2013** **4** _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 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 **Crl.M.C.No. 3156 of 2013** **5** 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 F.I.R in Crime No. 412 of 2013 of Narakkal Police Station and all proceedings thereto. ## **V.K.MOHANAN Judge** mns/ **Crl.M.C.No. 3156 of 2013 6**