Muhammed Rishal V.C and others v. State of Kerala and others

## **`IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM`** ## **`PRESENT`** ``` THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN THURSDAY, THE 23[RD] DAY OF NOVEMBER 2023 /2ND AGRAHAYANA, 1945 ``` ``` CRL.MC NO. 1003 OF 2022 ``` ``` CRIME NO.643/2021 OF Thaliparamba Police Station, Kannur ``` ## **`PETITIONERS/ACCUSED:`** ``` 1MUHAMMED RISHAL.V.C AGED 20 YEARS S/O ABOOBACKER , RESIDING AT BAITHUL ISSA, SHADULIPALLI, KOTTALI.P.O, KANNUR- 670005 2JASIR.M AGED 21 YEARS S/O KABEER.T.M, RESIDING AT NAFEESA MANZIL, CHOOTTAD ROAD,PUTHIYANGADI. P.O, KANNUR - 670304 3MUTHEEH AL REHMAN.C.H @ MUTHEEH REHMAN AGED 21 YEARS S/O AZAD.P.V, RESIDING AT AYISHAS HOUSE, NEAR NEERCHAL SCHOOL, THAYYIL.P.O, KANNUR - 670003 4MUHAMMED SAVAD.K AGED 20 YEARS, RESIDING AT KODIYIL HOUSE, PATTUVAM.P.O, KANNUR,, PIN - 670143 5MUHAMMED FARHAN AGED 20 YEARS S/O MUHAMMED BASHEER.K, RESIDING AT ALFA MAHAL HOUSE, JUMA MASJID NORTH VIEW, CHALAD.P.O, KANNUR DISTRICT, PIN - 670014 6FARHAN MUSTHAQUE AGED 20 YEARS S/O MUSTAQUE ,, RESIDING AT SAREENAS HOUSE, NEAR JUMATH PALLI, KAKKAT.P.O, KANNUR, PIN - 670005 7ADIL RASHEED. C.P AGED 20 YEARS, S/O ABDUL RASHEED, , RESIDING AT KINAVU HOUSE, NEAR MEN'S HOSTEL, KARIMBM.P.O, KANNUR, PIN - 670142 8MUHAMMED ASHHAR C.K AGED 37 YEARS RESIDING AT SAFEENA NIVAS, NATTUVAYAL, THALIPARAMBA.P.O, KANNUR, PIN - 670141 9FASIL.K.P AGED 20 YEARS S/O AZEEZ.P, RESIDING AT KADUNGAN PUTHIYAPURAYIL HOUSE, VILIPPARA, KARIMBAM.P.O, KANNUR – 670142 ``` CrlM.C..No.1003/202 **2** ``` BY ADVS. K.R.AVINASH (KUNNATH) ABDUL RAOOF PALLIPATH ``` ## **`RESPONDENTS/STATE & DEFACTO COMPLAINANT:`** ``` 1STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682031 2ASLAF K AGED 21 YEARS RESIDING AT KURIKKALAKATH HOUSE, PUTHIYATHERU, CHIRAKKAL P.O, KANNUR, PIN - 670011 ADDL.R3THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER THALIPPARAMBA POLICE STATION, THALIPPARAMBA .P.O, KANNUR -670141 ``` ``` IS IMPLEADED AS ADDITIONAL R3 AS PER ORDER DATED 14.11.2022 IN CRL.M.A.3/2022 IN CRL.M.C.1003/22 ADDL.R4PRINCIPAL SIR SYED INSTITUTE FOR TECHNICAL STUDIES, SIR SYED ROAD, KARIMBAM TALIPARAMBA, KANNUR-670142 IS IMPLEADED AS ADDITIONAL R4 AS PER ORDER DATED 31.08.022 IN CRL.M.A.2/2022 IN CRL.M.C.1003/22 BY ADVS.K.R.AVINASH KUNNATH SHRI.P.NARAYANAN, ADDL.PUBLIC PROSECUTOR Abdul Rasac ``` ## **`OTHER PRESENT:`** ``` SRI HRITHWIK CS, PP ``` ``` THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 23.11.2023, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING: ``` CrlM.C..No.1003/202 **3** ## **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J. -------------------------------Crl.M.C. No.1003 of 2022 ---------------------------------------------Dated this the 23[rd] day of November, 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 Crime No.643/2021 of Thaliparamba Police Station, which is now pending before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Thaliparamba. The above case is charge-sheeted alleging offences punishable under Sections 341 and 323 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The offence under Section 4 of the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998 is also alleged. 3. The prosecution case is that the accused wrongfully confined the victim and assaulted the victim, and committed CrlM.C..No.1003/202 **4** the offence under the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998 also. Notice was issued to the respondents and they have no grievance. 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 has 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 CrlM.C..No.1003/202 **5** 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 (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 CrlM.C..No.1003/202 **6** 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 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 CrlM.C..No.1003/202 **7** 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.” 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. CrlM.C..No.1003/202 **8** All further proceedings against the petitioners in Crime No.643/2021 of Thaliparamba Police Station, including the final report if any filed, which is pending before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Thaliparamba, are quashed. JV sd/- **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN JUDGE** CrlM.C..No.1003/202 **9** ## **`APPENDIX OF CRL.MC 1003/2022`** ``` PETITIONER ANNEXURES Annexure-1TRUE COPY OF THE FIR IN CRIME NO. 643/2021 OF THALIPARAMBA POLICE STATION, KANNUR DISTRICT Annexure2TRUE COPY OF THE AFFIDAVIT SWORN BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT ```