High Court of KeralaSingle JudgeQuashed

Robin Issac v. State of Kerala & Others

Case / Petition Number:Crl.MC.No. 2633 of 2014

Case Details & Bench

Court
High Court of Kerala
Hon'ble Judges
  • K. Ramakrishnan
Judgment Date
2014-05-23
Court Decision / Holding
This Crl.M.C. is allowed and further proceedings in Crime No.96 of 2014 of the Vythiri Police Station in Wayanad District as against the petitioner is hereby quashed.
Final Disposition
Quashed

Parties to the Case

Appellants / Petitioners

  • Robin Issac

Respondents

  • State of Kerala
  • Vinu George
  • Sankar R.K.
  • Aravind M.

Legal Representation & Advocates

Counsels for Petitioners

  • • P. K. Varghese

Counsels for Respondents

  • • Public Prosecutor SMT. P. Maya
  • • P. P. Biju

Case Synopsis & Summary

Robin Issac, the sole accused in Crime No. 96/2014 of Vythiri Police Station, seeks to quash the criminal proceedings under Section 482 CrPC on grounds of a negotiated settlement. The FIR, lodged on the basis of a complaint by the 2nd respondent, who is the Vice Principal of Oriental School of Hotel Management, alleges offences under IPC Sections 324 and 341 arising from an incident on 7 March 2014 at the college, involving students including the 2nd respondent and others. The parties claim that the dispute stemmed from institutional management tensions and that mediation facilitated a settlement; the 2nd respondent and the other injured parties state they do not wish to prosecute, and their affidavits assert that relations have been restored. The Public Prosecutor, while noting there is no other case against the petitioner and his lack of a criminal background, opposes quashing because certain offences are non-compoundable and the matter is at the crime stage. The court places reliance on Gian Singh v. State of Punjab to recognize that, in private disputes with a complete settlement, the High Court may quash if the possibility of conviction is remote and continuing would cause oppression or injustice. On these grounds, and to promote reconciliation and the institution’s smooth functioning, the court allows the petition and quashes the proceedings; directing communication to the CJM Kalpetta.

Provisions of Law Cited

Section 482 CrPCIPC Sections 324 and 341

Legal Doctrines & Maxims

  • Gian Singh v. State of Punjab doctrine (SC) – quashing private-dispute criminal proceedings after settlement if conviction is remote and continuation would be unjust; ends of justice

Submissions & Arguments

Contentions of Appellants / Petitioners

The applicant contends that settlement between the parties has restored cordial relations and that continued prosecution would serve no public interest; since the offences are private in nature and the possibility of conviction is remote, the High Court should exercise its power under Section 482 CrPC to quash the FIR/case. The petition relies on the Gian Singh principle to end a private dispute through quashing when justice requires.

Contentions of Respondents

The respondents submit that although the matter has settled, offences are non-compoundable and the case is at the investigation stage; the Public Prosecutor opposes quashing, citing the absence of public interest in continuing the prosecution but stresses that non-compoundable offences should not be lightly quashed and that the stage of proceedings must be considered.

Cited Precedents (1)

Case NameCitationTreatmentExplanation
Gian Singh v. State of Punjab2012 (4) KLT 108 (SC)PositiveCourt relied on Gian Singh to quash private-dispute criminal proceedings when settlement exists and conviction is unlikely; emphasizes ends of justice.

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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 K.RAMAKRISHNAN FRIDAY, THE 23RD DAY OF MAY 2014/2ND JYAISHTA, 1936 Crl.MC.No. 2633 of 2014 () ------------------------------------- CRIME NO. 96/2014 OF VYTHIRI POLICE STATION , WAYANAD ## PETITIONER(S)/ACCUSED: ----------------------------------- ROBIN ISSAC, AGED 26 YEARS, S/O.ISSAC, KANNADAN VEEDU, MANJALAMPURAM, KELAKOM.P.O, KANNUR DISTRICT-670674. BY ADV. SRI.P.K.VARGHESE ## RESPONDENT(S)/STATE & COMPLAINANT: -------------------------------------------------------- 1. STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA, ERNAKULAM. 2. VINU GEORGE, AGED 40 YEARS, S/O.GEORGE MATHEW.K, KOTTAKKATTU PUTHEN VEEDU, CHUNGATHARA.P.O, CHUNGAMTHAARA AMSOM, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT. 3. SANKAR.R.K,, AGED 22 YEARS, S/O.RADHAKRISHNAN, ERATTAPLAVIL HOUSE, KANJANKODE.P.O., RAMAPURAM AMSOM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT. 4. ARAVIND.M., AGED 22 YEARS, S/O.MURALEEDHARAN, SREEHARI, ESWARAMANGALAM.P.O., PONNANI TALUK, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT. R1 BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SMT. P. MAYA R2, R3 & R4 BY ADV. SRI.P.P.BIJU THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 23-05-2014, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING: Crl.MC.No. 2633 of 2014 () ------------------------------------ ## APPENDIX ## PETITIONER’S ANNEXURES: ------------------------------------- ANNEXURE I COPY OF THE FIRST INFORMATION REPORT IN CRIME NO.96/2014 OF VYTHIRI POLICE STATION. ANNEXURE-II ORIGINAL OF THE AFFIDAVIT SWORN BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT. ANNEXURE-III ORIGINAL OF THE AFFIDAVIT SWORN BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT . ANNEXURE-IV ORIGINAL OF THE AFFIDAVIT SWORN BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT. ## RESPONDENTS’ ANNEXURES: --------------------------------------- NIL // True Copy // P.A. To Judge DSV/26/05 ## K. RAMAKRISHNAN, J. ---------------------------------------Crl.M.C.No. 2633 of 2014 ---------------------------------------Dated this the 23[rd] day of May, 2014 ## O R D E R This Crl.M.C. is filed by the sole accused in Crime No. 96 of 2014 of Vythiri Police Station, to quash the proceedings, on the basis of settlement under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. 2. It is alleged in the petition that the petitioner is the sole accused in Crime No.96 of 2014 of Vythiri Police Station, registered on the basis of the statement given by the defacto complainant, who is the 2[nd] respondent herein, alleging commission of offences under Sections 324 and 341 of the Indian Penal Code. The 2[nd] respondent is the Vice Principal of Oriental School of Hotel Management at Lakkidi in Wayanad District. The petitioner and respondents 3 and 4 are the students of the institution and there was some dispute regarding the conduct of the institution and some incident happened on 07.03.2014. Respondents 2 to 4 sustained injuries in that incident. Now the matter has been settled between the parties. The relationship between the parties have been restored. The matter has been settled due to the intervention of Mediators and well wishers of Crl.M.C.No. 2633 of 2014 2 both parties. Defacto complainant and the injured do not want to proceed with the prosecution any more. Since some of the offences are none compoundable in nature and also it is in the crime stage, neither the police nor the court will entertain the compounding. So he has no other remedy except to approach this Court seeking the following relief: “Hence it is humbly prayed that this Hon’ble Court may be pleaded to quash Annexure-I First Information Report as against the petitioner in Crime No.96 of 2014 of Vythiri Police Station, in the interest of justice.” 3. Respondents 2 to 4 appeared through counsel and submitted that the matter has been settled between the parties. The relationship between the parties have been restored as before and they do not want to prosecute the petitioner. They have filed Annexures II to IV affidavits stating these facts. The counsel for the petitioner also submitted that in view of the settlement, there is no possibility of conviction even if ultimately Final Report is filed. 4. The learned Public Prosecutor, on instructions, as directed by this Court, submitted that there is no other case against the petitioner and he has no criminal background, but opposed the application. Crl.M.C.No. 2633 of 2014 3 5. Heard both sides. 6. It is an admitted fact that the 2[nd] respondent is the Vice Principal of Oriental School of Hotel Management at Lakkidi in Wayanad District. The petitioner and respondents 3 and 4 are students of that institution. It is also an admitted fact that on 07.03.2014, on account of some dispute in the institution, some incidents happened in which respondents 2 to 4 sustained some injuries. On the basis of the statement given by the 2[nd] respondent as Vice Principal of the institution, Annexure I, First Information Report was registered as Crime No.96 of 2014 of Vythiri Police Station against the petitioner alleging offences under Sections 324 and 341 of the Indian Penal Code. Now the matter has been settled between the parties. The cordial relationship between the students have been restored as before on account of the settlement which was arrived at, due to the intervention of well wishers of both parties. Respondents 2 to 4 have filed Annexures II to IV affidavits stating that the matter has been settled and they have no grievances against the petitioner and that they do not want to prosecute the case further. In view of the settlement, there is no possibility of any co-operation from the respondents in the matter of investigation in the case and Crl.M.C.No. 2633 of 2014 4 even if ultimately Final Report is filed and the case is allowed to be prosecuted, conviction in such cases will be remote. Further it is not a matter of public interest. But, it is a private dispute arose between the parties in respect of the Management of the institution and that has been settled amicably between the parties. 7. Further in the decision reported in Gian Singh v. State of Punjab (2012 (4) KLT 108 (SC), the Hon'ble Supreme Court has held that: “But the criminal cases having overwhelmingly and predominatingly civil flavour stand on different footing for the purposes of quashing, particularly the offences arising from commercial, financial mercantile, 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. In other words, the High Court must consider whether it would be unfair or contrary to the interest of justice to continue with the criminal proceedings or continuation of the criminal proceedings would tantamount to abuse of process of law despite settlement and compromise between the victim and wrongdoer and whether to secure the ends of justice, it is appropriate that criminal case is put to an end and if the answer to the above question(s) is in affirmative, the High Court shall be well within its jurisdiction to quash Crl.M.C.No. 2633 of 2014 5 the criminal proceeding.” 8. In view of the dictum laid down in the above decision and also considering the fact that the matter has been settled due to the intervention of Mediators and well wishers, the relationship between the parties have been restored as before and possibility of conviction will be remote in such circumstances, this Court feels that it is a fit case where the power under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure has to be invoked to quash the proceedings. In order to promote the relationship that has been restored on account of the settlement and also to promote the smooth functioning of the institution as well. So, this Crl.M.C. is allowed and further proceedings in Crime No.96 of 2014 of the Vythiri Police Station in Wayanad District as against the petitioner is hereby quashed. The office is directed to communicate this order to the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court, Kalpetta so as to inform the Vythiri Police Station for necessary further action in this regard immediately. Sd/- K. RAMAKRISHNAN, JUDGE. DSV/23/05 Crl.M.C.No. 2633 of 2014 6