Sunil Santhi 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 19[TH] DAY OF OCTOBER 2023 / 27TH ASWINA, 1945 ``` ## **`CRL.MC NO. 5890 OF 2023`** ``` AGAINST THE ORDER/JUDGMENT SC 882/2018 OF II ADDITIONAL ``` ## **`DISTRICT COURT,THIRUVANANTHAPURAM`** ## **`PETITIONER/S:`** - `1 SUNIL SANTHI, AGED 45 YEARS S/O. SASEENDRAN, USHA BHAVAN, MUNDAYIL DESOM, VARKALA VILLAGE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695141` - `2 SAJU, AGED 29 YEARS S/O. RAJU, THUNDANVILA VEEDU, GURUNAGAR, PULLANIODE DESOM, VARKALA VILLAGE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 695141` - `3 VISHNU, AGED 29 YEARS S/O. VIJAYAN, PUNNAVILA VEEDU, VEPPALUMMOODU, OONNINMOODU DESOM, BHOOTHAKULAM VILLAGE, KOLLAM DISTRICT, PIN - 691302` - `4 SUNIL @ SUNI, AGED 36 YEARS S/O. SOMAN, SUJATHA HOUSE, OLIPPIL MEIKONAM, CHERUNNIYOOR DESOM, CHERUNNIYOOR VILLAGE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 695142` - `5 ARUN @ KUTTAN , AGED 31 YEARS /O. ASOKAN, MELEVILA VEEDU, NEAR AYATHI BRIDGE, MELVETTOOR DESOM, VETTOOR VILLAGE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 695141 BY ADV MEGHA K.XAVIER` ## **`RESPONDENT/S:`** - `1 STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682031` - `2 ROSHNI, AGED 33 YEARS D/O. SUDHA, KRISHNA THULASI VEEDU, CHENNANCODE, MULLARAMCODE, OTTOOR VILLAGE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 696143` -2- Crl.M.C No. 5890 of 2023 ``` 3MIDHUN, AGED 39 YEARS S/O. THULASEEDAS, KRISHNA THULASI VEEDU, CHENNANCODE, MULLARAMCODE, OTTOOR VILLAGE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 695143 BY ADV PUBLIC PROSECUTOR ``` ## **`OTHER PRESENT:`** ``` SRI.RENJITH.T.R, PP, SRI.J.JAYAKUMAR FOR RESPONDENTS ``` ``` THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 19.10.2023, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING: ``` -3- Crl.M.C No. 5890 of 2023 ## **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J.** ====================================================== Crl.M.C No. 5890 of 2023 ============================================================= Dated this the 19[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. The above Crl.M.C is filed to quash the proceedings in SC No.882 of 2018 on the file of the 2[nd] Additional Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram, arising from Crime No.398 of 2013 of Varkala Police Station, Thiruvananthapuram. The above case is charge sheeted alleging offences punishable under Sections 143, 147, 148, 294(b), 506, 323, 324, 326 and 307 read with 149 IPC. 3. The prosecution case is that the accused formed themselves into an unlawful assembly and attacked the victim by which the victim sustained serious injuries. The allegation is that, there is attempt to commit murder of the victim. It is submitted that this is a case and counter case and this Court already quashed the counter case as per -4- Crl.M.C No. 5890 of 2023 order dated 14.09.2023 in Crl.M.C No.5872 of 2023. The wound certificate of the victim is produced in this case as Annexure A6. The main injury is a fracture on the index finger. Considering the facts and circumstances, the offence under Section 307 is not made out. 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 victims in support of his contention. The counsel appearing for the victims also submitted that the matter is settled and the victims have 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 petitioner, victims and the Public Prosecutor and has also gone through the records including the affidavits filed by the victims. -5- Crl.M.C No. 5890 of 2023 ## 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 (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_ -6- Crl.M.C No. 5890 of 2023 _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 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_ -7- Crl.M.C No. 5890 of 2023 _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. All further proceedings as against the petitioners in SC No.882 of 2018 on the file of the 2[nd] Additional Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram, -8- Crl.M.C No. 5890 of 2023 arising from Crime No.398 of 2013 of Varkala Police Station, Thiruvananthapuram, are quashed. sd/- **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN JUDGE** das -9- Crl.M.C No. 5890 of 2023 ## **`APPENDIX OF CRL.MC 5890/2023`** ## `PETITIONER ANNEXURES` ``` Annexure 1CERTIFIED COPY OF THE FIR & FIS IN CRIME NO.398/2013 OF VARKALA POLICE STATION, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT Annexure 2CERTIFIED COPY OF FINAL REPORT IN S.C. NO. 882/2018 ON THE FILE OF IIND ADDL. DISTRICT AND SESSIONS COURT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ``` - `Annexure 3 . AFFIDAVIT DATED 15/7/2023 SWORN BY THE 2ND D RESPONDENT` - `Annexure 4 . AFFIDAVIT DATED 15/7/2023 SWORN BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT` - `Annexure 5 TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 14/9/2023 IN CRL. M.C. NO. 5872/2023 OF THIS HON'BLE COURT` ``` Annexure 6TRUE COPY OF THE WOUND CERTIFICATE ISSUED TO THE 3RD RESPONDENT ON 24.5.2013 FROM STAVYAH LIFECARE SERVICES PVT. LTD., VARKALA ```