* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + CRL.M.C. 5047/2015 & Crl. M.A. 18870/2015 Date of Decision : February 12th, 2016 NAVEEN KALRA & ORS Petitioners Through Mr. [ENTITY] and Ms. [ENTITY], Advs. versus STATE Respondent Through Ms. [ENTITY], APP for State Mr. [ENTITY], Adv. for R-2 alongwith respondent No.2 in person CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE [ENTITY] [ENTITY], J.
1. The present petition under [SECTION] [ACT] has been filed by the petitioners, namely, Sh. [ENTITY], Sh. [ENTITY], Smt. [ENTITY] and Smt. [ENTITY] for quashing of FIR No.161/2012 dated 04.08.2012, under [SECTION] [ACT] registered at Police Station Dwarka South on the basis of the compromise deed arrived at between the petitioner no.1 and respondent No.2, namely, Smt. [ENTITY] on 25.11.2015.
2. Learned Additional Public Prosecutor for respondent-State submitted that the respondent No.2, present in the Court has been identified to be the complainant/first-informant of the FIR in question by her counsel.
3. The factual matrix of the present case is that the marriage between the petitioner no.1 and respondent no.2 was solemnized in April, 2008 according to proper rites and ceremonies under the HMA. After a week of marriage, the complainant/respondent no.2 was subjected to torture, harassment and other violence by her in-laws for not giving sufficient dowry to their satisfaction. The accused persons, committed various offences including unlawful demand of dowry, ill- treating, calling by bad names, forcing to entertain strange people, using abusive language and threatening to kill the complainant. The husband of the complainant used to beat her mercilessly. Soon after the marriage, the husband of the complainant went to Indonasia and in his absence, the mother-in-law of the complainant started to harass and misbehave with the complainant. The mother-in-law of the complainant even threw a plate full of vegetables at her face and since then she was not provided with food and she had to survive of stale food and water. The father-in-law of the complainant also used to force himself on her after getting drunk. Even during the pregnancy, the complainant was forced to do all the household chores. On the eve of [ENTITY], the sister-in-law of the complainant demanded many valuable things as shagun and Rs. 1 lacs too from the complainant. In January, 2009, Mrs. [ENTITY] abused the complainant by saying that her father is a liar. In the month of June, 2009 at Delhi, the husband of the complainant again picked up a fight with her in front of her father and gave her beatings while she was pregnant. One day, the accused persons tried to pour phenyl in the mouth of the complainant forcefully. On 08.09.2011, the accused persons threatened the complainant and asked her to divorce her husband. One day, the husband of the complainant asked her to call her father and ask him to take her away. The complainant left with no option, called her father and he came to Bangalore to amicably sort out all the issues but to no avail and thus they finally left Bangalore on 16.10.2011.
Thereafter, the complainant lodged the FIR in question against the accused persons/petitioners. The petitioner no.1 approached this Court for the grant of bail and the same was granted to him. Later on, with the intervention of the common friends and relatives etc. the parties reached at an amicable settlement.
4. Respondent No.2, present in the Court, submitted that the dispute between the parties has been amicably resolved. As per the compromise deed, it has been agreed between the parties that they shall take divorce by way of mutual consent. It is agreed that both parties shall mutually get the FIR in question quashed before this Court. It is further agreed that an amount of Rs.5,00,000/- shall be payable in two installments by petitioner no.1 to respondent no.2. It is agreed that the schedule of payment of the aforesaid amount shall be done as enunciated in the compromise deed. It is agreed that respondent no. 2 shall withdraw all the cases filed by her that are pending before the Courts concerned. It is agreed that the permanent custody of the child [ENTITY] would be with petitioner no.1 and that respondent no.2 would have visitation rights as per the convenience of both parties and the child. It is also agreed that respondent no. 2 shall have the freedom to take the child on one vacation in a year and as many thereafter on mutual co-ordination. It is agreed that respondent no.2 shall not claim for maintenance, permanent alimony or istridhan etc. from petitioner no.1 and that they both shall not stake any claim or share in the movable and immovable properties of each other or their family members for all times, henceforth. It is further agreed that they shall not file any claim, complaint or any other proceedings, civil or criminal, against each other or their family members before any Court of law or before any authority, instrumentality, forum or agency of State or otherwise with respect to any cause of action arising out of the marriage. It is further agreed that in case either party fails to appear before this Court for the quashing petitions or to execute any of the terms and conditions of the present compromise, the parties will rescind the terms and conditions and revert back to the original position as if no such terms and conditions were entered upon. Respondent No.2 affirms the contents of the aforesaid settlement and of her affidavit dated 08.12.2015 supporting this petition. In the affidavit, the respondent no.2 has stated that she has no objection if the FIR in question is quashed. All the disputes and differences have been resolved through mutual consent. Now no dispute with petitioners survives and so, the proceedings arising out of the FIR in question be brought to an end. Statement of the respondent No.2 has been recorded in this regard in which she stated that she has entered into a compromise with the petitioners and has settled all the disputes with them. She further stated that she has no objection if the FIR in question is quashed.
5. In [PRECEDENT] Apex Court has recognized the need of amicable resolution of disputes in cases like the instant one, by observing as under:-
"61. 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 criminal proceedings would tantamount to abuse of process of law despite settlement and compromise between the victim and the 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 the affirmative, the High Court shall be well within its jurisdiction to quash the criminal proceedings."
6. The aforesaid dictum stands reiterated by the Apex Court in a recent judgment in [ENTITY] v. State of Punjab (2014) 6 SCC
466. The relevant observations of the Apex Court in [ENTITY] (Supra) are as under:-
"29. In view of the aforesaid discussion, we sum up and lay down the following principles by which the High Court would be guided in giving adequate treatment to the settlement between the parties and exercising its power under [SECTION] of the Code while accepting the settlement and quashing the proceedings or refusing to accept the settlement with direction to continue with the criminal proceedings:
29.1 Power conferred under [SECTION] of the Code is to be distinguished from the power which lies in the Court to compound the offences under [SECTION] of the Code. No doubt, under [SECTION] of the Code, the High Court has inherent power to quash the criminal proceedings even in those cases which are not compoundable, where the parties have settled the matter between themselves. However, this power is to be exercised sparingly and with caution. 29.2. When the parties have reached the settlement and on that basis petition for quashing the criminal proceedings is filed, the guiding factor in such cases would be to secure:
(i) ends of justice, or
(ii) to prevent abuse of the process of any court.
While exercising the power the High Court is to form an opinion on either of the aforesaid two objectives. 29.3. Such a power is not to be exercised in those prosecutions which involve 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.
Similarly, for the offences alleged to have been committed under special statute like the [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.
29.4. On the other hand, those criminal cases having overwhelmingly and predominantly civil character, particularly those arising out of commercial transactions or arising out of matrimonial relationship or family disputes should be quashed when the parties have resolved their entire disputes among themselves.
7. The inherent powers of the High Court ought to be exercised to prevent the abuse of process of law and to secure the ends of justice. The respondent no.2 agrees to the quashing of the FIR in question without any threat or coercion or undue influence and has stated that the matter has been settled out of her own free will. As the matter has been settled and compromised amicably, so, there would be an extraordinary delay in the process of law if the legal proceedings between the parties are carried on. So, this Court is of the considered opinion that this is a fit case to invoke the jurisdiction under [SECTION] [ACT] to prevent the abuse of process of law and to secure the ends of justice.
8. The incorporation of inherent power under [SECTION] [ACT] is meant to deal with the situation in the absence of express provision of law to secure the ends of justice such as, where the process is abused or misused; where the ends of justice cannot be secured; where the process of law is used for unjust or unlawful object; to avoid the causing of harassment to any person by using the provision of [ACT] or to avoid the delay of the legal process in the delivery of justice. Whereas, the inherent power is not to be exercised to circumvent the express provisions of law.
9. It is settled law that the inherent power of the High Court under [SECTION] [ACT] should be used sparingly. The Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of State of Maharashtra through [PRECEDENT] and in the case of [PRECEDENT] observed that powers under [SECTION] [ACT] must be exercised sparingly, carefully and with great caution. Only when the Court comes to the conclusion that there would be manifest injustice or there would be abuse of the process of the Court if such power is not exercised, Court would quash the proceedings.
10. It is a well settled law that where the High Court is convinced that the offences are entirely personal in nature and therefore do not affect public peace or tranquillity and where it feels that quashing of such proceedings on account of compromise would bring about peace and would secure ends of justice, it should not hesitate to quash them. In such cases, pursuing prosecution would be waste of time and energy. Non-compoundable offences are basically an obstruction in entering into compromise. In certain cases, the main offence is compoundable but the connected offences are not. In the case of [PRECEDENT] the Hon'ble Apex Court observed that even though the provisions of [SECTION] [ACT] would not apply to such offences which are not compoundable, it did not limit or affect the powers under [SECTION] [ACT] The Hon'ble Apex Court laid down that if for the purpose of securing the ends of justice, quashing of FIR becomes necessary, [SECTION] [ACT] would not be a bar to the exercise of power of quashing. In the nutshell, the Hon'ble Apex Court justified the exercise of powers under [SECTION] [ACT] to quash the proceedings to secure the ends of justice in view of the special facts and circumstances of the case, even where the offences were non- compoundable.
In the light of the aforesaid, this Court is of the view that notwithstanding the fact the offence under [SECTION] [ACT] is a non- compoundable offence, there should be no impediment in quashing the FIR under this section, if the Court is otherwise satisfied that the facts and circumstances of the case so warrant.
11. The Courts in India are now normally taking the view that endeavour should be taken to promote conciliation and secure speedy settlement of disputes relating to marriage and family affairs such as, matrimonial disputes between the couple or/and between the wife and her in-laws. India being a vast country naturally has large number of married persons resulting into high numbers of matrimonial disputes due to differences in temperament, life-styles, opinions, thoughts etc. between such couples, due to which majority is coming to the Court to get redressal. In its 59th report, the Law Commission of India had emphasized that while dealing with disputes concerning the family, the Court ought to adopt an approach radically different from that adopted in ordinary civil proceedings and that it should make reasonable efforts at settlement before the commencement of the trial. Further it is also the constitutional mandate for speedy disposal of such disputes and to grant quick justice to the litigants. But, our Courts are already over burdened due to pendency of large number of cases because of which it becomes difficult for speedy disposal of matrimonial disputes alone. As the matrimonial disputes are mainly between the husband and the wife and personal matters are involved in such disputes, so, it requires conciliatory procedure to bring a settlement between them. Nowadays, mediation has played a very important role in settling the disputes, especially, matrimonial disputes and has yielded good results. The Court must exercise its inherent power under [SECTION] [ACT] to put an end to the matrimonial litigations at the earliest so that the parties can live peacefully.
12. Since the subject matter of this FIR is essentially matrimonial, which now stands mutually and amicably settled between the parties, therefore, continuance of proceedings arising out of the FIR in question would be an exercise in futility and is a fit case for this Court to exercise its inherent jurisdiction.
13. In the facts and circumstances of this case, in view of statement made by the respondent No.2 and the compromise arrived at between the parties, the FIR in question warrants to be put to an end and proceedings emanating thereupon need to be quashed.
14. Accordingly, this petition is allowed an FIR No.161/2012 dated 04.08.2012, under [SECTION] [ACT] registered at Police Station Dwarka South the proceedings emanating therefrom are quashed against the petitioners.
15. This petition is accordingly disposed of.
16. [CASE NUMBER] is also disposed of.
([ENTITY]) JUDGE FEBRUARY 12, 2016/dd