* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + CRL.M.C. 1872/2016 Date of Decision: October 25th, 2016 RAJESH KHANNA & ORS Petitioners Through Mr.[ENTITY], Adv. Versus STATE & ORS Respondents Through Ms.[ENTITY], APP for the State with SI Santosh Kumar, PS Tilak Nagar. Mr.[ENTITY], Adv. with Respondent nos.2 to 8 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], [ENTITY] and [ENTITY] for quashing of FIR No.434/2014 dated 30.09.2014, under [SECTION] [ACT] registered at Police Station Mayapuri on the basis of Compromise Deed executed between the petitioners and respondent nos.2 to 8 namely, Smt. [ENTITY], Sh. [ENTITY], Sh. [ENTITY], Sh. [ENTITY], Sh. [ENTITY], Sh. [ENTITY] and Sh. [ENTITY] on 11.12.2015.
2. Learned Additional Public Prosecutor for respondent-State submitted that the respondent nos.2 to 8 present in the Court have been identified to be the victims in the FIR in question by their counsel.
3. The factual matrix of the present case is that the petitioners are partners of M/s. Broadways Rubber industries, C-240, Mayapuri Phase-II, New Delhi. On 29.09.2014, the said factory premises caught fire resulting into the death of one laborer Sh. [ENTITY]. Respondent nos. 5 to 8 were also injured in the said accident and were admitted to DDU Hospital and ESI Hospital.
Thereafter, a call was made to the Police following which the FIR in question was registered against the petitioners. During the pendency of the investigation, the matter was settled between the petitioners and the respondent nos. 2 to 8.
4. Respondent No. 2 on her behalf as well as on behalf of respondent nos. 3 & 4 and respondent nos. 5 to 8, present in the Court submitted that the dispute between the parties has been amicably resolved. According to the terms of the Compromise Deed, it is agreed that the parties shall resolve the matter without going on merit of the case for establishment of rule of law, social harmony, public peace and to lead healthy environment for securing future of growing career of both the parties. It is agreed that the parties shall not file any case/complaint against each other in future and shall not instigate or associate or provide assistance to anyone to institute criminal/civil complaint/case with respect to the present dispute. It is agreed that if any other complaint is made by either party against the other party, the same shall be treated as withdrawn having no adverse effect on the party against whom, the said complaint is made. It is agreed that the parties shall cooperate with each other in getting the FIR in question quashed.
Respondent no. 2 on her behalf as well as on behalf of respondent nos. 3 & 4 and respondent nos. 5 to 8 affirmed the contents of the aforesaid settlement. Respondent no. 2 and respondent nos. 5 to 8 affirmed the same in their respective affidavits dated 11.12.2015. In the affidavits, they have stated that they have 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. Statements of respondent no. 2 on her behalf as well as on behalf of respondent nos. 3 & 4 and respondent nos. 5 to 8 have been recorded in this regard in which they stated that they have entered into a compromise with the petitioners and have settled all the disputes with them. They further stated that they have 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. Respondent no. 2 on her behalf as well as on behalf of respondent nos. 3&4 and respondent nos. 5 to 8 agreed to the quashing of the FIR in question and stated that the matter has been settled out of their 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 tranquility 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 that the offence under [SECTION] [ACT] is a non-compoundable offence, therefore, 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. In the facts and circumstances of this case and in view of statements made by respondent no. 2 on her behalf and on behalf of respondent nos. 3 & 4 and respondent nos. 5 to 8, the FIR in question warrants to be put to an end and proceedings emanating thereupon need to be quashed.
12. Accordingly, this petition is allowed and FIR No.434/2014 dated 30.09.2014, under [SECTION] [ACT] registered at Police Station Mayapuri and the proceedings emanating therefrom are quashed against the petitioners.
13. This petition is accordingly disposed of.
([ENTITY]) JUDGE OCTOBER 25, 2016/dd