IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CRM M-8717 of 2012 Date of Decision:10.5.2012 [ENTITY] and another Petitioners Versus [ENTITY] and another Respondents CORAM: Hon'ble Ms. Justice [ENTITY] Present: Mr. [ENTITY], Advocate for the petitioners. Mr. [ENTITY], Addl. A.G. Punjab. Mr. [ENTITY], Advocate for respondent No.2. 1.Whether Reporters of Local Newspapers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2.To be referred to the Reporters or not? 3.Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? [ENTITY], J.(Oral)
The present petition has been filed under [SECTION] [ACT] for quashing of FIR No.7 dated 12.1.2012 under Sections [SECTION] [ACT] Police Station Salem Tabri District Ludhiana and subsequent proceedings arising therefrom on the basis of compromise entered into between the parties.
The FIR in question was got registered by respondent No.2. However, the matter has been compromised due to the intervention of the respectables of the area. Compromise deed (Annexure P-2) has already been placed on record to this effect.
The parties are present in the Court through their respective counsel. Learned counsel for respondent No.2 has placed on record the affidavit of respondent No.2 admitting the factum of compromise. As per the said affidavit, respondent No.2 has no objection if the FIR in question is quashed.
The Full Bench of this Court, in the case of Kulwinder Singh and others v. [ENTITY] and another 2007(3) RCR (Criminal) 1052 has held that the compromise, in a modern society, is the sine qua non of harmony and orderly behaviour. It is the soul of justice and if the power under [SECTION] of the [ACT] is used to enhance such a compromise which, in turn, enhances the social amity and reduces friction, then it truly is "finest hour of justice". Disputes which have their genesis not only in matrimonial discord but others as well, such compromise deserves to be accepted. It is further held as under:-
" The only inevitable conclusion from the above discussion is that there is no statutory bar under the [ACT] which can affect the inherent power of this Court under [SECTION]. Further, the same cannot be limited to matrimonial cases alone and the Court has the wide power to quash the proceedings even in non-compoundable offences notwithstanding the bar under [SECTION] of the [ACT] in order to prevent the abuse of law and to secure the ends of justice."
In the case of Madan Mohan Abbot v. [ENTITY] 2008(4) S.C. Cases 582, the Apex Court emphasised and advised as under:-
" We need to emphasise that it is perhaps advisable that in disputes where the question involved is of a purely personal nature, the court should ordinarily accept the terms of the compromise even in criminal proceedings as keeping the matter alive with no possibility of a result in favour of the prosecution is a luxury which the courts, grossly overburdened as they are, cannot afford and that the time so saved can be utilised in deciding more effective and meaningful litigation. This is a common sense approach to the matter based on ground of realities and bereft of the technicalities of the law."
Taking into account that the compromise has been effected between the parties and the affidavit of respondent No.2 stating that he has no objection if the FIR is quashed, it is a fit case where there is no impediment in the way of the Court to exercise its inherent powers under [SECTION] [ACT] for quashing of FIR in the interest of justice.
Accordingly, the present petition is allowed and FIR No.7 dated 12.1.2012 under Sections [SECTION] [ACT] Police Station Salem Tabri District Ludhiana and all subsequent proceedings arising therefrom are hereby quashed.
10.5.2012 ( [ENTITY] ) [ENTITY] JUDGE