THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE B.CHANDRA KUMAR CRIMINAL PETITION No.7527 of 2007 DATED: 22nd April, 2010 Between Katragadda Ratna Kumari and others …Petitioners AND Jonnalagadda Damodhar Naidu and another …Respondents THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE B.CHANDRA KUMAR CRIMINAL PETITION No.7527 of 2007 ORDER:- The petitioners herein have filed this petition to quash the proceedings in Crime No.153 of 2007 of Kavali I-Town Police Station, Nellore District. The second respondent is the complainant who, in his complaint, inter alia alleged that he is the father of the boy who was working as software engineer in USA and that his son came to India to see the bride and that the accused approached the complainant on 25.04.2006 and their proposal was accepted and it was decided to perform the marriage on 15.12.2006 at ‘Sama Saraswathi Gardens’, Champapet, Hyderabad. Engagement function was also arranged. The specific case of the complainant is that on the date of engagement function, his son presented a diamond necklace, diamond ear rings and diamond finger ring totalling to a worth of Rs.5,21,000/- to A-1 / bride. It is also his case that the complainant had purchased about Rs.4.00 lakhs worth of sarees, ornaments etc., and that when the proposed marriage could not be performed due to the attitude of the accused, he requested the accused to return the ornaments presented to her. It is also alleged that the accused threatened the complainant and his relatives. It is also his case that they have misappropriated the ornaments, necklace etc., presented by the complainant and thus, the complainant was put to a total loss of Rs.9,21,000/-. Admittedly the case was referred to the police and a case in Crime No.153 of 2007 of Kavali I-Town Police Station, Nellore District was registered. Immediately after the registration of the complaint, this petition to quash the proceedings has been filed. The only contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner is that if at all the complainant had spent about Rs.9,21,000/- and presented the diamond necklace, diamond ear rings etc., to the accused on the date of engagement, i.e., 29.07.2006, he would not have waited till 10.11.2007 on which date the FIR was issued. As seen from the record, it appears that the complaint was initially filed on 31.08.2007. Whatever it may be, it appears that there is delay in lodging complaint. It is settled legal position that criminal proceedings cannot be quashed merely on the ground of delay in lodging FIR. In view of the same, I do not find any ground to quash the proceedings in Crime No.153 of 2007 of Kavali I-Town Police Station, Nellore District. Accordingly, the Criminal Petition is dismissed. _______________________________ JUSTICE B.CHANDRA KUMAR April 22, 2010 Bvv