Allowed

Rajat Sharma and 2 Others v. State of U.P. and Another

Allahabad HC11 Mar 2019A482/6282/2019

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The High Court allowed an application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to quash criminal proceedings for Sections 498-A and 323 IPC, relying on a confirmed compromise and settlement agreement between the parties to secure the ends of justice.

What did the court decide?

The proceedings under Case No. 16912 of 2011 arising out of Crime No. 862 of 2011 for Sections 498-A and 323 IPC are quashed.

Rajat Sharma and 2 Others Vs State of U.P. and… — Writ and Judicial Review | Allahabad HC (2019)

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Court No. - 67

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Case :- APPLICATION U/S 482 No. - 6282 of 2019

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Applicant :- Rajat Sharma And 2 Others Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. And Another Counsel for Applicant :- Chhaya Gupta,Sujeet Kumar Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.

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Hon'ble Rahul Chaturvedi,J.

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Vakalatnama filed by Akshaya Kumar on behalf of private opposite party today, is taken on record.

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Heard learned counsel for the applicants, private opposite party, learned AGA and perused the record.

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The present application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. has been filed for quashing the entire criminal proceedings of Case No. 16912 of 2011 (State v. Rajat Sharma and others) arising out of Case Crime No. 862 of 2011, under sections 498-A and 323 IPC, P.S. Indirapuram, District Ghaziabad pursuant to the charge sheet no. 546 of 2011 dated 02.05.2011 pending in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ghaziabad.

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Pursuant to the earlier order dated 18.02.2019 passed by coordinate Bench of this Court, lcopy of the compromise documents referred by Delhi Mediation Centre, Karkardooma Courts, Delhi dated 22.09.2018 finds place at page no. 26, as annexure 3 to the instant application. As further directed therein, both the contesting parties i.e. Rajat Sharma (the main applicant) and Ms. Pratima are present in person before this Court today. Ms. Pratima has been duly identified by her Counsel Ms. Chhaya Gupta.

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This Court has got an opportunity to converse with Ms. Pratima. On query, she conceded at Bar that pursuant to the agreement arrived at between both the parties on 22.09.2018, she has already received Rs. Five Lakhs at different occasions. Ms. Chhaya Gupta, learned counsel for the applicants submitted that Pratima, opposite party no. 2 has been handed over a Bank Draft No. 997576 dated 17.12.2019 issued by State Bank Of India amountng to Rs. Five Lakhs in favour of Ms. Pratima Sharma today, as full and final settlement in accordance with the aforesaid settlement. A copy of the aforesaid Bank Draft along with her acknowledgement, duly identified Sri Akshaya Kumar, learned counsel for opposite party no. 2 is made part of the order sheet. He also assured that rest of the conditions, as mentioned in the settlement agreement shall be complied with by her at the appropriate occasions.

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It is contended by the learned counsel for the applicants that the parties since the contesting parties have buried their difference and disputes and therefore, there is no useful purpose to be served to keep the matter alive and pending. Learned counsel for the applicant has drawn my attention to Annexure-3 i.e. a compromise/affidavit dated 22.09.2017 arises between the contesting parties by which both the parties have sorted out their differences and disputes outside the court. This fact of compromise has been confirmed and nodded in affirmative by the counsel for the opposite parties and has been jointly submitted that there would be no harm and error it would be the interest of justice that the proceedings may be quashed in the light of the compromise. Learned counsel for the applicant has drawn my attention to the relevant paragraphs of judgment:-

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(i) B.S. JOSHI VS. STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS [2003 (4) ACC 675]. (ii) GIAN SINGH VS. STATE OF PUNJAB [2012 (10) SCC 303]. (iii) DIMPEY GUJRAL AND OTHERS VS. UNION TERRITORY THROUGH ADMINISTRATOR [2013 (11) SCC 697] .

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(iv) NARENDRA SINGH AND OTHERS VS. STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS [2014 (6) SCC 466].

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(v) YOGENDRA YADAV AND OTHERS VS. STATE OF JHARKHAND [2014 (9) SCC 653].

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Summarizing the ratio of all the above cases the latest judgment pronounced by Hon'ble Apex Court in Criminal Appeal No. 1723/2017 arising out of SLP (Crl.) No. 9549/2016 , the Full Bench of the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of "DPARBATBHAI AAHIR @ PARBATBHAI BHIMSINHBHAI KARMUR AND OTHERS. VS. STATE OF GUJARAT AND ANOTHER" , decided on 4th October, 2017, Hon'ble Dr. D.Y. Chandrachud J. delivering the judgment on behalf of the Full Bench has summarized the broad principles with regard to exercise of powers under Section 482 Cr.P.C. in the case of compromise/settlement between the parties. Which emerges from precedent of the subjects as follows:-

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i. "Section 482 preserves the inherent powers of the High Court to prevent an abuse of the process of any court or to secure the ends of justice. The provision does not confer new powers. It only recognizes and preserves powers which inhere in the High Court.

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ii.The invocation of the jurisdiction of the High Court to quash a First Information Report or a criminal proceeding on the ground that a settlement has been arrived at between the offender and the victim is not the same as the invocation of jurisdiction for the purpose of compounding an offence. While compounding an offence, the power of the court is governed by the provisions of Section 320 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The power to quash under Section 482 is attracted even if the offence is non-compoundable.

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iii. In forming an opinion whether a criminal proceeding or complaint should be quashed in exercise of its jurisdiction under Section 482, the High Court must evaluate whether the ends of justice would justify the exercise of the inherent power;

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iv. While the inherent power of the High Court has a wide ambit and plenitude it has to be exercised; (i) to secure the ends of justice or (ii) to prevent an abuse of the process of any court;

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v. The decision as to whether a complaint or First Information Report should be quashed on the ground that the offender and victim have settled the dispute, revolves ultimately on the facts and circumstances of each case and no exhaustive elaboration of principles can be formulated;

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vi. In the exercise of the power under Section 482 and while dealing with a plea that the dispute has been settled, the High Court must have due regard to the nature and gravity of the offence. Heinous and serious offences involving mental depravity or offences such as murder, rape and dacoity cannot appropriately be quashed though the victim or the family of the victim have settled the dispute. Such offences are truly speaking not private in nature but have a serious impact upon society. The decision to continue with the trial in such cases is founded on the overriding element of public interest in punishing persons for serious offences;

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vii. As distinguished from serious offences, there may be criminal cases which have an overwhelming or predominant element of a civil dispute. They stand on a distinct footing in so far as the exercise of the inherent power to quash is concerned;

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viii. Criminal cases involving offences which arises from commercial, financial, mercantile, partnership or similar transactions with an essentially civil flavour may in appropriate situations fall for quashing where parties have settled the dispute;

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ix. In such a case, the High Court may quash the criminal proceeding if in view of the compromise between the disputants, the possibility of a conviction is remote and the continuation of a criminal proceeding would cause oppression and prejudice; and

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x. There is yet an exception to the principle set out in propositions (viii) and (ix) above. Economic offences involving the financial and economic well-being of the state have implications which lie beyond the domain of a mere dispute between private disputants. The High Court would be justified in declining to quash where the offender is involved in an activity akin to a financial or economic fraud or misdemeanour. The consequences of the act complained of upon the financial or economic system will weigh in the balance."

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With the assistance of the aforesaid guidelines, keeping in view the nature and gravity and the severity of the offence which are more particularly in private dispute and differences it is deem proper and meet to the ends of justice. The proceeding of the aforementioned case be quashed.

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The present 482 application stands allowed.

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Keeping in view the compromise arrived at between the parties, the proceedings of Case No. 16912 of 2011 (State v. Rajat Sharma and others) arising out of Case Crime No. 862 of 2011, under sections 498-A and 323 IPC, P.S. Indirapuram, District Ghaziabad pending in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ghaziabad is hereby quashed.

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Let a copy of the order may be transmitted to the concern lower court within a fortnight.

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Order Date :- 11.3.2019

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shailesh

Rajat Sharma and 2 Others v. State of U.P. and Another

Case brief

What is this about?

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Rajat Sharma and 2 Others v. State of U.P. and Another

Case brief

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