Bunty Sharma & Ors. Vs State (Nct of Delhi) & Anr. — Dowry and Cruelty | Delhi HC (2026)

Bunty Sharma & Ors. Vs State (Nct of Delhi) & Anr. — Dowry and Cruelty | Delhi HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

FIR No.541/2022 dated 07.05.2022 (PS New Usmanpur, Delhi) under Sections 498A/313/323/34 IPC and Section 4 DP Act and all proceedings emanating therefrom quashed; petition, along with the pending application CRL.M.A. 8787/2026-Exp., disposed of in the aforesaid terms.

Issue for consideration

Whether FIR No.541/2022 dated 07.05.2022 registered at PS New Usmanpur, Delhi under Sections 498A/313/323/34 of the IPC and Section 4 of the DP Act, and all proceedings emanating therefrom, should be quashed under Section 528 BNSS in view of the Memorandum of Understanding dated 18.09.2024 arrived at between the petitioners and respondent no.2.

Court's answer

In view of the voluntary settlement between the parties and following the law laid down by the Supreme Court in Jitendra Raghuvanshi (2013) 4 SCC 58, Gian Singh (2012) 10 SCC 303 and Narinder Singh (2014) 6 SCC 466, since there is nothing left to corroborate and prove the case of the prosecution, continuation of the FIR against the petitioner would be an exercise in futility.

Ratio / Principle

The parties shall remain bound by all the terms and conditions of the settlement arrived at inter se themselves.

Key takeaways

The petition is allowed: FIR No.541/2022 dated 07.05.2022 registered at PS New Usmanpur, Delhi under Sections 498A/313/323/34 of the IPC and Section 4 of the DP Act, and all proceedings emanating therefrom, are quashed.ratio¶¶23

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Quashing of FIR — Section 528 BNSS, 2023 — petition under Section 528 BNSS seeking quashing of FIR No.541/2022 dated 07.05.2022 (PS New Usmanpur, Delhi) under Sections 498A/313/323/34 IPC and Section 4 Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 and all proceedings emanating therefrom — Memorandum of Understanding dated 18.09.2024 between petitioners and respondent no.2, under which Rs.2,40,000/- was paid as full and final settlement of all claims including alimony and maintenance; marriage dissolved by mutual consent under Section 13B(2) Hindu Marriage Act, 1995 vide decree dated 15.10.2025; State had no objection; parties' identities verified by Investigating Officer — following Jitendra Raghuvanshi (2013) 4 SCC 58, Gian Singh (2012) 10 SCC 303 and Narinder Singh (2014) 6 SCC 466, nothing left to corroborate and prove the prosecution case; continuation of FIR an exercise in futility — FIR and all proceedings emanating therefrom quashed; petition allowed and, along with pending application, disposed of (Saurabh Banerjee, J.; decision dated 23.03.2026).

$~73

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

- W.P.(CRL) 926/2026, CRL.M.A. 8787/2026-Exp.

BUNTY SHARMA & ORS. .....Petitioners

Through: Mr. Rajan Sharma, Ms. Madhu Sharma, Advocates with petitioners in person (through VC)

versus

STATE (NCT OF DELHI) & ANR. .....Respondents

Through: Mr. Sanjay Lao, Standing Counsel for State with SI Pooja, PS: New Usmanpur

Mr. Shantanu Mishra, Advocate with R-2 in person

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SAURABH BANERJEE

O R D E R % 23.03.2026

By virtue of the present petition under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 ( BNSS ), the petitioners seek quashing of FIR No.541/2022 dated 07.05.2022 registered at PS.: New Usmanpur, Delhi under Sections 498A/313/323/34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 ( IPC ) and Section 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 ( DP Act ) as also all proceedings emanating therefrom, in view of the Memorandum of Understanding dated 18.09.2024 [ Annexure P2 ] arrived at between the petitioners and the respondent no.2, which is accompanied by their respective proofs of identities.

Issue notice. Learned Standing Counsel for the State accepts notice, and submits that he has no objection to the quashing of the aforesaid FIR.

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 25/03/2026 at 13:41:21

Respondent no.2, present in Court, also accepts notice and affirms the terms of the aforesaid Memorandum of Understanding dated 18.09.2024, whereby the petitioners has already paid her a total sum of Rs.2,40,000/- as full and final settlement of all her present, past and future claims including alimony, maintenance, etc. She further submits that her marriage with the petitioner no.1 has since been dissolved by mutual consent under Section 13B(2) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1995 vide Decree dated 15.10.2025, and she has no objection to the quashing of the aforesaid FIR.

The petitioners and the respondent no.2, present in Court, as well as their credentials, as on record, have been identified by the Investigating Officer.

Facts disclose that a settlement has already been arrived voluntarily between the parties and the present petition is accompanied by their respective affidavit(s). In view thereof, the parties shall remain bound by all the terms and conditions of the settlement arrived inter se themselves. As such, following the law laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Jitendra Raghuvanshi & Ors. vs. Babita Raguvanshi & Anr. (2013) 4 SCC 58 , Gian Singh vs. State of Punjab & Anr. (2012) 10 SCC 303 and Narinder Singh & Ors. vs. State of Punjab & Anr. (2014) 6 SCC 466 , since there is nothing left to corroborate and prove the case of the prosecution, continuation of the aforesaid FIR against the petitioner will be an exercise in futility.

Accordingly, the present petition is allowed and FIR No.541/2022 dated 07.05.2022 registered at PS.: New Usmanpur, Delhi under Sections 498A/313/323/34 of the IPC and Section 4 of DP Act as also all

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 25/03/2026 at 13:41:21

proceedings emanating therefrom are hereby quashed.

Accordingly, the present petition alongwith the pending application is disposed of in the aforesaid terms.

SAURABH BANERJEE, J

MARCH 23, 2026/So

This is a digitally signed order.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 25/03/2026 at 13:41:21