Allahabad High Court
KUNAL AND ANOTHERversusSTATE OF U.P. AND ANOTHER
- Decided
- Bench
- MADAN PAL SINGH
Holding
The High Court exercised its power under Section 482 CrPC to quash the criminal proceedings despite the offences being non‑compoundable, on the ground of a verified settlement.
Summary
The applicants filed an application under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code seeking quash of criminal proceedings (S.T.No. 1677 of 2022) relating to offences under Sections 363 and 366 IPC. The parties had reached an amicable settlement and a compromise was verified by the trial court on 08‑11‑2024. Both the State’s Additional Government Advocate and the opposite party’s counsel accepted the settlement. Relying on the Supreme Court’s principles in State of Madhya Pradesh v. Laxmi Narayan (2019) 5 SCC 688, the High Court examined whether a non‑compoundable offence could be dismissed on the basis of compromise. The Court held that, despite the offences being non‑compoundable, the verified settlement justified the exercise of its inherent power under Section 482 to quash the proceedings. Consequently, the application was allowed and the criminal case was dismissed.
Issues considered
- Whether a High Court can quash criminal proceedings under Section 482 CrPC when the parties have settled a dispute involving non‑compoundable offences under Sections 363 and 366 IPC.
- Whether the Supreme Court’s guidelines in State of Madhya Pradesh v. Laxmi Narayan regarding the limits of Section 482 apply to the present case.
Legislation cited
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 320, 482
- Indian Penal Code — s. 363, 366
Subjects
- Section 482
- quash of criminal proceedings
- compromise
- non‑compoundable offence
- kidnapping
- Criminal Procedure Code
- Indian Penal Code
- High Court
- settlement verification
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
APPLICATION U/S 482 No. - 25129 of 2024
Kunal And Another
.....Applicant(s)
Versus
State of U.P. and Another
.....Opposite
Party(s)
Counsel for Applicant(s) : Abhishek Tiwari, Arun Kumar Tiwari,
Mahendra Pratap Singh, Sandeep
Kumar
Counsel for Opposite Party(s) : Dheer Singh, G.A.
Court No. - 81
HON'BLE MADAN PAL SINGH, J.
1. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the
record.
2. It is submitted by learned counsel for applicants that the
parties have settled their dispute amicably outside the Court and
compromise had taken place between them and the same has
been filed along with the instant application. Earlier, this Court
had directed the parties to appear before the Court below for
verification of compromise. By the said order, the Court below
was further directed to send a verification report.
3. As per report, the parties had appeared before the trial Court,
who were identified by their respective counsels and the
compromise was verified by the trial court on 08.11.2024.
4. Since parties have amicably settled their dispute outside the
Court and opposite party no.2 does not want to prosecute the
applicants, no useful purpose would be served in keeping it
pending.
5. Learned A.G.A. for the State as well as learned counsel for
O.P. no.2 do not dispute the aforesaid facts.
6. The Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of State of Madhya
Pradesh Vs. Laxmi Narayan and others, reported in (2019) 5
SCC 688 has laid down principles for quashing the proceeding
A482 No. 25129 of 2024
2
on the basis of settlement/compromise. Relevant paragraphs are
quoted herein below:-
"15. Considering the law on the point and the other decisions of this Court on the
point, referred to herein above, it is observed and held as under:
i) that the power conferred under Section 482 of the Code to quash the criminal
proceedings for the non-compoundable offences under Section 320 of the Code can be
exercised having overwhelmingly and predominantly the civil character, particularly
those arising out of commercial transactions or arising out of matrimonial
relationship or family disputes and when the parties have resolved the entire dispute
amongst themselves;
ii) such power is not to be exercised in those prosecutions which involved 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;
iii) similarly, such power is not to be exercised for the offences under the special
statutes like Prevention of Corruption 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;
iv) offences under Section 307 IPC and the Arms Act etc. would fall in the category of
heinous and serious offences and therefore are to be treated as crime against the
society and not against the individual alone, and therefore, the criminal proceedings
for the offence under Section 307 IPC and/or the Arms Act etc. which have a serious
impact on the society cannot be quashed in exercise of powers under Section 482 of
the Code, on the ground that the parties have resolved their entire dispute amongst
themselves. However, the High Court would not rest its decision merely because there
is a mention of Section 307 IPC in the FIR or the charge is framed under this
provision. It would be open to the High Court to examine as to whether incorporation
of Section 307 IPC is there for the sake of it or the prosecution has collected sufficient
evidence, which if proved, would lead to framing the charge under Section 307 IPC.
For this purpose, it would be open to the High Court to go by the nature of injury
sustained, whether such injury is inflicted on the vital/delegate parts of the body,
nature of weapons used etc. However, such an exercise by the High Court would be
permissible only after the evidence is collected after investigation and the charge
sheet is filed/charge is framed and/or during the trial. Such exercise is not permissible
A482 No. 25129 of 2024
3
when the matter is still under investigation. Therefore, the ultimate conclusion in
paragraphs 29.6 and 29.7 of the decision of this Court in the case of Narinder Singh
(supra) should be read harmoniously and to be read as a whole and in the
circumstances stated hereinabove;
v) while exercising the power under Section 482 of the Code to quash the criminal
proceedings in respect of non-compoundable offences, which are private in nature
and do not have a serious impart on society, on the ground that there is a
settlement/compromise between the victim and the offender, the High Court is
required to consider the antecedents of the accused; the conduct of the accused,
namely, whether the accused was absconding and why he was absconding, how he
had managed with the complainant to enter into a compromise etc."
7. In view of the aforesaid facts, since the parties have amicably
settled their dispute outside the Court and compromise between
the parties has already been verified by the trial Court, the
present Application is liable to be allowed.
8. Accordingly, the present Application is allowed and the
entire proceedings S.T.No. 1677 of 2022 (State Vs. Raja Sonkar
and others) arising out of Case Crime no. 73 of 2022, under
section 363, 366 IPC, Police Station Anwarganj, District
Kanpur Nagar, pending in the court of learned Addl. District
Judge/F.T.C., Court No. 52, Kanpur Nagar are hereby quashed.
(Madan Pal Singh,J.)
September 9, 2026
Gss
Digitally signed by :-
GIRAJA SHANKER SHARMA
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
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