Allahabad High Court
AJAYAB SINGH @ JAYAB AND 3 OTHERSversusState of U.P. AND ANOTHER
- Decided
- Bench
- MADAN PAL SINGH
Holding
The application under Section 482 CrPC is allowed and the criminal proceedings are quashed.
Summary
The applicants filed an application under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking quash of criminal proceedings, alleging that the dispute had been amicably settled and a compromise was verified by the trial court on 17 September 2026. The trial court confirmed the settlement, and the State and the second opposite party did not contest the facts. The High Court referred to the Supreme Court’s guidelines in State of Madhya Pradesh v. Laxmi Narayan (2019) 5 SCC 688, which allow quashing of non‑compoundable offences of a civil character when the parties have resolved the dispute, but not for heinous offences. Applying those principles, the Court held that the offences under Sections 323, 324 and 325 IPC were private in nature and could be quashed on the basis of the verified compromise. Consequently, the application was allowed and the proceedings in Session Trial No. 583 of 2014 were dismissed.
Issues considered
- Whether a High Court can quash criminal proceedings for non‑compoundable offences under Section 482 CrPC when the parties have reached a verified settlement.
- Whether the offences under Sections 323, 324 and 325 IPC qualify as private offences amenable to quashment despite being non‑compoundable.
Legislation cited
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 482
- Indian Penal Code — s. 323, 324, 325
Subjects
- Section 482 CrPC
- quash of criminal proceedings
- settlement
- non‑compoundable offence
- Indian Penal Code
- civil nature of offence
- High Court jurisdiction
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
APPLICATION U/S 482 No. - 29569 of 2024
Ajayab Singh @ Jayab And 3 Others
.....Applicant(s)
Versus
State of U.P. and Another
.....Opposite
Party(s)
Counsel for Applicant(s) : Rama Shanker Mishra, Suresh Dhar
Dwivedi
Counsel for Opposite Party(s) : Vinay Kumar Tripathi, G.A.
Court No. - 81
HON'BLE MADAN PAL SINGH, J.
1. Heard learned counsel for the applicants, Mr. Vinay Kumar Tripathi
learned counsel for opposite party no.2 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 on 26.02.2024 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 17.09.2026.
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 on the basis of
settlement/compromise. Relevant paragraphs are quoted herein below:-
A482 No. 29569 of 2024
2
"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 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
A482 No. 29569 of 2024
3
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 u/s 482 Cr.P.C. is allowed and the
entire proceedings of Session Trial No.583 of 2014 arising out of Case
Crime No.268A of 2013, under Sections 323, 324, 325 IPC, Police Station
Sindhauli, District Shahjahanpur pending in the court of Additional Sessions
Judge/FTC-1st, Shahjahanpur, are hereby quashed.
September 28, 2026
Ajeet
(Madan Pal Singh,J.)
Digitally signed by :-
AJEET KUMAR PATEL
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
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