2025:KER:24347 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C. JAYACHANDRAN THURSDAY, THE 20TH DAY OF MARCH 2025 / 29TH PHALGUNA, 1946 CRL.MC NO. 1997 OF 2025 CRIME NO.28/2017 OF Pothukal Police Station, Malappuram AGAINST CC NO.220 OF 2017 OF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE OF FIRST CLASS, NILAMBUR PETITIONERS/ACCUSED: 1 SAKEER HUSSAIN AGED 48 YEARS KORANGADAN HOUSE, VETTILAKOLLY, KODALIPOYIL, POTHUKAL, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 679334 2 AYISHA @ AYISHUNNI AGED 82 YEARS KORANGADAN HOUSE, VETTILAKOLLY, KODALIPOYIL, POTHUKAL, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 679334 3 SAJITHA AGED 40 YEARS KORANGADAN HOUSE, VETTILAKOLLY, KODALIPOYIL, POTHUKAL, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 679334 4 UMMAKULSU AGED 45 YEARS KORANGADAN HOUSE, VETTILAKOLLY, KODALIPOYIL, POTHUKAL, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 679334 BY ADVS. SUNIL KUMAR A.G GEORGE MATHEW GEORGE K.V. MATHEW K.T. Crl.M.C.No. 1997 of 2025 ..2.. 2025:KER:24347 RESPONDENTS/STAT & DEFACTO COMPLAINANT: 1 STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA, PIN - 682031 2 THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER POTHUKAL POLICE STATION, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT, THROUGH PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KERALA, KOCHI, PIN - 679334 3 SUHARA AGED 42 YEARS /O. MUHAMMED, CHETTIYANTHODIKA HOUSE, VELLIMUTTAM, KURUMBALANGODE P.O., NILAMBUR TALUK, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 679334 BY ADV ADITHYA BENZEER OTHER PRESENT: ADV.C.N. PRABHAKARAN-SENIOR PUBLIC PROSECUTOR THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 20.03.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING: Crl.M.C.No. 1997 of 2025 ..3.. 2025:KER:24347 O R D E R Dated this the 20th day of March, 2025 B.S.Joshi and Others v. State of Haryana and another [(2003) 4 SCC 675] held that the offence under Section 498A can be quashed by the High Court exercising its inherent power under Section 482 Cr.P.C (now Section 528 of BNSS, 2023), though such offence is not compoundable under Section 320. Relying on State of Karnataka v. L. Muniswamy [(1977) 2 SCC 699], a two Judges Bench in B.S. Joshi (Supra) held that ends of justice are higher than ends of mere law, though justice has got to be administered according to laws made by legislature. The fact that there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction, in the wake of settlement between the parties, was taken stock of. The following findings in B.S.Joshi (supra) are relevant and extracted here below: “What would happen to the trial of the case where the wife does not support the imputations made in the FIR of the type in question. As earlier noticed, now she has filed an affidavit Crl.M.C.No. 1997 of 2025 ..4.. 2025:KER:24347 that the FIR was registered at her instance due to temperamental differences and implied imputations. There may be many reasons for not supporting the imputations. It may be either for the reason that she has resolved disputes with her husband and his other family members and as a result thereof she has again started living with her husband, with whom she earlier had differences or she has willingly parted company and is living happily on her own or has married someone else on the earlier marriage having been dissolved by divorce on consent of parties or fails to support the prosecution on some other similar grounds. In such eventuality, there would almost be no chance of conviction. Would it then be proper to decline to exercise power of quashing on the ground that it would be permitting the parties to compound non- compoundable offences? The answer clearly has to be in the "negative". It would, however, be a different matter if the High Court on facts declines the prayer for quashing for any valid reasons including lack of bona fides.” 2. The dictum laid down in B.S.Joshi (supra) was doubted along with that laid down in other cases and referred to and considered by a three Judges Bench of the Hon'ble Crl.M.C.No. 1997 of 2025 ..5.. 2025:KER:24347 Supreme Court in Gian Singh v. State of Punjab and another [(2012) 10 SCC 303]. B.S.Joshi (supra), along with other cases, were confirmed by the Supreme Court. It is relevant to note that the subject matter in B.S.Joshi (supra) was specifically with reference to the offences under Section 498A and 406 of the Indian Penal Code. 3. In the facts at hand, petitioners are accused nos.1 to 4 in Crime No.28/2017 of Pothukal Police Station, Malappuram, now pending as C.C.No.220/2017 before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Nilambur. The offences alleged are under SectionS 498A, 406 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The petitioners seek quashment of THE entire proceedings in the above Calendar Case, on the strength of the settlement arrived at by and between the parties. 4. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners, learned counsel for the 3rd respondent/defacto complainant and the learned Senior Public Prosecutor. Perused the records. Crl.M.C.No. 1997 of 2025 ..6.. 2025:KER:24347 5. When this Crl.M.C was moved, this Court directed to record the statement of the defacto complainant. The said direction was complied and the statement was handed over. On perusal of the same, it is clear that the issues between the petitioners and the defacto complainant are settled amicably and that the defacto complainant and the 1st petitioner are divorced. The defacto complainant, therefore, has no objection in quashing the criminal proceedings against the petitioners. That apart, it is noticed that, along with this Crl.M.C, an affidavit has been sworn to by the defacto complainant (3rd respondent herein) as Annexure-A3, wherein she would unequivocally state that the disputes have been amicably settled out of the Court and that the defacto complainant and the 1st petitioner are legally separated. The defacto complainant would also swear that she has been sufficiently compensated by the 1st petitioner and that she is now remarried and living peacefully. The defacto complainant has no further grievance against the petitioners and has Crl.M.C.No. 1997 of 2025 ..7.. 2025:KER:24347 no objection in quashing the criminal proceedings against the petitioners. The affidavit is sworn to on her free will. This Court is therefore convinced that the settlement arrived at is genuine and bonafide. Learned Counsel for the 3rd respondent/defacto complainant would also endorse that the quashment sought for can be allowed. 6. In the light of the above referred facts, this Court is of the opinion that the necessary parameters, as culled out in B.S.Joshi (supra) and Gian Singh (Supra), are fully satisfied. This court is convinced that further proceedings against the petitioners will be a futile exercise, inasmuch as the disputes have already been settled. There is little possibility of any conviction in the crime. Dehors the settlement arrived at by and between the parties, if they are compelled to face the criminal proceedings, the same, in the estimation of this Court, will amount to abuse of process of Court. The quashment sought for would secure the ends of justice. This Court also notice that the offence under Section 406 is Crl.M.C.No. 1997 of 2025 ..8.. 2025:KER:24347 compoundable, which is all the more a reason to accept the compromise between the parties. In the circumstances, this Crl.M.C. is allowed. Annexure-A1 F.I.R. in Crime No. 28/2017, Annexure-A2 Final Report and all further proceedings in C.C.No.220/2017 of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Nilambur, are hereby quashed. Sd/- C. JAYACHANDRAN JUDGE TR Crl.M.C.No. 1997 of 2025 ..9.. 2025:KER:24347 APPENDIX OF CRL.MC 1997/2025 PETITIONER ANNEXURES Annexure A1 CERTIFIED COPY OF FIRST INFORMATION REPORT (FIR) DTD. 20.02.2017 IN CR. NO. 28 OF 2017 OF POTHUKAL POLICE STATION ALONG WITH F.I.S Annexure A2 CERTIFIED COPY OF FINAL REPORT DTD. 25.03.2017 IN CR. NO. 28 OF 2017 OF POTHUKAL POLICE STATION Annexure A3 AFFIDAVIT DTD. 02.02.2025 SWORN TO BY 3RD RESPONDENT