CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 08.04.2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE M. NIRMAL KUMAR CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 and Crl.M.P.No.3048 of 2026 Rangarajan, J. S/o.Jaganathan, B-406, Newry Celio, Newry Enclave, Paruthipattu, Avadi High Road, Chennai – 600 071. Petitioner/Accused Vs 1.The State of Tamilnadu Rep by its Inspector of Police, CCB-I, Chennai Crime No.15 of 2023. 2.Soundarapandian, D. S/o.Duraipandian, S. Vice-President, Legal and Operations, Newry Properties Pvt. Ltd., No.19, Old No.11, B-Block 2nd Avenue, Anna Nagar East, Chennai – 102. Respondents PRAYER: The Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 528 of BNSS, 2023, praying to call for the records relating to the proceedings in Crime No.15 of 2023 on the file of the 1st respondent/complainant and quash the same as illegal. For Petitioner : Mr.M.Purushothaman 1/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 For Respondent-1 : Mr.Leonard Arul Joseph Selvam Additional Public Prosecutor For Respondent-2 : Ms.S.Padma ORDER The petitioner/accused in Crime No.15 of 2023 for offence under Sections 408 and 420 of I.P.C., has filed this petition seeking to quash the F.I.R. in Crime No.15 of 2023. 2.The case against the petitioner is that petitioner was working as Senior Manager – Accounts in the Newry Group of Companies, misused his position and transferred company funds to his own account and others account to the extent of Rs.87,11,108/-. Hence, a case registered. 3.The contention of the petitioner is that petitioner joined the company in December, 2007 as Manager – Accounts and Operations and promoted as Senior Manager – Accounts in December, 2015 based on his performance and experience. He was also inducted as Director in certain group of companies. The petitioner was entrusted with handling accounts of multiple sister concern including Newry Properties Pvt. Ltd., Shreekeerthi Properties Pvt. Ltd., Egberts India Pvt. Ltd., Samprathy Developers LLP, Aishwarya Properties Pvt. Ltd., Newry Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Newry Homes Pvt. Ltd., Newry Clover LLP and Newry Carlton LLP and other associated companies. Till June, 2021, the 2/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 company was controlled by the former Managing Director, S.Sridharan and the petitioner functioned under the said Sridharan. On his directions, the petitioner was transferring and depositing the funds. The non-resident directors were not involved in day-to-day affairs and it was only the Managing Director with whom the petitioner had interaction and he acted. This being so, the management of the company transferred and the new management checked the accounts, found erstwhile Managing Director and his confidants committed misappropriation and swindled the Company’s account and now petitioner made as a scapegoat and a complaint lodged against the petitioner as though he acted independently and transferred the money. 4.The petitioner on coming to know about the registration of the case against him filed anticipatory bail petition in Crl.O.P.No.28860 of 2022 and this Court by order dated 20.01.2023 granted anticipatory bail to the petitioner and one of the condition is that petitioner to deposit a sum of Rs.20,00,000/-. Simultaneously, the present management filed three civil suits in O.S.Nos.6572 of 2024, 1353 and 2026 of 2025 before the learned Principal District and Sessions Judge, Chennai for recovery of Rs.1,38,54,755/- (which includes principal of Rs.87,11,108/- with interest). The petitioner field written statement and at that time, the case was referred to Mediation. During Mediation, the issue was deliberated, resolved and a compromise agreement before the Mediator 3/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 jointly entered with terms of settlement and to return of money, the defacto complainant agreed to give no objection in quashing Crime No.15 of 2023. As per the terms of agreement, the defacto complainant agreed for quashing of the F.I.R. on receipt of demand draft for Rs.14,00,000/- and thus the dispute between the parties, predominantly having civil flavour, but given a criminal colour, now resolved and the parties agreed to give quietus. Further the petitioner is disgnosed with Stage-IV buccal mucosa carcinoma in October, 2019 and underwent major surgery and treatment. Due to his medical condition followed by Covid-19 and lockdown, the petitioner is not attending office. The petitioner health condition taken into consideration. The learned counsel for the petitioner produced the settlement agreement entered between the petitioner and the defacto complainant. 5.The learned Additional Public Prosecutor submitted that the based on the complaint lodged by the defacto complainant/Vice-President, Legal and Operations, Newry Properties Pvt. Ltd., F.I.R. came to be registered in Crime No.15 of 2023 for offence under Sections 408 and 420 of I.P.C. The petitioner misusing his position in the company, in collusion with the earlier management, has misappropriated and cheated the company. The company is based at Hongkong, involved in construction and property development in its name and its sister concern. The petitioner as Senior Accounts Manager made transfer of 4/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 huge sums of money. The petitioner holding a high position in the company misappropriated amounts running to several lakhs transferred funds from the company account to his account and to the account of others under the heads of commission, no such commission required to be paid. During the period between 2015 – 2020, a sum of Rs.87,11,108/- found to be misapproprated by the Senior Manager – Accounts and the petitioner. The petitioner being the custodian of the document, concealed documentsa nd destroyed some documents. Now investigation is in progress. There was also civil suits filed by the defacto complainant against the petitioner. 6.Considering the submissions made and on perusal of the materials, it is seen that the petitioner previously employed in Newry Group of Companies. During the period between 2017 – 2022, the petitioner in collusion with Senior Manager – Accounts and others facilitated transfer of funds to various accounts and thereby swingled an amount of Rs.87,11,108/-. The defacto complainant filed civil suits against the petitioner in O.S.Nos.6572 of 2024, 1353 and 2026 of 2025. Now the dispute got resolved between the parties. A copy of the settlment agreement entered between the petitioner and the defacto complainant produced before this Court and the same is scanned below: 5/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 6/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 7/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 8/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 9/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 10/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 11/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 12/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 13/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 The petitioner also paid the sum of Rs.14,00,000/- by way of demand drafts. The learned counsel for the second respondent/defacto complainant acknowledged receipt of the same. A scanned reproduction of the demand drafts is as follows: 14/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 7.Today, the petitioner/accused present before this Court and he confirmed the compromise. 8.In view of the same, the Criminal Original Petition is allowed and the First Information Report in Crime No.15 of 2023, on the file of the first respondent police, is quashed as against the petitioner. The petitioner is discharged of all the charges. 9.The Settlement Agreement dated 18.02.2026 filed by the petitioner and the second respondent for compromising the offences shall form part of the records. Consequently, the connected Criminal Miscellaneous Petition is closed. 08.04.2026 Index : Yes/No Speaking order/Non-speaking order Neutral citation : Yes/No rsi 15/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 M.NIRMAL KUMAR, J. rsi To 1.The Principal District and Sessions Judge, Chennai. 2.The Inspector of Police, CCB-I, Chennai 3.The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras. CRL OP No. 4327 of 2026 and Crl.M.P.No.3048 of 2026 08.04.2026 16/16 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis