$~68 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Date of Decision: 05th October, 2026 # CNR No. DLHC010478542026 + CRL.M.C. 7451/2026 & CRL.M.A. 31189/2026 RAM DAS .....Petitioners Through: Mr. Shajan Ali with Dr. Anwar M., Advocates. (M): 9250070070 Email: adv.shajan29@gmail.com versus STATE OF NCT OF DELHI AND ANOTHER .....Respondents Through: Mr. Nawal Kishore Jha, APP for the State. (M): 9810442918 9968257999 Email: nawalkishorejha@live.com SI Priyanka, PS Manglopuri. Mr. Yogesh Ramola, Advocate for respondent no. 2 with respondent no. 2 in person. (M): 9891157339 CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE MINI PUSHKARNA MINI PUSHKARNA, J. (Oral): 1. The present petition has been filed under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (“BNSS”)/Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (“CrPC”), seeking quashing of the First Information Report (“FIR”) being FIR No. 1020/2023, dated 12th October, Digitally Signed By:HARIOM SHARMA Signing Date:08.10.2026 09:18:15 Signature Not Verified 2023, registered at Police Station (“PS”) Mangol Puri, Outer District, Delhi, under Sections 498A/406/34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (“IPC”), and all consequential proceedings emanating therefrom, on the ground of settlement between the parties. 2. Issue notice. 3. Notice is accepted by learned Additional Public Prosecutor (“APP”) for the State as well as learned counsel appearing for respondent no. 2. 4. The captioned petition is taken up for disposal with the consent of the parties. 5. The marriage between petitioner no. 1 and respondent no. 2 was solemnized on 21st November, 2021. However, owing to matrimonial discord, the parties started residing separately from 21st March, 2023. Furthermore, there is no child from the said wedlock. 6. The FIR in question was registered pursuant to a complaint made by respondent no. 2, i.e., the complainant, to the Crime Against Women (“CAW”) Cell, Pitampura, Delhi. Subsequently, a Chargesheet was filed by the Investigating Officer (“IO”) under Sections 498A/406/509/34 of the IPC, against the petitioners. 7. During the pendency of proceedings, the parties entered into an amicable settlement of all their disputes vide Mediation Settlement dated 10th November, 2025, before the Delhi Mediation Centre, Rohini District Courts, Delhi. 8. By way of the said Mediation Settlement, the parties agreed to dissolve their marriage by way of divorce by mutual consent. Further, the disputes were settled to the full and final satisfaction of all claims of respondent no. 2, arising out of the marriage between petitioner no. 1 and Digitally Signed By:HARIOM SHARMA Signing Date:08.10.2026 09:18:15 Signature Not Verified respondent no. 2, without any consideration. 9. Vide the said Mediation Settlement, the parties have agreed to cooperate in quashing of the FIR in question. 10. In light of the aforesaid, the parties seek quashing of the FIR in question. 11. The parties, i.e., petitioners as well as respondent no. 2, are present in Court and are identified by their respective counsels as well as the IO, who is also present in Court. 12. This Court is informed that the marriage between petitioner no. 1 and respondent no. 2 already stands dissolved vide decree of divorce by mutual consent dated 13th March, 2026, passed by the Principal Judge, Family Court, North-West, Rohini, Delhi, in HMA 640/2026. 13. Learned counsels appearing for the parties jointly submit that the parties have already settled their disputes and do not wish to pursue the present matter any further. 14. This Court has interacted with respondent no. 2, who submits that she does not wish to pursue the present matter any further and that they have already settled all their disputes. 15. Learned Additional Public Prosecutor (“APP”) for the State submits that in the facts and circumstances of the case, they have no serious objection to the present petition. 16. Having heard the learned counsels appearing for the parties, this Court notes that the matter has been finally settled between the petitioners and respondent no. 2. 17. The Supreme Court has held that under Section 528 of the BNSS, High Courts may quash criminal proceedings, even with respect to non- Digitally Signed By:HARIOM SHARMA Signing Date:08.10.2026 09:18:15 Signature Not Verified compoundable offences, if the concerned parties have arrived at a compromise or settlement, and particularly, when no overarching public interest is adversely affected by quashing the same. 18. In Jitendra Raghuvanshi and Others Versus Babita Raghuvanshi and Another, (2013) 4 SCC 58, the Supreme Court has held that the High Courts are empowered to quash an FIR in case of matrimonial disputes in order to foster genuine settlements, even when the offences involved are non-compoundable in nature. The relevant portion of the said judgment reads as under: “xxx xxx xxx 14. The inherent powers of the High Court under Section 482 of the Code are wide and unfettered. In B.S. Joshi [(2003) 4 SCC 675 : 2003 SCC (Cri) 848] , this Court has upheld the powers of the High Court under Section 482 to quash criminal proceedings where dispute is of a private nature and a compromise is entered into between the parties who are willing to settle their differences amicably. We are satisfied that the said decision is directly applicable to the case on hand and the High Court ought to have quashed the criminal proceedings by accepting the settlement arrived at. 15. In our view, it is the duty of the courts to encourage genuine settlements of matrimonial disputes, particularly, when the same are on considerable increase. Even if the offences are non-compoundable, if they relate to matrimonial disputes and the Court is satisfied that the parties have settled the same amicably and without any pressure, we hold that for the purpose of securing ends of justice, Section 320 of the Code would not be a bar to the exercise of power of quashing of FIR, complaint or the subsequent criminal proceedings. xxx xxx xxx” (Emphasis Supplied) 19. Considering the submissions made before this Court, FIR No. 1020/2023, dated 12th October, 2023, registered at PS Mangol Puri, Outer Digitally Signed By:HARIOM SHARMA Signing Date:08.10.2026 09:18:15 Signature Not Verified District, Delhi, under Sections 498A/406/34 of the IPC, and all consequential proceedings emanating therefrom, are hereby quashed. 20. The present petition along with the pending application is accordingly allowed and disposed of in the aforesaid terms. MINI PUSHKARNA, J OCTOBER 5, 2026 c By:HARIOM SHARMA Signing Date:08.10.2026 09:18:15