Gajraj v. State of Haryana

o o o o 1o o o 134o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoAToCHANDIGARHo o o Gajrajoo ….Petitionero versuso StateoofoHaryanaoandoanothero ….Respondentso o DateoofoDecision:oFebruaryo05,o2026o DateoofoUploading:oFebruaryo09,o2026oDateoofoUploading:oFebruaryo ,o2026 o CORAM:o HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:-o Mr.oNamitoKhurana,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.ooPresent: o o o Mr.oGurmeetoSingh,oAAGoHaryana.oo o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono482oofotheoCr.oP.C.o seekingo quashingo ofo theo FIRo No.0053o datedo 10.02.2022,o registeredo undero Sectionso174-AoofotheoIPC,oatoPoliceoStationoRamoNagar,oDistrictoKarnal,oaso welloasoconsequentialoproceedingsoarisingotherefrom.oo

2.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso submittedo thato theo impugnedo FIR,o haso itso genesis,o ino ao criminalo complainto filedo againsto theo petitionero(herein)ounderoSectiono138oofotheoNIoAct,oinoproceedingsowhereofotheo petitionerowasodeclaredoasoaoproclaimedopersono&ohenceotheoimpugnedoFIRo cameo too beo goto registeredo againsto theo petitioner.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionerohasoarguedothatotheodisputeoinoquestionobetweenotheopetitioneroandotheo complainantowasounderwayoforoanoamicableosettlementoandodueotoothisoreason/o impression,o theo petitionero couldo noto appearo beforeo theo trialo Court.o Learnedo counselohasoarguedothatothereafter,oproclamationounderoSectiono82oofotheoCr.o P.C.owasoissuedoagainstotheopetitioner.oLearnedocounselohasoarguedothat,oinothiso o o o o 2o o case,o theo proclamationo waso issuedo againsto theo petitionero ono 01.02.2020o foro effectingo hiso appearanceo beforeo theo trialo Courto ono 24.03.2020,o however,o ono

24.03.2020,otheolearnedotrialoCourtoadjournedotheomatterotoo11.05.2020oowingotoo COVID-19.oThereafter,otheomatterostandsoadjournedofromotimeotootimeodueotoo COVID-19.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroarguedothatofinally,ovideoorderodatedo

10.02.2021o (Annexureo P-4),o theo petitionero haso beeno declaredo aso proclaimedo personoinocontraventionotootheomandatoryoprovisionsoofoSectiono82oofotheoCr.o P.C.o Learnedo counselo haso arguedo thato consequently,o FIRo ino question,o undero Sectiono174-AoofotheoIPC,ohasobeenoregisteredoagainstotheopetitioner.oo

2.1.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso arguedo thato sinceo theo disputeoinoquestionowasounderwayobetweenotheopetitioneroandofinally,otheosameo hasonowobeenoamicablyosettled,otherefore,otheocomplainant,oaccordingly,omovedo ano applicationo beforeo theo trialo Courto seekingo permissiono too withdrawo theo complainto ino questiono aso theo complainanto hado receivedo ano amounto ofo Rs.5,50,000/-o fromo theo petitioner.o Hence,o video ordero datedo 29.05.2023o (AnnexureoP-6),otheocomplaintoinoquestionostandsowithdrawn.oItohasobeenofurthero iteratedothatosinceotheocriminalocomplaintounderoSectiono138oofoNIoAct,ohaso alreadyo beeno withdrawno aso theo rivalo partieso hado enteredo intoo ao settlement,o therefore,o noo usefulo purposeo wouldo beo servedo byo continuationo ofo theo proceedingsoquaotheoimpugnedoFIR.oToobuttressothisoaspectoofohisoargument,o learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoreliedouponotheoorderodatedo29.05.2023o passedo byo theo concernedo Judicialo Magistrateo Isto Class,o Karnal,o whicho readso thus:o "Fileotakenoupoonotheoapplicationoforopermissionotoowithdrawotheo complaintohasobeenofiledobyoapplicant/ocomplainant.oComplainantoappearedo andosufferedoaostatementothatotheocompromiseohasobeenoeffected.oHeohaso receivedotheoamountoofoRs.5,50,000/-ofromotheoaccused,onothingoisodueo againstoaccused,oheodoesonotowantotoopursueotheopresentocomplaintoando withdrawsotheosame.oHeoisoidentifiedobyohisocounsel.oHeard.oInoviewoofotheo statemento recordedo above,o theo complainto ino hando iso dismissedo aso withdrawn.oFileoafteroneedfulobeoconsignedotootheorecordoroom."o o o o o 3o o o o o Ono theo strengtho ofo aboveo arguments,o learnedo counselo foro theo petitionerohasopressedoforograntoofopetitionoinohand.oo

3.o o Conversely,o learnedo Stateo counselo haso submittedo thato theo impugnedoorderowasopassedosolelyoonotheogroundoofoabsenceoofotheopetitioner.o He,ohowever,odoesonotodisputeotheofactothatotheopartiesohaveoamicablyoresolvedo theomatteroandotheomainocomplaintostandsodismissedoasowithdrawn.oo

4.o o Noneo appearso ono behalfo ofo respondento No.2o despiteo serviceo reportedotoobeoeffectedouponohim.oSinceotheocomplaintofiledobyorespondentoNo.2o –ocomplainantostandsowithdrawn,oitois,obutoobvious,othatorespondentoNo.2ohaso lostointerestoinopursuingotheopresentopetition.ooo

5.o o Iohaveoheardolearnedocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveoperusedo theopaper-book.oo

6.o o Theoseminaloquestionothatoarisesoforoconsiderationoinotheopresento petitiono iso aso too whethero theo impugnedo FIRo (aso alsoo proceedingso arisingo therefrom)o undero Sectiono 174-Ao ofo theo IPCo deserveso too beo quashedo ino theo factualomatrixoofotheopresentocase.oo

7.o o Atothisojuncture;oitowouldobeoappositeotooreferohereinotooaojudgmento ofothisoCourtopassedoinoCRM-M-51049-2019otitledoasoMohammadoHanifoAttario vs.oStateoofoHaryana,odecidedoono06.07.2023;orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:o "3.oInoviewotheofactothatoafterotheoprincipleoproceedingsoinowhichotheopetitionero wasodeclaredoProclaimedoOffenderostandoconcluded,otheoquestionowouldoariseo is:o'whetheroinotheogivenocircumstances,oproceedingsounderoSectiono174Aoofo theo IPCo pursuanto too FIRo No.425o datedo 17tho ofo November,o 2017o cano beo allowedotoocontinue.o

4.o Theo questiono framedo ibido iso noo moreo reso integrao ando alreadyo standso answeredobyoCo-ordinateoBenchoofothisoCourtoinoCRM-M-43813-2018otitledo aso"BaldevoChandoBansalov.oStateoofoHaryanaoandoanother"ovideoorderodatedo

29.01.2019,owhichoheldoasounder:o o "Prayero ino thiso petitiono iso foro quashingo ofo FIRo No.64o datedo

15.02.2017o filedo undero Sectiono 174Ao ofo theo Indiano Penalo Codeo registeredo ato Policeo Stationo Sector-5,o Panchkulao ando allo othero subsequento proceedingso arisingo thereofo aso wello aso ordero datedo

24.10.2016opassedobyotheotrialoCourtovideowhichoaodirectionowaso issuedotooregisterotheoaforesaidoFIR."o o o o o 4o o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoreliedouponotheodecisionso renderedobyothisoCourtoino"VikasoSharmaov.oGurpreetoSinghoKohlio ando anothero (supra),o 2017,o (3)o L.A.R.584,o Microqualo Technoo Limitedo ando otherso v.o Stateo ofo Haryanao ando another,o 2015o (32)o RCRo(Criminal)o790oando"RajneeshoKhannaov.oStateoofoHaryanao ando another"o 2017o (3)o L.A.R.o 555o whereino ino ano identicalo circumstance,othisoCourtohasoheldothatosinceotheomainopetitionofiledo undero Sectiono 138o ofo theo Acto standso withdrawno ino viewo ofo ano amicableosettlementobetweenotheoparties,otherefore,ocontinuationoofo proceedingsounderoSectiono174AoofoIPCoshallobeonothingobutoano abuseoofotheoprocessoofolaw.o o XXo XXXo o XXXXo o Ino viewo ofo theo same,o Io findo merito ino theo presento petitiono ando accordingly,opresentopetitionoisoallowedoandotheoimpugnedoordero datedo 24.10.2016o passedo byo Judicialo Magistrate,o 1sto Class,o PanchkulaoasowelloasoFIRoNo.64odatedo15.02.2017oregisteredoundero Sectiono174AoofotheoIndianoPenaloCodeoatoPoliceoStationoSector-5,o Panchkulaoandoallootherosubsequentoproceedingsoarisingothereof,oareo herebyoquashed."o

5.ooSameoisotheoviewoofoanotheroCo-ordinateoBenchoinotheo"AshokoMadaanov.o Stateo ofo Haryanao ando another"o reportedo aso 2020o (4)o RCRo (Criminal)o 87,o whereinoitohasobeenoheldothat:o o "Noodoubt,otheolearnedocounseloforotheorespondentohasovehementlyo arguedothatotheooffenceounderoSectiono174AoI.P.C.oisoindependento ofotheomainocase,otherefore,omerelyobecauseotheomainocaseohasobeeno dismissedoforowantoofoprosecution,otheopresentopetitionocannotobeo allowed,ohowever,okeepingoinoviewotheofactothatotheopresentoFIRo wasoregisteredoonlyoonoaccountoofoabsenceofromotheoproceedingsoino theo maino caseo whicho hado beeno subsequentlyo regularisedo byo theo courto whileo grantingo bailo too theo petitioner,o theo defaulto stoodo condoned.o Ino sucho circumstances,o continuationo ofo proceedingso underoSectiono174AoLP.C.oshallobeoabuseoofotheoprocessoofocourt.oo

7.oAccordingly,otheopetitionoisoallowed.oFIRoNo.o446odatedo

21.08.2017,oregisteredounderoSectiono174AoI.PC.oatoPoliceoStationo Kotwali,oDistrictoFaridabad,oasowelloasoconsequentialoproceedingso shallostandoquashed."o o

7.1.o o Moreorecently,otheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoinoaojudgmentotitledoaso DaljitoSinghovs.oStateoofoHaryanaoandoAnother,oCriminaloAppealoNo.4359oofo 2024odecidedoono02.01.2025;ohasoheldothat:o o "7.3oo Now,o whato happenso ifo theo statuso underoSectiono 82oCr.P.C.o iso nullifiedo i.e.,o theo persono subjectedo too sucho proclamation,o byo virtueo ofo subsequentodevelopmentsoisonoolongerorequiredotoobeopresentedobeforeoao Courtoofolaw.oThen,ocanotheoprosecutionostilloproceedoagainstosuchoaopersono forohavingonotoappearedobeforeoaoCourtoduringotheotimeothatotheoprocesso wasoinoeffect.oTheoansweroisoinotheoaffirmative.oWeosayosooforotheofollowingo reasons:-o o (i)oo TheolanguageoofoSectiono174A,oIPCosayso"whoeverofailsotoo appearoatotheospecifiedoplaceoandotheospecifiedotimeoasorequiredobyo proclamation…".oThisoimpliesothatotheoveryoinstanceoatowhichoao personoisodirectedotooappear,oandoheodoesonotodooso,othisoSectiono comesointooplay;o o o(ii)oo Whatofurtheroflowsofromotheolanguageoemployedoisothatotheo instanceoofonon-appearanceobecomesoanoinfractionoofotheoSection,o ando therefore,o prosecutiono thereforo wouldo beo independento ofoSectiono82,oCr.P.C.obeingoinoeffect;o o o o o 5o o o (iii)oo So,owhileoproceedingsounderoSectiono174AoIPCocannotobeo initiatedo independento ofoSectiono 82,o Cr.P.C.,o i.e.,o cano onlyo beo startedopostotheoissuanceoofoproclamation,otheyocanocontinueoifotheo saidoproclamationoisonoolongeroinoeffect.o o (iv)oWeofindothatotheoDelhioHighoCourtohasotakenothisoview,oi.e.,o thatoSectiono174A,oIPCoisoaostand-aloneooffenceoinoMukeshoBhatiaoMukeshoBhatiao v.Stateo(NCToofoDelhi)o2022oSCCoOnLineoDelo1023;oDivyaoVermao v.oStateo2023oSCCoOnLineoDelo2619;oSameenao&oAnr.ov.oStateo thGNCToofoDelhio&oAnr.oCrl.oM.C.oNo.1470oofo2021,oDatedo17 o May,o2022oForotheoreasonsoafore-stated,oweoagreeowithotheofindingso madeo ino theseo judgments/orders.o Ato theo sameo time,o ito standso clarifiedothatoweohaveonotocommentedoonotheomeritsoofotheocases.o o (v)o Grantedo thato theo offenceo prescribedo inoSectiono 174AoIPCo iso indeedostand-alone,ogivenothatoitoarisesooutoofoanooriginalooffenceoino connectiono witho whicho proceedingso underoSectiono 82oCr.P.C.o iso initiatedoandoinotheosaidooffenceotheoaccusedostands,osubsequently,o acquitted,oitowouldobeopermissibleoinolawoforotheoCourtoseizedoofotheo trialounderosuchooffence,otootakeonoteoofosuchoaodevelopmentoando treato theo sameo aso ao groundo too drawo theo proceedingso too ao close,o shouldosuchoaoprayerobeomadeoandotheocircumstancesoofotheocaseosoo warrant.o o 8.oo Inoconclusion,oweoholdothatoSectiono174AoIPCoisoanoindependent,o substantiveo offence,o thato cano continueo eveno ifo theo proclamationo underoSectiono 82,o Cr.P.C.o iso extinguished.o Ito iso ao stand-aloneo offence.oo xxxxxxxxx"o o o o However,otheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoquashedotheoimpugnedoFIRo (therein)ounderoSectiono174-AoofotheoIPCosince,ointeroalia,otheooriginalooffenceo inotheoformoofocriminalocomplaintounderoSectiono138oofoNIoAct,o1881oinotheosaido caseohadobeenosettledoandowithdrawnobyotheorivaloparties.oo

8.o o ItoisoforotheoHighoCourt,owhileoexercisingoitsoinnateoplenaryopowerso underoSectiono528oofoBNSS,o2023/o428oofoCr.P.C.,o1973,otooratiocinateothatoito shouldo noto applyo theo lawo ino ano austere,o academico ando exactingo technicalo manner,owithoutoconsideringoitsopracticaloimplications.oTheoLawoisonotomerelyoao setoofoprogrammed,onailed-to-the-groundorules,otoobeoappliedowithoutocontext.oIto musto beo enforced,o whileo bearingo ino mind,o thato itso purposeo iso too ensureo substantiveojusticeobetweenotheoparties.oTheostatutoryoprovisionoofoSectiono174-AoofoIPC,owhenoperusedoinotheolightooforatioodecidendioofotheojudgmentoofotheo Hon'bleoSupremeoCourtoinoDaljitoSingh'socaseo(supra),ounequivocallyoshowso thatoanoFIRounderoSectiono174-AoofotheoIPCodoesonotoproprioovigoreobecomeo liableotoobeoquashed,oinocaseotheorivalopartiesohaveoenteredointooaocompromiseo o o o o 6o o ando sucho criminalo complaint/FIRo haso beeno compromisedo ando quashed/withdrawnoaccordingly.oHowever,oatotheosameotime,otheofactumoofotheo criminalocomplaint/FIRo(inofurtheranceoofoproceedingsowhereof)ohavingobeeno compromised/settled,oisoindubitably,oaorelevantofactorotoobeoconsideredowhileo dealingowithoaopleaoforoquashingoofoanoFIRo(asoalsooproceedingsoemanatingo therefrom)ounderoSectiono174-AoofoIPC.ooThisofactoassumesogreaterosignificanceo consideringothatotheoinitialoproceedingsopertainoexclusivelyotooaoprivateocriminalo complainto undero Sectiono 138o ofo NIo Act,o 1881,o whicho theo legislatureo haso expresslyoclassifiedoasoaocompoundableooffence.oSucholitigation,oespeciallyoino theo backdropo ofo originalo offenceo havingo beeno compromisedo willo haveo ano adverseoimpactoonotheooverburdenedoCourt-dockets.oAllowingosuchoprosecution,o wheno initialo complainto haso beeno settled/withdrawno wouldo undermineo theo legislativeointentoandodistortotheoremedialonatureoofoSectiono138oofoNIoActoofo 1881.o o Ito wouldo tantamounto too contraveningo theo principleso ofo fairness,o proportionality,oandojusticeoinocriminaloproceedings.oAoliteralointerpretationomayo sometimesoleadotoounjustooutcomesothatoalsoocontradictotheolaw'sounderlinedo purpose.oTherefore,otheoHighoCourtounderoitsoinherentojurisdictionomustobalanceo theo lettero ofo Lawo witho itso spirit,o ensuringo fairo ando equitableo results.o Thiso approachounderscoresoLaw'soroleoasoanoapparatusoforofosteringosocietaloharmonyo andoaddressingotheoreal-worldocomplexities,oefficaciouslyoasoalsooeffectively,o ratherothanomereoliteral/technicalocompliance.ooo

9.o o TheoinherentojurisdictionounderoSectiono528oBNSS,o2023/oSectiono 482oCr.P.C.,o1973oisoprimarilyoaimedoatopreventingoabuseoofojudicialoprocesso andosecuringotheoendsoofojustice.oThus,owhenotheodisputeoisoessentiallyopersonalo inonatureoandoaogenuineocompromiseohasobeenoreached,otheoHighoCourtomayo interveneo too quasho theo criminalo proceedings,o recognizingo theo continuationo thereofowouldobeonon-productiveoandounjustoinotheogivenocircumstances.oTheo o o o o 7o o inherento powerso ofo ao Higho Courto areo powerso whicho areo incidentalo repleteo powers,owhichoifodidonotosooexist,otheoCourtowouldobeoobligedotoositostilloando helplesslyoseeotheoprocessoofolawoandoCourtsobeingoabusedoforotheopurposesoofo injustice.ooInootherowords;osuchopower(s)oisointrinsicotooaoHighoCourt,oitoisoitso veryo life-blood,o itso veryo essence,o itso immanento attribute.o o Withouto sucho power(s),oaoHighoCourtowouldohaveoformobutolackotheosubstance.ooTheseopowerso ofo ao Higho Courto henceo deserveo too beo construedo witho theo widesto possibleo amplitude.oTheseoinherentopowersoareoinoconsonanceowithotheonatureoofoaoHigho Courto whicho oughto too be,o ando haso ino facto been,o investedo witho power(s)o too maintainoitsoauthorityotoopreventotheoprocessoofolaw/Courtsobeingoobstructedooro abused.oItoisoaotriteopositsoofojurisprudenceothatothougholawsoattemptotoodealowitho allo caseso thato mayo arise,o theo infiniteo varietyo ofo circumstanceso whicho shapeo eventso ando theo imperfectionso ofo languageo makeo ito impossibleo too layo downo provisionsocapableoofogoverningoeveryocase,owhichoinofactoarises.oAoHighoCourto whichoexistsoforotheofurtheranceoofojusticeoinoanoindefatigableomanner,oshouldo therefore,ohaveounfetteredopower(s)otoodealowithosituationsowhich,othoughonoto expresslyoprovidedoforobyotheolaw,oneedotoobeodealtowith,otoopreventoinjusticeooro theoabuseoofotheoprocessoofolawoandoCourts.ooTheojuridicalobasisoofotheseoplenaryo power(s)oisotheoauthority;oinofactotheoseminalodutyoandoresponsibilityoofoaoHigho Court;otoouphold,otooprotectoandotoofulfillotheojudicialofunctionoofoadministeringo justice,oinoaccordanceowitholaw,oinoaoregular,oorderlyoandoeffectiveomanner.ooIno otherowords;oSectiono 528oofo BNSS,o2023o reflectso peerlessopowers,o whicho ao HighoCourtomayodrawouponoasonecessaryowheneveroitoisojustoandoequitableotoodoo so,oinoparticularotooensureotheoobservanceoofotheodueoprocessoofolaw,otooprevento vexationoorooppression,otoodoojusticeonayosubstantialojusticeobetweenotheopartieso o o o o 8o o

10.o o Keepingo ino viewo theo entiretyo ofo theo attendingo factso ando circumstanceso ofo theo caseo ino hand;o especiallyo theo originalo offenceo beingo ano offenceounderoSectiono138oofoNegotiableoInstrumentsoActoofo1881,otheooriginalo offenceoallegedotoohaveobeenocommittedoinotheoyearo2019,otheosubjectomatteroofo theooriginalooffenceohavingobeenosettledoamicablyobetweenotheopartiesoandotheo criminalocomplaintounderoSectiono138oofotheoNIoActohavingobeenowithdrawnoono theobasisoofosuchosettlement/compromise;othisoCourtodeemsoitoappropriateothato theoimpugnedoFIRoasoalsooalloproceedingsoemanatingotherefromodeserveotoobeo quashed.oo

11.o o Itois,ohence,odirectedoasounder:o

(i)o o Instantopetitionoisoallowed;oo

(ii)o o Theo FIRo No.0053o datedo 10.02.2022,o registeredo undero Sectionso 174-Aoofo theo IPC,o ato Policeo Stationo RamoNagar,o Districto Karnalo aso alsoo allo subsequentoproceedingsoarisingotherefromostandoquashed;oo

(iii)o o Allopendingoapplication(s),oifoany,ostandsodisposedoof.oo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o o o o ooooJUDGEo Februaryo05,o2026oFebruaryo05,o2026 mahaviroo Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo