Jyoti Manchanda v. State of Haryana and Anr

o o o o o o o 1o o o 121o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoAToINoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoAT CHANDIGARHo o Dateoofodecision:oSeptembero03,o2025o JyotioManchandaoo ….Petitionero versuso StateoofoHaryanaoandoanothero ….Respondentso o CORAM:o HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:-o Mr.oAshishoNaik,oAdvocateoforotheopetitionero o o (presenceomarkedothroughovideo-conferencing).ooo o o o Mr.oTarunoAggarwal,oAdditionaloAGoHaryana.oo o o o NoneofororespondentoNo.2.oo o *****o***** SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)ooSUMEEToGOEL J.o(ORAL) o o o Presento petitiono haso beeno filedo undero Sectiono 528o ofo theo Bharatiyao Nagariko Surakshao Sanhita,o 2023,o seekingo quashingo ofo FIRo No.0024odatedo09.01.2023,ounderoSectiono174-AoofotheoIndianoPenaloCode,o 1860o(foroshorto'IPC'),oregisteredoatoPoliceoStationoSectoro8,oFaridabadoaso alsooallosubsequentoproceedingsoarisingotherefromoasotheomainocomplaintocaseo bearingoNo.NACT/10569/2028odatedo21.11.2018otitledoaso'RajdeepoSinghovs.o JyotioManchanda'oalreadyostandsodismissedoasowithdrawnovideoorderodatedo

06.03.2023o (Annexureo P-3)o filedo undero Sectiono 138o ofo Negotiableo InstrumentoAct,o1881o(foroshorto'NIoAct').o

2.o o TheoimpugnedoFIRo(asosetooutoinotheopetitionoinohand)oreadso thus:-o "CNRo No:o HRFB030334302018o CISo No:o NACT/o 10569/2018o RAJDEEPo SINGHo VSo JYOTIo MANCHANDAo etc.o Present:o Manisho KishoreoSh.oBALUoSINGH,oAdvocateoforocomplainant.oAccusedoabsent.o ProclamationoissuedoagainstotheoaccusedoreceivedobackodulyoservedoandoMAHAVIR SINGH o o o o o o o 2o o publishedo byo wayo ofo publicationo aso requiredo undero Sectiono 82o Cr.P.C.o Mandatoryoperiodoofothirtyodaysohasoalsoobeenoexpiredoasoperoreportodatedo

29.10.2022oasoseparateostatementoofoexecutingoconstableowasoalsoorecordedo onopreviousodateoofohearing.oHeard,otheocourtoisosatisfiedothatopresenceoofo accusedocould"onotobeosecuredobyoordinaryomeans.oAccordingly,oaccusedo JyotioManchanda,owifeoofoSh.oShaktioManchanda,oresidentoofoHouseono.o 1A-208,oNH-o1,oFaridabad,oisoherebyodeclaredoasoproclaimedoperson.oAto thisostageoletopreliminaryoevidenceobeoreadoasoevidenceounderoSectiono299o Cr.P.C.oandoasocomplainantodoonotowantotoofurtheroleadoanyoevidenceoundero Sectiono299oCr.P.C.oTherefore,osameoisoherebyoclosedobyocourtoorder.oAno intimationowithoaocopyoofothisoorderobeosentotootheoSHOoconcernedoandoPOo StaffowithoaodirectionotooregisteroaocaseoHerosectiono174AoIPCoandotootakeo necessaryo legalo actiono undero dueo INtimationo too thiso courto ono oro beforeo09.01.2023.o Furthero theo concernedo SHOo iso directedo too ascertaino propertyo detailso ofo theo proclaimedo persono ino ordero too carryo outo theo proceedingso aso pero Section-83.o Cr.PC.o 1973,o theo concernedo SHOo cano investigateotheopresentomatterobyotakingointooaccountotheodocumentsoforo residentialoproofoetc:osubmittedobyotheoproclaimedopersonowhileoopeningo theo accounto witho theo concernedo banko ofo whicho chequeo ino questiono ino presento caseo waso issued.o Listo ofo propertyo aso wello aso alternativeo banko accounto ofo accusedo noto providedo byo theo complainant.o Consideringo theo aforesaidofactsotheoonlyooptionoleftowithothisocourtoisotooattachotheoexistingo bankoaccountoofoaccusedoasoperochequeoinoquestion,odetailsoofowhichoareo availableoonocaseorecordoi.e.oaccountobearingono.61307508445owithobanko namelyoStateoBankoofoBikaneroandoJaipur,o26-RailwayoRoad,oNearoBatao Chowk,oFaridabad-o121001.oAocopyoofothisoorderobeosentotooManageroofotheo concernedobank,osooasotooattachotheobankoaccountoofotheoaccusedoandofileo complianceoreport.oNow,otoocomeoupoono09.01.2023oforoawaitingoFIR..o Furthero complainanto iso directedo too fileo listo ofo movableo ando immovableo propertyoofoaccusedoonodateofixedoforotakingofurtheroactionoasoperolaw.oDateo ofoOrder:o30.11.2022oManishoSDo(TarunoChaudhary)oJudicialoMagistrateo-o 1stoClassoUIDoNO.oHR0469.oTodayoatoPoliceoStation:oTodayooneoordero fromo theo Courto ofo SHRIo Taruno Chaudhary,o JMICo FARIDABADo waso receivedo byo post,o ono whicho aftero registrationo ofo FIRo regardingo office,o copieso areo beingo preparedo fromo computero ando beingo sento too concernedo officialso througho post.o Copyo ofo statemento alognwitho withopoliceo fileo iso beingosentotooI/CoPPoSECo7oFBDothroughopostoforofurtheroproceedings.o Note:oDueotoonotohavingoIDoofoI/CoPPoSECo7oFBDoinoCCTNS,oFIRowaso registeredo ino theo IDo ofo ASIo RAJIVo KUMARo ino theo presenceo ofo SIo Surender.o Note:o CCTNSo FIRo waso preparedo witho delayo dueo too servero down."oo o

3.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,oinoproceedingsowhereofo theopetitionerowasodeclaredoasoaoproclaimedopersono&ohenceotheoimpugnedo FIRocameotoobeogotoregisteredoagainstotheopetitioner.ooLearnedocounseloforotheo petitionerohasoarguedothatotheoorderoasoalsootheoproceedingsodeclaringotheo petitionero aso ao proclaimedo persono areo manifestlyo illegalo ando againsto theo mandatoryoprovisionsoofolaw.ooItohasobeenofurtheroiteratedothatotheocriminalo o o o o o o o 3o o complaintounderoSectiono138oofoNIoAct,ohasoalreadyobeenowithdrawnoasotheo rivalo partieso hado enteredo intoo ao settlemento ando henceo noo usefulo purposeo wouldobeoservedobyocontinuationoofotheoproceedingsoquaotheoimpugnedoFIR.oo Toobuttressothisoaspectoofohisoargument,olearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohaso reliedouponotheoorderodatedo06.03.2023opassedobyotheoconcernedoJudicialo Magistrateowhichoreadsothus:o "Fileotakenoupotodayoasoanoapplicationotoosummonotheocaseofileo fromorecordoroomoandoseekingopermissionotoowithdrawotheosameoisomovedo byotheocomplainantothroughocounsel.oo Summonedorecordoreceived.oItobeorestoredoatoitsooriginaloposition.o Ato thiso stageo complainanto sufferedo ao separateo statemento thato heo haso compromisedowithotheoaccusedoasoperodeedoofocompromiseoandoheohaso receivedotheochequeoamount.oNowoheodoesonotowantotoopursueofurtherowitho theo presento complaint,o therefore,o heo withdrawo theo pesento complaint.o Statementorecorded.oComplainantoisodulyoidentifiedobyohisocounsel.oAocopyo ofocompromiseodeedoplacedoonotheocaseofile.oo Heard.oInoviewoofotheostatementsomadeobyotheocomplainant,opresento complaintoisodismissedoasowithdrawn.oFileobeoconsignedotootheo recordso afterodueocompliance."o o o o Onotheostrengthoofoaboveoarguments,olearnedocounseloforotheo petitionerohasopressedoforograntoofopetitionoinohand.oo

4.o o Conversely,o learnedo Stateo counselo haso submittedo thato theo impugnedo ordero waso passedo solelyo ono theo groundo ofo absenceo ofo theo petitioner.o Heo haso raisedo submissiono ino tandemo witho theo replyo datedo

27.08.2025o byo wayo ofo ano affidavito ofo Jitesho Kumar,o HPS,o Assistanto CommissioneroofoPolice,oBallabgarhoFaridabad,ofiledoinoCourtotoday.ooHe,o however,odoesonotodisputeotheofactothatotheopartiesohaveoamicablyoresolvedo theomatteroandotheomainocomplaintostandsodismissedoasowithdrawn.oo

5.o o Noneo appearso ono behalfo ofo respondento No.2o despiteo serviceo reportedotoobeoeffectedouponohim.oo

6.o o Io haveo heardo learnedo counselo foro theo rivalo partieso ando haveo perusedotheopaper-book.oo o o o o o o o 4o o

7.o o Theoseminaloquestionothatoarisesoforoconsiderationoinotheopresento petitiono iso aso too whethero theo impugnedo FIRo (aso alsoo proceedingso arisingo therefrom)ounderoSectiono174-AoofotheoIPCodeservesotoobeoquashedoinotheo factualomatrixoofotheopresentocase.oo

8.o o Ato thiso juncture;o ito wouldo beo appositeo too refero hereino too ao judgmentoofothisoCourtopassedoinoCRM-M-51049-2019otitledoasoMohammadoCRM 51049 2019 Mohammado HanifoAttariovs.oStateoofoHaryana,odecidedoono06.07.2023;orelevantowhereofoHanifoAttariovs.oStateoofoHaryana,odecidedoono06.07.2023 readsoasounder: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 XXo XXXo o XXXXoo 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 MAHAVIR SINGH dismissedoforowantoofoprosecution,otheopresentopetitionocannotobeo o o o o o o o 5o o 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

8.1.o o Moreorecently,otheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoinoaojudgmentotitledo asoDaljitoSinghovs.oStateoofoHaryanaoandoAnother,oCriminaloAppealoNo.4359o ofo2024odecidedoono02.01.2025;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 (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-aloneooffenceoinoMukeshoBhatiao v.Stateo(NCToofoDelhi)o2022oSCCoOnLineoDelo1023;oDivyaoVermaov.Stateo(NCToofoDelhi)o2022oSCCoOnLineoDelo1023; DivyaoVermao 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 o o o o 6o o o o However,otheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoquashedotheoimpugnedo FIRo(therein)ounderoSectiono174-AoofotheoIPCosince,ointeroalia,otheooriginalo offenceoinotheoformoofocriminalocomplaintounderoSectiono138oofoNIoAct,o1881o inotheosaidocaseohadobeenosettledoandowithdrawnobyotheorivaloparties.oo

9.o o Ito iso foro theo Higho Court,o whileo exercisingo itso innateo plenaryo powerso undero Sectiono 528o ofo BNSS,o 2023/o 428o ofo Cr.P.C.,o 1973,o too ratiocinateo thato ito shouldo noto applyo theo lawo ino ano austere,o academico ando exactingo technicalo manner,o withouto consideringo itso practicalo implications.o TheoLawoisonotomerelyoaosetoofoprogrammed,onailed-to-the-groundorules,otoo beoappliedowithoutocontext.oItomustobeoenforced,owhileobearingoinomind,othato itsopurposeoisotooensureosubstantiveojusticeobetweenotheoparties.oTheostatutoryo provisiono ofo Sectiono 174-Ao ofo IPC,o wheno perusedo ino theo lighto ofo ratioo decidendioofotheojudgmentoofotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoinoDaljitoSingh'so caseo(supra),ounequivocallyoshowsothatoanoFIRounderoSectiono174-Aoofotheo IPCodoesonotoproprioovigoreobecomeoliableotoobeoquashed,oinocaseotheorivalo partiesohaveoenteredointooaocompromiseoandosuchocriminalocomplaint/FIRohaso beeno compromisedo ando quashed/withdrawno accordingly.o However,o ato theo sameo time,o theo factumo ofo theo criminalo complaint/FIRo (ino furtheranceo ofo proceedingso whereof)o havingo beeno compromised/settled,o iso indubitably,o ao relevantofactorotoobeoconsideredowhileodealingowithoaopleaoforoquashingoofoano FIRo(asoalsooproceedingsoemanatingotherefrom)ounderoSectiono174-AoofoIPC.oo Thiso facto assumeso greatero significanceo consideringo thato theo initialo proceedingso pertaino exclusivelyo too ao privateo criminalo complainto undero Sectiono138oofoNIoAct,o1881,owhichotheolegislatureohasoexpresslyoclassifiedo asoaocompoundableooffence.oSucholitigation,oespeciallyoinotheobackdropoofo originalooffenceohavingobeenocompromisedowillohaveoanoadverseoimpactoono o o o o o o o 7o o theooverburdenedo Court-dockets.o Allowingosucho prosecution,o wheno initialo complaintohasobeenosettled/withdrawnowouldoundermineotheolegislativeointento andodistortotheoremedialonatureoofoSectiono138oofoNIoActoofo1881.ooItowouldo tantamountotoocontraveningotheoprinciplesoofofairness,oproportionality,oando justiceoinocriminaloproceedings.oAoliteralointerpretationomayosometimesoleado too unjusto outcomeso thato alsoo contradicto theo law'so underlinedo purpose.o Therefore,otheoHighoCourtounderoitsoinherentojurisdictionomustobalanceotheo lettero ofo Lawo witho itso spirit,o ensuringo fairo ando equitableo results.o Thiso approacho underscoreso Law'so roleo aso ano apparatuso foro fosteringo societalo harmonyoandoaddressingotheoreal-worldocomplexities,oefficaciouslyoasoalsoo effectively,oratherothanomereoliteral/technicalocompliance.ooo

10.o o Theo inherento jurisdictiono undero Sectiono 528o BNSS,o 2023/o Sectiono482oCr.P.C.,o1973oisoprimarilyoaimedoatopreventingoabuseoofojudicialo processo ando securingo theo endso ofo justice.o Thus,o wheno theo disputeo iso essentiallyopersonaloinonatureoandoaogenuineocompromiseohasobeenoreached,o theo Higho Courto mayo interveneo too quasho theo criminalo proceedings,o recognizingotheocontinuationothereofowouldobeonon-productiveoandounjustoino theogivenocircumstances.oTheoinherentopowersoofoaoHighoCourtoareopowerso whichoareoincidentalorepleteopowers,owhichoifodidonotosooexist,otheoCourto wouldobeoobligedotoositostilloandohelplesslyoseeotheoprocessoofolawoandoCourtso beingoabusedoforotheopurposesoofoinjustice.ooInootherowords;osuchopower(s)oiso intrinsico too ao Higho Court,o ito iso itso veryo life-blood,o itso veryo essence,o itso immanentoattribute.ooWithoutosuchopower(s),oaoHighoCourtowouldohaveoformo butolackotheosubstance.ooTheseopowersoofoaoHighoCourtohenceodeserveotoobeo construedowithotheowidestopossibleoamplitude.oTheseoinherentopowersoareoino consonanceowithotheonatureoofoaoHighoCourtowhichooughtotoobe,oandohasoino o o o o o o o 8o o factobeen,oinvestedowithopower(s)otoomaintainoitsoauthorityotoopreventotheo processo ofo law/Courtso beingo obstructedo oro abused.o Ito iso ao triteo positso ofo jurisprudenceothatothougholawsoattemptotoodealowithoallocasesothatomayoarise,o theo infiniteo varietyo ofo circumstanceso whicho shapeo eventso ando theo imperfectionso ofo languageo makeo ito impossibleo too layo downo provisionso capableoofogoverningoeveryocase,owhichoinofactoarises.oAoHighoCourtowhicho existso foro theo furtheranceo ofo justiceo ino ano indefatigableo manner,o shouldo therefore,ohaveounfetteredopower(s)otoodealowithosituationsowhich,othoughonoto expresslyoprovidedoforobyotheolaw,oneedotoobeodealtowith,otoopreventoinjusticeo orotheoabuseoofotheoprocessoofolawoandoCourts.ooTheojuridicalobasisoofotheseo plenaryopower(s)oisotheoauthority;oinofactotheoseminalodutyoandoresponsibilityo ofoaoHighoCourt;otoouphold,otooprotectoandotoofulfillotheojudicialofunctionoofo administeringo justice,o ino accordanceo witho law,o ino ao regular,o orderlyo ando effectiveo manner.o o Ino othero words;o Sectiono 528o ofo BNSS,o 2023o reflectso peerlessopowers,owhichoaoHighoCourtomayodrawouponoasonecessaryowhenevero itoisojustoandoequitableotoodooso,oinoparticularotooensureotheoobservanceoofotheo dueo processoofolaw,o too preventovexationo orooppression,o toodoo justiceo nayo substantialojusticeobetweenotheopartiesoandotoosecureotheoendsoofojustice.o

11.o o Keepingo ino viewo theo entiretyo ofo theo attendingo factso ando circumstancesoofotheocaseoinohand;oespeciallyotheooriginalooffenceobeingoano offenceo undero Sectiono 138o ofo Negotiableo Instrumentso Acto ofo 1881,o theo originalooffenceoallegedotoohaveobeenocommittedoinotheoyearo2018,otheosubjecto mattero ofo theo originalo offenceo havingo beeno settledo amicablyo betweeno theo partiesoandotheocriminalocomplaintounderoSectiono138oofotheoNIToActohavingo beeno withdrawno ono theo basiso ofo sucho settlement/compromise;o thiso Courto o o o o o o o 9o o deemso ito appropriateo thato theo impugnedo FIRo aso alsoo allo proceedingso emanatingotherefromodeserveotoobeoquashed.oo

12.o o Itois,ohence,odirectedoasounder:o

(i)o o Instantopetitionoisoallowed;oo

(ii)o o Theo FIRo No.0024o datedo09.01.2023,oundero Sectiono 174-Aoofo IPC,oregisteredoatoPoliceoStationoSectoro8,oFaridabadoasoalsooallosubsequento proceedingsoarisingotherefromostandoquashed;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 o o o oooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o o o o o o o o ooooJUDGEo Septembero03,o2025o mahaviroo Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo