Atul Kumar and Anr v. State of Haryana and Ors

o o o o 1o o o nd144o(2 ocase)o144o case) INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHoCHANDIGARH o CRM-M-30146-2018oCRM 30146 2018 o AtuloKumaroandoanothero ….Petitionerso versuso o StateoofoHaryanaoandootherso ….Respondentso o DateoofoDecision:oMayo04,o2026o DateoofoUploading:oMayo04,o2026o o CORAM:o HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:-o Ms.oPushpaoBagoria,oAdvocateoandoo o o Mr.oSatbiroSinghoGill,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioners.oo o o o Mr.oGurmeetoSingh,oAAGoHaryana.ooo o *****o***** SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)ooSUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL) o CRM-13479-2026oo o o o Forotheoreasonsostatedoinotheoapplication,osameoisoallowed.oCopyo ofoorderodatedo24.09.2018o(AnnexureoP-7)oisotakenoonorecord,osubjectotooallo justoexceptions.oo CRM-13480-2026oo o o o Applicationohereinoisoforoamendmentoofoheadonoteoasowelloaso prayeroclauseoofotheomainopetition.oo o o Forotheoreasonsostatedoinotheoapplication,osameoisoallowed,oaso prayedofor.oo Mainocaseo(O&M)ooMainocaseo(O&M) o o o o o 2o o o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono482oofotheoCr.oP.C.,o 1973oseekingoquashingoofoFIRoNo.177odatedo09.08.2017,oregisteredoundero Sectiono174-AoofotheoIPC,o1860,oatoPoliceoStationoEllenabad,oorderodatedo

24.07.2017o (Annexureo P-1)o ando ordero datedo 24.09.2018o (Annexureo P-7),o videowhichotheopetitionersohaveobeenodeclaredoasoproclaimedopersons,oandoallo subsequentoproceedingsoarisingotherefrom.oo

2.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionerso haso submittedo thato theo impugnedo FIR,o haso itso genesis,o ino ao criminalo complainto filedo againsto theo petitionerso(herein)ounderoSectiono138oofotheoNIoAct,oinoproceedingsowhereofo theopetitionersowereodeclaredoasoproclaimedopersons,o&ohenceotheoimpugnedo FIRocameotoobeogotoregisteredoagainstotheopetitioners.oLearnedocounseloforotheo petitionersohasoarguedothatoinotheosaidocaseounderoSectiono138oofotheoNIoAct,o theo petitionerso wereo wronglyo declaredo aso proclaimedo persons,o video ordero datedo24.07.2017o(AnnexureoP-1)oasotheosummons/obailable/onon-bailableo warrantsowereoneveroservedouponotheopetitioners,oandoevenotheoproclamationo issuedoagainstotheopetitionersoisocontraryotootheoprovisionsoofoSectiono82oofo theoCr.oP.C.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroarguedothat,opursuantotootheosaido order,o FIRo ino questiono undero Sectiono 174-Ao ofo IPCo haso beeno registeredo againsto theo petitioners.o Learnedo counselo haso submittedo thato theo aforesaido complaintofiledobyorespondentsoNo.2o&o3oagainstotheopetitionersohasobeeno dismissedo aso withdrawn,o video ordero datedo 06.09.2017o (Annexureo P-5)o ino viewo ofo theo statemento datedo 06.09.2017o (Annexureo P-6)o madeo byo theo complainant.oo

2.1.o o Learnedocounselohasofurtherosubmittedothatoduringopendencyoofo theopresentopetition,oinotheoFIRoibidoalso,otheopetitionersohaveobeenodeclaredo o o o o 3o o asoProclaimedoPersons,ovideoorderodatedo24.09.2018o(AnnexureoP-7)opassedo byolearnedoSuboDivisionaloJudicialoMagistrate,oEllenabad.oo

2.2.o o Itohaso beeno furthero iteratedothatosinceo theo criminalo complainto undero Sectiono 138oofo NIo Act,o haso alreadyo beeno dismissedo aso withdrawn,o therefore,o noo usefulo purposeo wouldo beo servedo byo continuationo ofo theo proceedingsoquaotheoimpugnedoFIR.oToobuttressothisoaspectoofohisoargument,o learnedo counselo foro theo petitionerso haso reliedo upono theo ordero datedo

06.09.2017o passedo byo theo learnedo Subo Divisionalo Judicialo Magistrate,o Ellenabad,owhichoreadsothus:o "Fileo receivedo fromo recordo room.o Ito beo restoredo ato itso originalo number.o Complainanto haso madeo ao statemento thato heo doeso noto wanto too proceedo furthero ando withdrawso theo presento complaint,o soo ino viewo ofo statementosufferedobyocomplainant,opresentocomplaintostandsodismissedoaso withdrawn.oFileobeoconsignedotootheoRecordoRoomoafterodueocompliance."o o o o Onotheostrengthoofoaboveoarguments,olearnedocounseloforotheo petitionersohasopressedoforograntoofopetitionoinohand.oo

3.o o Learnedo Stateo counselohasoopposedotheopetitionoinohand.o He,o however,odoesonotodisputeotheofactumoofotheomainocomplaintohavingobeeno dismissedoasowithdrawn.oo

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

5.o o Theoseminaloquestionothatoarisesoforoconsiderationoinotheopresento petitiono iso aso too whethero theo impugnedo FIRo (aso alsoo proceedingso arisingo therefrom)ounderoSectiono209oofoBNSo(erstwhileoSectiono174-AoofotheoIPC)o deservesotoobeoquashedoinotheofactualomatrixoofotheopresentocase.oo

6.o o Ato thiso juncture;o ito wouldo beo appositeo too refero hereino too ao judgmentoofothisoCourtopassedoinoCRM-M-51049-2019otitledoasoMohammado o o o o 4o o HanifoAttariovs.oStateoofoHaryana,odecidedoono06.07.2023;orelevantowhereofo 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 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 o o o o 5o o

6.1.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;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'bleoSupremeoCourtoquashedotheoimpugnedo FIRo(therein)ounderoSectiono209oofotheoBNSo(erstwhileoSectiono174-Aoofotheo IPC)osince,ointeroalia,otheooriginalooffenceoinotheoformoofocriminalocomplainto underoSectiono138oofoNIoAct,o1881oinotheosaidocaseohadobeenosettledoando o o o o 6o o

7.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 theooverburdenedo Court-dockets.o Allowingosucho prosecution,o wheno initialo complaintohasobeenosettled/withdrawnowouldoundermineotheolegislativeointento andodistortotheoremedialonatureoofoSectiono138oofoNIoActoofo1881.ooItowouldo tantamountotoocontraveningotheoprinciplesoofofairness,oproportionality,oando o o o o 7o o 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

8.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 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 o o o o 8o o 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

9.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 originalooffenceoallegedotoohaveobeenocommittedoinotheoyearo2016,otheosubjecto mattero ofo theo originalo offenceo havingo beeno settledo amicablyo betweeno theo partiesoandotheocriminalocomplaintounderoSectiono138oofotheoNIoActohavingo beeno dismissedo aso withdrawn;o thiso Courto deemso ito appropriateo thato theo impugnedoFIRoasoalsooalloproceedingsoemanatingotherefromodeserveotoobeo quashed.oo

10.o o Itois,ohence,odirectedoasounder:o

(i)o o Instantopetitionoisoallowed;oo o o o o 9o o

(ii)o o TheoimpugnedoFIRoNo.177odatedo09.08.2017,oregisteredoundero Sectiono 174-Ao ofo theo IPC,o 1860,o ato Policeo Stationo Ellenabad,o ando allo subsequentoproceedingsoarisingotherefrom,oincludingoimpugnedoordersodatedo

24.07.2017o(AnnexureoP-1)oandodatedo24.09.2018o(AnnexureoP-7),owherebyo theopetitionersowereodeclaredoasoproclaimedopersons,ostandoquashed;oo

(iii)o o Allopendingoapplication(s),oifoany,ostandsodisposedoof.oo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o o o o ooooJUDGEo Mayo04,o2026o mahaviroo Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo