Bombay High Court: A Division Bench of T.V. Nalawade and K.K. Sonawane, JJ. refused to exercise jurisdiction under Section 482 CrPC in favour of the petitioners, even though the parties had resolved the dispute amicably in between them.
The petitioners were booked for various offences including Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), etc. read with Section 34 IPC, and Sections 4 and 25 of the Arms Act. The petitioners preferred the present petition to quash the criminal proceedings in the case registered against them, on the ground that the dispute had been settled amicably between the petitioners and the complainant.
The High Court noted that the allegations against the petitioners were serious and heinous in nature. The petitioners attacked the complainant with lethal weapons like sword, knife, iron rod, etc. and inflicted fatal injuries on the vital part of the body. It was observed that the offences under Sections 307 and 326 are held serious and heinous offences in the eye of law, which would cause social impact. It is a rule of law that while dealing with the application to compound the offences, on the ground of compromise, it is essential to take into consideration the distinction between the personal and private offences and its impact on the society at large.
Referring to a plethora of judicial precedents on the subject, the Court reached the conclusion that the petition needs to be dismissed. It was held: “The gravity of offences and the conduct of the petitioners do not persuade ourselves to quash the proceeding in exercise of powers under Section 482 CrPC. As referred above, offences under Sections 307 and 326 are non-compoundable offences. While committing offences, the petitioners/accused used lethal weapons like sword/knife, iron rod etc. Pending investigation, the petitioners anyhow managed to enter into the compromise with the complainant but it would not sub-serve the purpose. In case compromise is accepted , it may result in cynical disregard of law, which would have serious impact on the society at large and the people may lose faith in the justice delivery system. In such circumstances, the very purpose and object of legislation about deterrent punishment would be frustrated.”
In such view of the matter, the Court dismissed the petition and directed the prosecution to proceed further with criminal proceedings registered against the petitioners. [Yogesh v. State of Maharashtra, 2019 SCC OnLine Bom 1039, decided on 13-06-2019]
