Harish Walia And Others vs State Of Haryana And Another on 18 May, 2026

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    Punjab-Haryana High Court

    Harish Walia And Others vs State Of Haryana And Another on 18 May, 2026

                          CRM-M-20312-2026                           1
    
    
                                   IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT
                                                  CHANDIGARH
                          302
                          CRM-M-20312-2026
    
                          HARISH WALIA AND OTHERS
                                                                              ....PETITIONERS
                                                               V/s
    
                          STATE OF HARYANA AND ANOTHER
    
                                                                              ....RESPONDENTS
    
                          Date of decision: 18.05.2026
                          Date of Uploading: 18.05.2026
    
                          CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL
                          Present:     Mr. Randeep Tanwar, Advocate for the petitioners.
    
                                       Mr. Aditya Pal Singla, AAG, Haryana.
    
                                       Mr. Divyansh Shukla, Advocate for respondent No.2.
    
                                                              *****
                          SUMEET GOEL, J. ORAL
    

    1. The present petition has been filed under Section 528 of BNSS,

    2023 for quashing of FIR No.0243 dated 05.09.2025 under Sections 406 and

    SPONSORED

    420 of IPC and Sections 467, 468, 471 of IPC added later on, registered at

    Police Station Mullana, District Ambala and all consequential proceedings

    arising therefrom on the basis of compromise dated 01.04.2026 (Annexure

    P-3), which is stated to have been effected between the parties.

    2. On 17.04.2026, the following order was passed:

    “The petitioners have approached this Court seeking quashing
    of FIR (Annexure P-1) and all consequential proceedings
    emanating therefrom on the basis of a compromise having been
    effected between the parties. Learned counsel for the petitioners
    has submitted that all concerned are parties to the present
    petition in terms of the dicta of the Division Bench judgment of

    JATIN
    2026.05.18 17:18
    I attest to the accuracy and
    integrity of this document
    CRM-M-20312-2026 2

    this Court passed in ‘Rakesh Das Vs. State of Haryana and
    another
    ‘, Neutral Citation: 2024:PHHC;147654-DB.
    Notice of motion.

    At this stage, Mr. Gurmeet Singh, AAG, Haryana has put in
    appearance on behalf of respondent No.1-State of Haryana and
    accepts notice.

    Mr. Divyansh Shukla, Advocate has entered appearance on
    behalf of respondent No.2 and filed his power of attorney.
    The parties are directed to get their statements recorded qua
    the factum of compromise in the following manner:

    (i) The parties shall appear before the trial Court/Illaqa
    Magistrate concerned on 22.04.2026 or any date thereafter as
    fixed by trial Court/Illaqa Magistrate for recording statements
    of the petitioner as well as of the complainant qua the factum of
    compromise. As and when any such appearance is made, the
    trial Court/Illaqa Magistrate shall do the needful for recording
    the statements of the parties qua the factum of the compromise.

    It shall be open to the trial Court/Illaqa Magistrate to either
    record the statements of the parties by physical process or by
    video conferencing as deemed appropriate by the trial
    Court/Illaqa Magistrate.

    (ii) In case the statement is to be recorded by way of video
    conferencing, the parties concerned shall be duly identified
    through video conferencing by their respective counsel, subject
    to the satisfaction of the Presiding Officer.

    (iii) The trial Court/Illaqa Magistrate may also choose to get
    the statements of the parties recorded through some
    Commissioner, appointed by the Court who would be some
    Advocate having sufficient standing at the Bar. In case the
    statement is recorded through some Commissioner, such
    Commissioner/Advocate shall furnish an affidavit after
    recording statements to the effect that the parties had appeared
    before him/her and he/she had recorded their statements as per
    law and that the said parties had been duly identified by their
    respective counsel. This shall be subject to satisfaction of trial
    Court/Illaqa Magistrate.

    After recording the statements of all the affected parties in
    either of the aforesaid manner, the trial Court/Illaqa
    Magistrate shall submit its report on the basis of the statements
    so recorded as to whether all the affected parties have entered
    into a compromise and as to whether the compromise in
    question is found to be a valid compromise and has been
    effected without there being any kind of influence or coercion.
    The trial Court/Illaqa Magistrate shall also report as regards
    the following facts after seeking information from Investigating
    Officer, concerned:

    (i) Whether there is any other accused other than the petitioner,
    arrayed in this petition?

    JATIN
    2026.05.18 17:18
    I attest to the accuracy and
    integrity of this document
    CRM-M-20312-2026 3

    (ii) Whether there is any other complainant or affected/
    aggrieved party other than the respondents, arrayed in the
    petition?

    (iii) Whether any accused has been declared Proclaimed
    Offender?

    The report be submitted before this Court before the next date
    of hearing i.e. 18.05.2026.

    The petitioners are directed to deposit a sum of ₹30,000/- as
    costs with the Punjab & Haryana High Court Employees
    Welfare Association, Bank details whereof reads thus:

    Account No.37167209613;

    IFSC Code: SBIN0050306;

    Branch Code: 50306;

    Bank: State Bank of India, High Court Branch, Chandigarh
    Payment of costs and production of receipt thereof shall be a
    condition precedent for recording of statements in the manner
    directed for hereinabove.

    It is explicit that depositing of costs shall not create any kind of
    equity in favour of the petitioner(s).

    3. Pursuant to the aforesaid order, report dated 13.05.2026 from

    Judicial Magistrate Ist Class, Ambala has been received, which is taken on

    record. As per the report, the Trial Court has recorded as follows:-

    “It is humbly submitted that Hon’ble High Court of Punjab &
    Haryana in FIR No. 243 dated 05.09.2025 under Sections 406,
    420, 467, 468, 120B of IPC, P.S. Mullana had directed the
    undersigned to record the statement of parties and also to give
    report about the genuineness of the compromise.
    The statements of complainant/respondent No.2 namely Anil
    Dhiman and petitioners/accused namely Harish Walia, Sunil
    Dutt and Rajesh Kumar were recorded by the Court wherein
    they have stated that they have entered into a compromise
    without any undue influence or coercion. Further detailed
    statement of I.O. recorded wherein he has stated that
    supplementary challan against accused Harish Walia son of
    Jyoti Ram is yet to be filed and reply for joining investigation is
    yet to be filed in the Hon’ble High Court on 18.05.2026. The
    statements are annexed herewith. Further, as per the direction
    given the Hon’ble High Court, the petitioners has deposited a
    sum of Rs. 30,000/- as costs with the Punjab & Haryana High
    Court Employees Welfare Association. Original receipt is also
    annexed herewith. The undersigned is satisfied that the case
    titled as “State Vs. Rajesh and others” FIR No. FIR No. 243
    dated 05.09.2025 under Sections 406, 420, 467, 468, 120B of
    IPC, P.S. Mullana wherein, the parties approached the Hon’ble
    High Court for quashing of the FIR on the basis of compromise,
    JATIN
    2026.05.18 17:18
    I attest to the accuracy and
    integrity of this document
    CRM-M-20312-2026 4

    which has been voluntarily compromised between
    aforementioned complainant and accused.
    A report regarding the satisfaction that the compromise was
    voluntarily arrived at between the parties without any presence
    or coercion has been made. The statements of the parties,
    statement of the I.O. along with the report of the undersigned is
    enclosed herewith.”

    4. Learned counsel for respondent No.2 admits the fact of parties

    having compromised and states that he has no objection in case the FIR and

    all proceedings subsequent thereto against the petitioners are quashed.

    5. Similarly, learned State counsel has stated no objection in case

    the FIR is quashed based upon the compromise (Annexure P-3).

    6. I have heard learned Counsel for the parties and have carefully

    gone through the records of the case.

    7. This Court and the Hon’ble Apex Court has repeatedly dealt

    with the issue of exercise of jurisdiction under Section 482 of the Code to

    quash proceeding in non-compoundable offences in the cases of Gian Singh

    vs. State of Punjab and another, 2012(10) SCC 303, Kulwinder Singh &

    others vs. State of Punjab & another, 2007 (3) RCR (Criminal) 1052 and

    Ram Gopal and another vs. State of Madhya Pradesh, 2021(4) R.C.R.

    (Criminal) 322 (Criminal Appeal No.1489 of 2012 decided on 29th of

    September, 2021). The proposition of law that emerges from the aforesaid

    decisions rendered by the Hon’ble Apex Court and this Court is :

    (a) Power u/s 482 Cr.P.C. vested with this Court is much
    wider and is unaffected by Section 320 of the Code.

    (b) However, wider the power greater the caution.

    (c) The underlining principle while exercising such power is
    that it can be invoked to quash the proceedings
    recognizing compromise between the parties in the

    JATIN
    2026.05.18 17:18
    I attest to the accuracy and
    integrity of this document
    CRM-M-20312-2026 5

    matters which are overwhelmingly and
    predominantly of civil character like commercial
    transactions or arising out of matrimonial
    relationship or family disputes.

    (d) The said power is not to be exercised in the prosecutions
    involving heinous and serious offences of mental
    depravity or offences like murder, rape, dacoity etc. as
    such offences are not private in nature and have a
    serious impact on society.

    (e) Section 482 Cr.P.C. casts duty upon the High Court to
    advance interest of justice as well. It is in recognition of
    this duty casted upon the High Court, that Apex Court
    held that the High Court would not refuse to quash
    FIR under Section 307 merely because FIR finds
    mention thereof. High Court can assess nature of injuries
    sustained, whether such injuries inflicted on
    vital/delicate parts of the body/nature of weapons used
    etc.

    (f) Such exercise at the hands of High Court would be
    permissible only after the evidence is collected after
    investigation and chargesheet is filed/charges framed
    during the trial. Such exercise cannot be carried out
    while the matter is still under investigation.

    (g) While quashing FIR in non-compoundable offences even
    which are of private in nature, High Court is required
    to consider antecedents of the accused, conduct of the
    accused and whether he was absconding or whether he
    has managed the complainant to enter into a
    compromise.

    The statutory provision of Section 528 of BNSS, 2023 is same

    as the statutory provision of Section 482 of Cr.P.C., 1973. Therefore, the

    JATIN
    2026.05.18 17:18
    I attest to the accuracy and
    integrity of this document
    CRM-M-20312-2026 6

    above said principles of law would apply to a petition under Section 528 of

    BNSS, 2023 as well.

    8. Thus, keeping in view the aforesaid facts and circumstances,

    this Court is of the considered opinion that it is a fit case to exercise

    jurisdiction vested u/s 528 of BNSS,2023 to quash the FIR as :-

    (i) Putting a quietus to the proceedings will bring peace and
    tranquility amongst parties & will accordingly further the
    cause of substantial justice.

    (ii) The offences alleged are primarily of private nature.

    (iii) The parties have compromised.

    (iv) As per the report received the compromise is said to be
    voluntary in its nature.

    (v) Complainant/victim is reported to have entered into
    compromise on his own volition.

    9. Consequently, the petition is allowed. FIR No.0243 dated

    05.09.2025 under Sections 406 and 420 of IPC and Sections 467, 468, 471 of IPC

    added later on, registered at Police Station Mullana, District Ambala and all

    consequential proceedings arising therefrom on the basis of compromise dated

    01.04.2026 (Annexure P-3), are, hereby, quashed.

    10. Pending application(s), if any, shall also stand disposed off.

    
    
    
    
                                                                               (SUMEET GOEL)
                                                                                   JUDGE
                          18.05.2026
                          jatin
                                           Whether speaking/reasoned:              Yes/No
                                           Whether reportable:                     Yes/No
    
    
    
    
    JATIN
    2026.05.18 17:18
    I attest to the accuracy and
    integrity of this document
    

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