HARMEET SINGH Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HARMEET Singh has filed this petition under Section 482 Cr. P. C. for quashing of First Information Report No. 15 dated 18. 2. 1989 registered at Police Station Ghagga Annexure P-1 and order dated 23. 1. 1991 framing charge for offences under Sections 406, 498-A and 506 IPC.

(2.) THE brief facts giving rise to the filing of this petition are that petitioner was married to Kamaljit Kaur daughter of Harpal Singh respondent No. 2 in March, 1988. Out of this wed lock a female child named Jaskirat Kaur was born in December 1980. Some misunderstanding developed between the petitioner and his wife and she left her matrimonial home in March, 1988 and thereafter she did not return. Her father lodged report Annexure P-1 against the petitioner and another. The petitioner was charged in that case for the various offences referred above. He is facing trial since 1991 but the case had not made any remarkable headway and even the prosecution evidence had not been concluded.

(3.) THE petitioner alleged that he had entered into a compromise with respondent No. 2 and his daughter Kamaljit Kaur and they had decided to part company for ever and snap their matrimonial ties. Respondent No. 2 and Kamaljit Kaur had sworn affidavits to the effect that they did not want to persue the criminal case arising out of the First Information Report Annexure P-1 as they had already received dowry articles. Since both the parties had settled their disputes amicably the continuation of proceedings in these circumstances were to hamper the process of normalistion of relations. Although the offences under Sections 498-A and 506 I. P. C. were not compoundable yet the First Information Report was liable to be quashed as no useful purpose was to be served by continuing the proceedings.