Delhi HC orders man accused of outraging woman’s modesty to assist Traffic Police at signal for 30 days

A single-judge bench of Justice Navin Chawla, in its April 16 order, said, “Accordingly, the (quashing) petition is allowed. FIR registered under Sections 354/506/509 of the IPC and all consequential proceedings emanating therefrom against the petitioner are quashed, subject to the condition that the petitioner shall assist the Traffic Police at a traffic signal where he may be deputed by the DCP Traffic, East District, for a period of 30 days. He shall report to the DCP Traffic for rendering the assistance at a traffic signal assigned to him.”

The HC said that at the end of the 30 days, the DCP Traffic shall issue a certificate to the petitioner, which he shall file in the HC within two months from the court’s April 16 order.

“If such a certificate is not filed, the Registry shall place this matter before this Court for further directions,” the HC said.

The FIR was registered against the man in 2018 for offences under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intending to insult modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code.

During the hearing on April 16, the man’s counsel said that the parties have “amicably settled their inter se disputes and have entered into a settlement” on March 21, 2022 before the Delhi Mediation Centre, Karkardooma Courts.

The woman who had joined the HC hearing through video conferencing, and was identified by the Investigating Officer concerned of the Delhi Police, stated that she had settled all the disputes with the petitioner “out of her own free will and without any coercion”. She said that she has “no objection” if the FIR is quashed.

“Keeping in view the fact that the respondent no.2 (woman) does not wish to pursue her complaint any further, as also the settlement arrived at between the parties, I find that no useful purpose shall be served in continuing with the proceedings of the present FIR as it would create further acrimony between the parties and will be an unnecessary burden on the State exchequer,” the HC said.