While quashing a cheating and forgery FIR after the parties reached a settlement, the Delhi High Court directed them to purchase uniform socks worth Rs 48,000 for Delhi Police personnel. A single-judge bench of Justice Saurabh Banerjee passed the order on September 15 after the court was informed that the parties had entered into a compromise deed on August 28. The complainant (respondent 2) affirmed the compromise deed and said that he had voluntarily settled all disputes with the petitioners. He also said he does not wish to pursue criminal proceedings against the petitioners and has no objection to the quashing of the present FIR. The plea was filed by the petitioners seeking quashing of a 2018 FIR registered under various IPC sections including 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation), 120B (criminal conspiracy) among others and all proceedings emanating therefrom. The compromise deed entered into between the parties was originally filed in a civil suit filed by the complainant (respondent 2) against the petitioners which pertained to a property dispute between the parties. “In view of the fact that the settlement has been arrived at between the parties, and as respondent no. 2 does not wish to continue with criminal proceedings, in order to bring a quietus to the present dispute. this Court is of the opinion that continuation of the aforesaid FIR will be an exercise in futility,” the HC said. The HC thereafter quashed the FIR and all proceedings emanating therefrom subject to the parties depositing a cost of Rs 24,000 each. “The petitioners submit that they shall hand over their share of Rs 24,000 in cash to respondent no 2 today, who shall in turn, add the same to his share of Rs 24,000 and utilise the total cost of Rs 48,000 for purchase/procurement of uniform socks for police personnel stationed at the six police stations namely (at) Keshavpuram, Bharat Nagar, Model Town, Ashok Vihar, Roop Nagar and Maurice Nagar, in equal proportion,” the HC said. The court disposed of the plea and listed it for compliance on October 30.
