The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday brought closure to a long-running matrimonial dispute, quashing criminal proceedings after the estranged husband and wife reached a settlement. Justice Deepak Verma of Court No. 72 passed the order on September 9, 2025, ending a case that had lingered in the Firozabad courts for several years.
Background
The matter began with a complaint filed in 2018 by the husband, accusing his wife and father-in-law of offences under Sections 379 (theft), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The case was registered at Tundla police station and taken up by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Firozabad.
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The wife, however, alleged that she had faced cruelty and harassment in her matrimonial home and had herself lodged an FIR earlier that year under Section 498A (cruelty), provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act, and sections of the Information Technology Act.
"The complaint filed by the husband was nothing but a counterblast to my FIR," her counsel argued before the High Court during the hearings.
Over the years, the case went through several interim orders. In 2020, the High Court granted protection from coercive action to the wife and her father after they challenged the summoning order. The proceedings eventually took a new turn when both sides opted for reconciliation.
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Court's Observations
The bench noted that the parties had 'amicably settled their dispute' and had submitted a written compromise before the trial court. On October 4, 2024, the High Court directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate to verify the compromise. The trial court confirmed on November 4, 2024, that both husband and wife had indeed voluntarily agreed to end their litigation.
Justice Verma remarked during the order,
"As both the parties have amicably settled their dispute and compromise has also been executed between them, no fruitful purpose would be served if the prosecution is allowed to continue."
The court also cited several Supreme Court precedents, including B.S. Joshi vs. State of Haryana (2003) and Gian Singh vs. State of Punjab (2012), which recognize the power of High Courts to quash criminal cases in matrimonial matters once parties have settled their differences.
Decision
Concluding that the dispute was private in nature and had been mutually resolved, the High Court quashed the entire proceedings of Complaint Case No. 448 of 2018 pending before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Firozabad.
"The application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. is accordingly allowed," the judge ordered,
bringing an official end to a seven-year legal battle that had begun with a fractured marriage but ended with compromise on both sides.
Case Title: Smt. Shakshi and Anr. vs. State of U.P. and Anr.
Case No.: Application U/S 482 No. 11499 of 2020
