The Supreme Court has quashed criminal proceedings against Navneesh Aggarwal, his father, and mother, who were accused under Sections 323, 406, 498-A, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), following a mutual divorce settlement with the complainant.
The case stemmed from an FIR lodged on May 15, 2019, by the wife (respondent no. 2) in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, alleging cruelty, criminal intimidation, and breach of trust. The chargesheet was filed on November 7, 2019. The couple married in March 2018 but separated within ten months. The wife also had a daughter from a previous marriage.
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On January 19, 2024, the Family Court granted a divorce by mutual consent, after which all pending disputes were settled and withdrawn. The wife confirmed she had no objection to quashing the FIR. However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed the plea, citing allegations concerning the victimisation of the child.
The Supreme Court, invoking powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, noted that once the marriage had ended and parties moved on, continuing prosecution served no purpose and only prolonged bitterness. The bench referred to earlier rulings cautioning against unnecessarily implicating family members in matrimonial disputes and emphasised preventing misuse of criminal law.
"Once the marital relationship has ended in divorce… continuation of criminal proceedings against family members, especially without specific allegations, serves no legitimate purpose," the court observed.
Setting aside the High Court;s order, the apex court quashed the FIR and related proceedings, holding that prosecution was no longer in line with the complainant's intentions and would amount to harassment.
Case Title:- Navneesh Aggarwal & Others vs. State of Haryana & Another
