No Settlement in Grave and Serious Offences: SC

The Supreme Court (‘SC’), setting aside a Gujarat High Court’s judgement, quashing criminal proceedings of abetment of suicide because the complainant, cousin of the deceased, and the accused came to an settlement, reiterated the fact that grave and serious offences are crimes committed against the society and not just an individual and cannot be closed by settlement.

The SC stated “Orders quashing FIRs and/or complaints relating to grave and serious offences only on the basis of an agreement with the complainant, would set a dangerous precedent, where complaints would be lodged for oblique reasons, with a view to extracting money from the accused. Furthermore, financially strong offenders would go scot-free, even in cases of grave and serious offences such as murder, rape, bride-burning, etc. by buying off complainants and settling with them.”