Akshay Gautam and Ors. vs. State Govt. of NCT of Delhi and Anr.

Criminal Miscellaneous Case · CNR No. DLHC011079762025Decided 14 Oct 2026New Delhi Bench
CRL.M.C. 93/2026CNR: DLHC011079762025
Justice Girish Kathpalia

Background

A wife had filed an FIR against her husband and his family for cruelty and misappropriation of her belongings. The couple's marriage had already ended in mutual-consent divorce, with no children. The parties fully settled all disputes, with the husband's side paying a final balance of Rs. 5,00,000 in court that day as full settlement of dowry, stridhan and maintenance claims.

Decision Breakdown

The wife appeared in person, was identified by the investigating officer, and personally confirmed (in Hindi) that she had received the full settlement and no longer wished to pursue the case. The State had no objection. Satisfied the compromise was genuine and complete, the Court quashed the FIR and all related proceedings.

Lesson Learnt

Courts will readily quash matrimonial criminal cases once a genuine, fully-paid settlement is confirmed directly by the complainant in person.

Family LawDelhi High Court

Ashwani Sharma & Ors. vs. State Govt. of NCT of Delhi & Anr.

The Court found the wife's claim unconvincing: the contemporaneous record showed only a vague objection in 2011, and she had kept the Rs. 1,00,000 for over ten years without returning it. The settlement had also already been judicially validated, forming the basis of the couple's mutual-consent divorce and the Mahila Court closing the related maintenance case. The Court quashed the FIR, on condition that the petitioners pay the remaining Rs. 1,75,000 to the wife within two weeks.

Decided 14 Oct 2026Read case
Family LawDelhi High Court

Bharat Bhushan Gaur and Anr. vs. State (Govt. of NCT of Delhi) and Anr. (II)

The complainant personally confirmed to the judge (in Hindi) that she had compromised all disputes and no longer wished to continue the prosecution. The Court quashed the FIR and all proceedings arising from it.

Decided 14 Oct 2026Read case
Family LawDelhi High Court

Bharat Bhushan Gaur and Ors. vs. State (Govt. of NCT of Delhi) and Anr. (I)

The complainant appeared in person, was identified by the investigating officer, and personally told the judge (in Hindi) that she had compromised all disputes and, now living separately and happily with her husband, no longer wished to prosecute her in-laws. The Court quashed the FIR and proceedings.

Decided 14 Oct 2026Read case
Family LawDelhi High Court

Prabhu Bagai & Ors. vs. State of NCT of Delhi & Anr.

The State raised no objection, and the complainant appeared via videoconferencing, was identified by the investigating officer, and personally confirmed (in Hindi) that she had settled all disputes and no longer wished to pursue the case. Satisfied that a trial would serve no purpose, the Court quashed the FIR and all related proceedings.

Decided 14 Oct 2026Read case
Family LawDelhi High Court

Punam vs. Divisional Commissioner, GNCT of Delhi & Ors.

The Court upheld the validity of the Delhi Senior Citizens Rules' eviction provision, relying on recent Supreme Court rulings that such tribunals may order eviction where necessary to protect a senior citizen, and held the rule validly covers daughters-in-law as well as sons and daughters. It further held that eviction proceedings under the Senior Citizens Rules are legally independent of Domestic Violence Act maintenance proceedings, one does not need to await the other, and that the senior citizen's right to a peaceful life in her own property outweighed the daughter-in-law's claim, especially since the daughter-in-law had her own separate residence and income. The writ petition was dismissed.

Decided 30 Sept 2026Read case
Family LawDelhi High Court

Nav Ratan Sharma vs. Chetna And Anr & Anr.

The High Court held its revisional powers are narrow and don't permit re-weighing evidence absent a clear legal or jurisdictional error, finding none here. The Family Court was entitled to draw an adverse inference given the husband's contradictory statements, concealed bank account, and lack of documentary proof for his claimed salary. The Court also noted that even accepting his figure, the resulting difference in maintenance would be only about Rs. 2,500 total per month: too minor to justify interference. The revision petition was dismissed.

Decided 28 Sept 2026Read case