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Ashwani Kumar Dalal & Anr. vs. State (NCT of Delhi) and Anr.

Criminal Miscellaneous Case · 2026:DHC:7857Decided 15 Sept 2026New Delhi Bench
CRL.M.C. 364/2026CNR: DLHC010008592026
Justice Girish Kathpalia

Background

The petitioners sought quashing of a 2022 FIR registered against them for assault and wrongful restraint, arising out of a parking dispute in which cross-FIRs had been filed by both sides. The complainant (respondent no. 2) had since compromised all disputes with the petitioners.

Decision Breakdown

The complainant, appearing via videoconferencing, confirmed to the Court that she had compromised the matter and did not wish to pursue prosecution. The Court noted that the other, cross FIR arising from the same dispute had already been compounded before the trial court, and it would not be in the interest of justice to force the parties through a full trial over what was essentially a minor neighbourhood dispute. The FIR and all related proceedings were quashed.

Lesson Learnt

Where minor criminal disputes (like scuffles or parking altercations) between neighbours are genuinely resolved between the parties, courts will often quash the case rather than force an unnecessary trial, especially when a related cross-case has already been settled.

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