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Harish Sharma vs. State (NCT of Delhi) and Anr.

Criminal Miscellaneous Case · 2026:DHC:7876Decided 14 Sept 2026New Delhi Bench
CRL.M.C. 6755/2026CNR: DLHC010431762026
Justice Manoj Jain

Background

An FIR from 2015 alleged that the petitioner had misbehaved with, assaulted, and threatened to throw acid on the complainant and her mother. Over a decade later, with the case still at the evidence stage, the parties reached a compromise, and the complainant sought quashing of the FIR.

Decision Breakdown

The complainant, appearing in person and identified by the investigating officer, confirmed the settlement was voluntary, without money or conditions attached, and that she no longer had any grievance (she also disclosed that both her parents had since died and she had separately lost her husband). Finding continuation of the decade-old case pointless given the genuine settlement, the Court quashed the FIR using its inherent powers, but conditioned the quashing on the petitioner depositing Rs. 20,000 as costs with the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee.

Lesson Learnt

Even old criminal cases involving threats and assault can be quashed on a genuine compromise, but courts may still impose a cost payment as a condition, particularly to balance a frivolous or overstated initial complaint against a genuine later reconciliation.

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