Meena & Ors. vs. The State NCT of Delhi & Anr.
Background
Petitioner no.1 (wife) married the complainant (respondent no.2, husband) in 2013, and they had one child. An FIR under Sections 451/323/506/34 IPC was registered alleging that the petitioners physically assaulted the complainant and his mother and threatened suicide while implicating them; the couple obtained a mutual-consent divorce in April 2026 as part of a settlement agreement that also fixed child custody with petitioner no.1 and visitation for the husband.
Decision Breakdown
With the complainant/husband confirming the dispute was resolved voluntarily and no public interest was affected, the Court quashed the FIR and all consequential proceedings under its Section 528 BNSS powers.
Lesson Learnt
Settlement-based quashing of matrimonial FIRs applies symmetrically regardless of which spouse is the accused or the complainant.