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Salman & Ors. vs. State Govt of NCT of Delhi & Anr.

Criminal Miscellaneous Case · 2026:DHC:7642Decided 8 Sept 2026New Delhi Bench
CRL.M.C. 6618/2026CNR: DLHC010421752026
Justice Girish Kathpalia

Background

The petitioners sought quashing of a 2018 FIR under Sections 498A/406/34 IPC (cruelty and criminal breach of trust in a marriage) on the ground that the complainant wife had reconciled with them. The Court personally spoke to the complainant, who confirmed she had been living happily with her husband and his family since 2019 and that three children had been born of the marriage since then.

Decision Breakdown

Satisfied from speaking directly with the complainant that the parties had genuinely settled their disputes and were living together as a family, the Court found it in the interest of justice not to force them through a full trial and quashed the FIR and all related proceedings.

Lesson Learnt

In matrimonial criminal cases where the complainant has genuinely reconciled with the accused, courts can quash the FIR to spare both sides a pointless and disruptive trial, but only after satisfying themselves the reconciliation is real (here, by speaking to the complainant directly).

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