Delhi High Court quashes FIR for stalking woman, threatening to throw acid after settlement

The Delhi High Court recently quashed a First Information Report ('FIR') registered against a man accused of stalking, assaulting and threatening to throw acid on a woman if she refused to marry him. (Yash Raj Chauhan v. State of NCT of Delhi and Another).The Court quashed the FIR after being appraised that the accused has apologised to the complainant and that the dispute between the two had been amicably settled out of the complainant's own free will.."Taking into account the age of the petitioner and taking into account the fact that the petitioner has full life ahead of him and in view of the apology tendered by the petitioner and his undertaking not to repeat such incidents in the future and in view of the settlement arrived at between the parties, this Court is of the opinion that no useful purpose will be served in continuing the present proceedings", the Court said. .While quashing the case, Justice Subramonium Prasad also directed the accused to do social service to atone for his sins.."... the petitioner is directed to do community service at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital for a period of one month i.e. from 15.10.2021 to 16.10.2021. He shall report to the Medical Superintendent, Lok Nayak Prakash Narayan Hospital on 15.10.2021," the Court ordered..After the completion of a month's community service, a certificate from the Medical Superintendent, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital is also to be filed before the Court to show compliance of the order.."In case of any absenteeism/default or any misbehaviour on the part of the petitioner, the same shall be conveyed immediately by the Medical Superintendent, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, to the concerned SHO, who shall in turn inform the learned ASC for the State, for bringing the same to the notice of the Court," the order stated..Additionally, the Court imposed costs of ₹ 35,000 on the accused and directed him to pay the said amount in the ‘Army Welfare Fund Battle Casualties'..The accused had been booked for offences under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), Section 354-A (sexual Harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), Section 354-D (stalking) and Section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860..Advocates Kapil Goyal and Nitin Singh appeared for the accused. Advocates Karanjeet Rai Sharma, Sanjay Lao and Vikas Ahuja appeared for the respondents..[Read Order]