Not every FIR should go to trial. Where a complaint is baseless, an abuse of process, or the parties have genuinely settled a compoundable dispute, the High Court has the power to quash the FIR and end the proceedings.
Common grounds
- The allegations, even if taken as true, disclose no offence
- The FIR is malicious or an abuse of the legal process
- The parties have settled a dispute that the law permits to be compounded
Quashing is discretionary
The court weighs the facts carefully. Strong documentation and a clear legal basis improve the prospects of quashing.
Settlement helps in many cases, but serious offences are treated differently. The nature of the offence matters.