In Brief
The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against a High Court order quashing criminal proceedings for attempted murder (Section 307 IPC) and indecent speech (Section 294 IPC) where the complainant and accused had settled their dispute. The Supreme Court held that criminal proceedings for non-compoundable offences cannot be quashed merely due to private settlement between parties. The Court found the allegations grave—involving gunshots from a country-made pistol—and noted the accused had criminal antecedents. It reversed the High Court order and restored the criminal proceedings, emphasizing the State's duty to prosecute non-compoundable offences regardless of settlement.
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