Delhi High Court Orders 24 Individuals to Perform Basic Cleaning Work at Police Stations For Quashing FIRs

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Synopsis

Court agreed to quash the FIRs after noting that the parties involved had voluntarily settled their disputes and did not wish to pursue the criminal proceedings which had arisen from a scuffle between neighbors

In a unique ruling, the Delhi High Court has recently directed 24 individuals to engage in "basic cleaning work" at four police stations as a condition to quash a criminal case against them.

Justice Saurabh Banerjee instructed the individuals to divide themselves into four groups of six people each and perform cleaning duties at Mehrauli, Fatehpur Beri, Maidan Garhi, and Neb Sarai police stations.

The High Court stated, "The said 24 persons shall be at liberty to decide amongst themselves as to the composition of each group of 6 persons and also the Police Station where each group shall undertake the aforesaid basic cleaning duty".

The case stemmed from two First Information Reports (FIRs) filed at the Mehrauli police station, involving various sections of the Indian Penal Code, such as voluntarily causing hurt, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and rioting. These charges arose from a scuffle between neighbors.

The FIRs were registered under Sections 308/34 of the Indian Penal Code, however, all proceeding emanating therefrom were quashed with the directions to all the named 24 parties involved, that all of them would divide themselves into 4 groups of 6 persons each who would undertake basic cleaning work for 3 days.

The Delhi High Court agreed to quash the FIRs after noting that the parties involved had voluntarily settled their disputes and did not wish to pursue the criminal proceedings further. The judge stated that continuing with the FIRs would be an "exercise in futility."

As a result, the court issued directions for the named 24 parties involved to perform basic cleaning work for three days at the specified police stations, namely Mehrauli, Fatehpur Beri, Maidan Garhi, and Neb Sarai. The cleaning work is to take place on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays starting from September 18, and the parties were set at liberty to decide amongst themselves the composition of each group of six individuals and which police station each group will serve.

Case Title: SAGAR & ORS Vs. STATE (N.C.T. OF DELHI) & ORS.