A cheating FIR may be quashed after full settlement and restitution.

The petitioner sought quashing under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, of FIR No. 0158/2024, registered at P.S. Amar Colony under Sections 420/34 IPC, and the proceedings arising from it

The complainant stated that the parties had executed a Memorandum of Understanding dated 16 April 2026 and that he had settled the matter voluntarily, without coercion or undue influence, and received the full settlement amount

The complainant and petitioner were identified in Court by the investigating officer; the complainant had no objection to quashing, and the charge sheet had not yet been filed

Whether the FIR and proceedings under Sections 420/34 IPC could be quashed in view of the parties’ settlement and the complainant’s consent

Whether any impediment existed to quashing where the full amount had been returned and the charge sheet had not been filed

Section 528 BNSS provides the High Court’s inherent power to prevent abuse of process and secure the ends of justice

The Court noted that offences under Sections 420/34 IPC were compoundable by the person cheated

It relied on Gian Singh v. State of Punjab, (2012) 10 SCC 303, and Narinder Singh v. State of Punjab, (2014) 6 SCC 466, concerning the High Court’s power to quash criminal proceedings in light of a settlement

The Court found that the settlement was voluntary, the complainant had received the entire amount involved, and he expressly consented to quashing

The parties’ identities were verified by the investigating officer, and the charge sheet had not been filed

Considering these circumstances, the compoundable nature of the offences and the cited Supreme Court decisions, the Court found no impediment to granting the petition

The petition was disposed of accordingly