Supreme Court: Court Can Quash Rape Case in Exceptional Cases If No Statutory Violation Found

The Supreme Court ruled that rape cases can be quashed under Section 482 CrPC when the parties settle in exceptional cases.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sanjay Kumar emphasised that courts must assess whether the alleged offence satisfies the essential ingredients of rape.

If not, and if both parties voluntarily resolve the dispute, quashing is permissible to prevent miscarriage of justice and abuse of legal process.

The Court clarified that quashing on settlement doesn’t apply where the allegations disclose rape, which is a serious and non-compoundable offence. (Madhukar v. State of Maharashtra)