#co-accused acquittal

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has ruled that the acquittal of co-accused cannot be invoked to quash proceedings against a proclaimed offender, as each accused must be judged solely on evidence presented in their own trial. This reinforces that absconding forfeits any claim to equitable relief and upholds the principle that judicial outcomes are case-specific, not collectively binding.

The Punjab & Haryana High Court held that evasion of process and failure to appear in court disqualify an accused from invoking inherent powers under Section 482 CrPC, even if co-accused are acquitted. This reinforces that procedural compliance, not just substantive outcomes, determines eligibility for relief in criminal proceedings, affecting all absconding accused seeking quashing.