#criminal complaint quashed

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has held that a co-owner’s unilateral sale of joint property, even without consent, does not amount to cheating under Section 420 or forgery under Sections 467-471 IPC unless there is impersonation, false representation, or fraudulent inducement. This reinforces that such disputes remain civil remedies unless criminal intent is proven, protecting co-owners from misuse of criminal law in property conflicts.