‘Combat negative energy by planting trees’ – Delhi High Court orders two families having personal enmity to plant 400 trees as ‘punishment’

Delhi High Court has passed a unique judgment in a case of enmity between two families by asking them to plant 200 trees each to combat negative energy. As per reports, the families had filed an application to withdraw the case as they reached a compromise in January 2023.

In the judgment, Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma ordered both parties to plant 200 trees each in their respective localities to ‘counter the negative energy’. Justice Sharma said, “However, I consider that the negative energy of the parties should be put to an end by directing them to contribute to society. Hence, the petitioners in both cases are directed to plant 200 trees each in their areas. The place shall be identified by the investigating officer (IO) after consultation with the horticulture department, and he shall inform the petitioners 15 days in advance.”

The court also asked the IO to explore the possibility of geo-tagging the saplings so that the appropriate authority could monitor their progress. The families have to take care of the trees for five years. A compliance report is to be submitted in November 2023.

As per the first complaint filed in the case, on 4th March 2017, three members of one of the families went to the house of the second family and asked for their IDs for the purpose of getting them blankets that a candidate of a political party was distributing. The second family informed them that they supported another political party leading to a verbal dispute that turned into a fight.

In the second complaint in the matter, it was alleged that the first family was collecting IDs for distributing blankers when the second family picked a fight and beat them up.

Subsequently, two criminal cases were registered for the alleged offences of voluntarily causing hurt, trespassing after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restrain, attempt to commit culpable homicide and criminal intimidation.

In January 2023, both parties settled the matter outside court and informed the same that they had voluntarily settled it without any fear, force or coercion.