recovery of the dues of the Banks on account of credit facility and the said suits had been compromised on receiving the payments from the companies concerned. The Court found that even if an offence of cheating is prima facie constituted, such offence is a compoundable offence and compromise decrees 11passed in the suits instituted by the Banks, for all intents and purposes, amounted to compounding of the offence of cheating. 17. In the case of Nikhil Merchant (supra), this Court was considering a civil dispute with certain criminal facets. The matter also involved offences which were not compoundable in nature. This Court, therefore, considered the question as to whether the criminal proceedings could be quashed under Article 142 of the Constitution of India on the basis of compromise, even where non-compoundable offences are involved. 18. An argument was advanced on behalf of the Union that this Court should not exercise its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India in