'False FIRs Becoming A Trend': Punjab & Haryana High Court Imposes ₹1 Lakh Cost On Complainant

In a recent judgment, the Punjab and Haryana High Court noted how it has become a common practice to abuse the legal system by filing fictitious FIRs in order to please one's ego, which ultimately results in the wastage of the taxpayer funds because of the false FIR filed by the complainant.

It ordered the complainant, who first slapped the petitioner in full public place, then just to suffice her ego lodged a FIR and then compromised the matter, to pay a hefty cost of Rs. 1,00,000 within a month.

The petition was filed seeking quashing of an FIR registered for outraging the modesty of a woman and other offenses under Sections 323 and 354 of the Indian Penal Code. The petitioner further sought quashing all consequential proceedings arising from the FIR on the basis of a compromise.

Referring to a report by the Chief Judicial Magistrate stating that the compromise was voluntary, the court stated that a bare perusal of the FIR established that the two sides had amicably settled the dispute and continuance of criminal prosecution would be an exercise in futility as the chances of ultimate conviction were bleak.

Justice Alok Jain further made note of how it has become a trend to misuse and abuse the process of law by lodging false FIRs like in the present case just to satisfy one’s own ego. He further called it “a fit case where appropriate action under law by invoking the provisions of Indian Penal Code, 1860, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and other related provisions against complaint deserves to be invoked so that such kind of false, frivolous and manipulated FIRs are not registered, which ultimately lead to wastage of time of the State Machinery, which is thrown into action.

“Ultimately, it is the tax payer money which has been wasted on account of the false FIR lodged by the complainant,” the judge noted.

Case Title: Varun Bagga vs. State of Punjab & Another CRM-M-16236-2022

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (PH) 43

Click Here To Read/Download Order