False Molestation Case : Punjab & Haryana HC Says Police Can Proceed Against Prosecutrix [Read Order]

The single bench of Justice Hari Pal Verma said,

"This Court cannot ignore the fact that the number of times, such like false cases are registered. Had there been no fair investigation, the petitioner, Karan Chawla would have to face trial."

The petition was filed under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner in the FIR registered by the police under Sections 376, 354, 511 of IPC.

The FIR was registered on the statement of the prosecutrix with the allegation that she suffered an accident and was brought to the hospital. In the operation room, when the doctor went away after treating her, the prosecutrix alleged that the petitioner came inside the room and started molesting her.

Ruchika Sabharwal, AAG representing the State submitted that the above-said incident was looked into by the police and a Special Investigation Team constituted thereafter for recording the statements of the staff of the hospital.

The SIT had come to the conclusion that no such incident of alleged molestation by the petitioner had taken place and accordingly the police prepared the cancellation report.

The court while looking into the fact that SIT constituted said,

" In view of the fact that SIT constituted in the case has not found anything in the case and thereby, the cancellation report has also been prepared, the present petition is rendered infructuous."

Subsequently, the court dismissed the petition as infructuous and said that there has been no fair investigation and the court cannot ignore the fact the number of times such false cases are registered.

Accordingly, the court held,

"The police authorities are at liberty to proceed against the prosecutrix for lodging a false case of molestation"

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