Supreme Court Penalizes Police for Misuse of FIRs in Civil Disputes

The Supreme Court fined Uttar Pradesh police officials for filing an FIR in a civil property dispute. The Court reiterated that misuse of FIRs in such cases violates previous judgments. Despite rejections from a magisterial court, police lodged an FIR against the Biranis, leading to a court challenge.

The Supreme Court imposed a Rs 50,000 fine on two Uttar Pradesh police officials for registering an FIR in a civil property dispute. The bench highlighted the rising trend of filing criminal cases for civil issues, branding it unacceptable.

Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, along with Justice Sanjay Kumar, underscored that converting civil matters into criminal cases is a violation of previous judgments. The fine imposed on the officers is non-negotiable.

Despite a Kanpur magisterial court rejecting Shilpi Gupta's pleas for criminal action against the Biranis, the police lodged an FIR. This was challenged up to the Supreme Court, emphasizing lapses in legal processes.

(With inputs from agencies.)