Supreme Court Condemns Misuse of Criminal Justice for Personal Vendettas

The Supreme Court criticized the misuse of criminal law for personal vendettas, quashing a case against Inder Chand Bagri. The court found no evidence of cheating or breach of trust, urging vigilance against such misuse. The case involved a property dispute between family members in Guwahati.

The Supreme Court addressed a growing concern over the misuse of criminal law as a tool for personal vendettas, as it quashed a case against Inder Chand Bagri on Monday. The court emphasized that criminal law should not be a platform for settling personal scores.

A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan observed an alarming trend of manipulating the judicial system for vested interests. This decision came during the examination of a case where no substantial evidence supported allegations of cheating and criminal breach of trust against the Guwahati-based businessman.

The bench highlighted the distinction between cheating and criminal breach of trust, pointing out the absence of 'mens rea' in Bagri's case. The court asserted that the plaintiff, Jagadish Prasad Bagri, had other civil law remedies available. The ruling underlined the need for courts to prevent such misuse to protect the justice system's integrity.

(With inputs from agencies.)