Allahabad High Court Quashes Charges Beyond Limitation Period

The Allahabad High Court has dismissed criminal proceedings in a theft case due to the magistrate's delayed cognizance past the three-year limitation period as per CrPC Section 468. Justice Giri criticized the practice of not scrutinizing police reports before cognizance and urged improved judicial training.

The Allahabad High Court has recently taken action in a theft case by quashing criminal proceedings that took place after the considerable delay in filing charges, beyond the statute of limitations.

Justice Praveen Kumar Giri criticized the practice within magisterial courts of not thoroughly examining police reports before taking cognizance of cases. This lack of scrutiny led to the criminal case being filed beyond the permissible three-year limitation period stated in Section 468 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The court also directed that judicial officers in the state be better trained to ensure that cognizance orders are made per the law. This action came in response to a 2019 motorcycle theft case where charges against Avneesh Kumar were filed more than three years after the fact.

(With inputs from agencies.)