BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
L. VICTORIA GOWRI, J.
P. Thomas – Appellant
Versus
The Superintendent of Police, Kanyakumari – Respondent
Crl. O.P. (MD) No. 7748 of 2024
Decided On : 02-02-2026
ORDER :
1. This Criminal Original Petition is filed to transfer the investigation in Cr. No.335/2022 from the file of third respondent to file of the fourth respondent and consequently direct the fourth respondent to conduct proper investigation in an expeditious manner within the stipulated period.
2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner who is the defacto complainant, had lodged a complaint before the third respondent police on 28.07.2022 with respect to missing of jewellery. In this regard, FIR was registered in Cr.No.335/2022.
3. The petitioner alleges that the third respondent police has not conducted the investigation properly and no substantial progress has been made. Though four years have passed, no charge sheet has been filed. If the investigation is continued by the third respondent, the real culprits would escape from the clutches of law.
4. When the matter is taken up for hearing, the learned Government Advocate (Crl.Side) appearing for the respondent police would submit that after completion of investigation, the case has been closed as “Undetected” and RCS notice has also been served to the petitioner.
5. This Court paid it's anxious consideration to the rival submissions made on either side and perused the materials placed on record.
6. In a similar nature of this case, this Court passed an order in Crl.OP(MD)Nos.10290 of 2025 dated 25.11.2025 and the relevant portion of the order reads as follows:-
“36. The Hon'ble Supreme Court in Rattiram and Others v. State of Madhya Pradesh, AIR 2012 SC 1485, emphasised the concept of “victimology” and recognised that criminal jurisprudence must evolve to protect victims as rights-bearing participants, not as silent spectators. The victim’s expectation that the State will protect him, investigate the crime and restore his loss is a legitimate one arising out of Article 21. The relevant portion is extracted as under:-
“50....The criminal jurisprudence, with the passage of time, has laid emphasis on victimology which fundamentally is a perception of a trial from the view point of the criminal as well as the victim. Both are viewed in the social context. The view of the victim is given due regard and respect in certain countries....”
37. When that expectation is defeated due to failure of the State machinery, the victim’s fundamental right to life and dignity stands infringed. The responsibility of the State does not end with registration of an FIR or filing of an “undetected” report. It continues until justice, in some form, is provided to the victim.
38. The Division Bench of the Orissa High Court in Abdul Rashid v. State of Orissa and Others, 2013 SCC OnLine Ori 493, held that when the State fails to identify the accused or collect acceptable evidence to punish the guilty, the duty to give compensation remains. The Court reasoned that victims of crime have a legitimate expectation that the State will protect their rights and, when it fails to do so, it must compensate them for that failure. The relevant portion is extracted as under:-
“6. Question for consideration is whether the responsibility of the State ends merely by registering a case, conducting investigation and initiating prosecution and whether apart from taking these steps, the State has further responsibility to the victim. Further question is whether the Court has legal duty to award compensation irrespective of conviction or acquittal. When the State fails to identify the accused or fails to collect and present acceptable evidence to punish the guilty, the duty to give compensation remains. Victim of a crime or his kith and kin have legitimate expectation that the State will punish the guilty and compensate the victim. There are systemic or other failures responsible for crime remaining unpunished which need to be addressed by improvement in quality and integrity of those who deal with investigation and prosecution, apart from improvement of infrastructure but punishment of guilty is not th
The state has a non-delegable duty to conduct effective investigations in criminal cases, failing which victims are entitled to compensation under Article 21.
The State's failure to conduct effective investigations violates victims' rights under Article 21, necessitating compensation and accountability for systemic failures.
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