The High Court will not quash criminal proceedings if the FIR and charge sheet disclose a prima facie case, and the accused's role as the primary agent establishes a plausible association in the alleged fraud, regardless of whether funds were transferred to a relative's account.

Order on Board

Per Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice

1. The present petition has been filed by the petitioner under Section 528 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for quashing of the impugned FIR, entire charge sheet, order taking cognizance dated 28.01.2026 and the entire criminal proceedings and prayed for the following relief(s):-

“i. That, the Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to allow the instant petition under section 528 of B.N.S.S. 2023 filed by the petitioner, in the interest of justice.

ii. The Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to quash the F.I.R. in crime no. 152/2025 registered at Police Station Civil Line, District Raipur on dated 11.04.2025 for the offence committed under section 420, 406, 467, 468, 470, 471, 201, 120-B, 34 of I.P.C..

iii. The Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to quash the entire charge sheet bearing no. 20/2026 filed on 28.01.2026 before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Raipur, District Raipur in which the learned ACJM has taken cognizance in criminal case no. 1255/2026 for the offence committed under section 420, 406, 467, 468, 470, 471, 201, 120-B, 34 of I.P.C. (Annexure P/1 Colly) and the entire Criminal Proceedings in the interest of justice.”

2. The brief facts of the case are that the petitioner is an accused in the offence of Crime No.152/2025 registered at Police Station Civil Lines, Raipur for the offences under Section 420, 406, 467, 468, 470, 471, 201, 120B and 34 of the IPC. Son of the petitioner Balbir Singh and another person Devendra Sen are also co-accused persons in the case. The FIR was registered on 11-04-2025 on the instance of complainant Jatin Choudhari with the allegation that the present petitioner and her son Balbir Singh are his neighbour. The petitioner Saranjeet Kaur is an LIC agent having Agent Code 00984390. He purchased total 13 LIC policies in his own name and also in the name of his family members. He disclosed in his complaint each of policy numbers, policy holders and yearly premium paying by the complainant to the petitioner. He also disclosed the transfer of amount of LIC premium through NEFT mode from his bank account to the bank account of the son of the petitioner, Balbir Singh. The said transfer of amount is made on the instance of the present petitioner. When he transferred the amount of LIC premium in the bank account of Balbir Singh, they also gave deposit receipts of the said LIC premium. The said policy was purchased by him since 2013. In the year 2024 at the time of filing of Income Tax return, he was in need of the deposit receipts and when he contacted the LIC office Pandari Branch, Raipur along with the receipts given by the petitioner and her son for the year 2022 and 2023 and asked for receipts for the year 2024, the person concerned of the LIC office informed him that the petitioner and her son have not deposited any amount as has been claimed by him and thus, the petitioner and her son have cheated him for Rs.5,75,304/-, from the Nitish Verma they cheated Rs.4,96,000/-, from Jagmohan Singh Nagpal Rs.5,93,649/- and from Bhushan Kumar Jhode Rs.28,88,827/- which comes to total Rs.45,53,780/- and then he lodged the report. Based on this report the FIR has been registered against the petitioner and her son. During the investigation the bank account statement were seized. The relevant LIC policy documents/bond papers have been seized, statement of the witnesses we