Advocates appeared:
For the Petitioner(s): Mr. Devadatt Kamat, Sr. Adv. Mr. Nizam Pasha, Adv. Mr. Lzafeer Ahmad B. F., AOR Mr. Sidhharth Kaushik, Adv. Mr. Shivendra Pandey, Adv. Mr. Rajesh Inamdar, Adv. Mr. Anubhav Kumar, Adv. Mr. Ismail Zabiulla, Adv.
For the Respondent(s): Mr. Shubhranshu Padhi, AOR Mr. Vishal Banshal, Adv. Ms. Rajeshawari Shankar, Adv. Mr. Niroop Sukrithy, Adv. Mr. Jai Nirupam, Adv. Mr. Mahesh Thakur, AOR Ms. Shivani, Adv. Ms. Vipasha Singh, Adv. Ms. Geetanjali Bedi, Adv.

Statutes Discussed

• Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 – Section 3(1)(15) directly invoked in the FIR, but court assessed whether offence made out under it even if allegations taken at face value [judgement_act_referred], [1000777690007], [1000777690036] • Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Section 482: High Court and Supreme Court powers invoked to quash FIR despite special statute like SC/ST Act, applied to prevent abuse of process where allegations baseless [judgement_act_referred], (!) , [1000777690009], [1000777690038] • Constitution of India – Article 142: Supreme Court power exercisable even for offences under special statutes like SC/ST Act to quash proceedings that are abuse of process [judgement_act_referred], IMPORTANT POINTS (1)

Case Laws Discussed

• Ramawatar v State of Madhya Pradesh (2021 SCC OnLine SC 966): Mere fact offence under special statute like SC/ST Act does not inhibit quashing under Article 142 or Section 482 CrPC if proceedings are abuse of process or primarily civil [1000777690033], (!) , (!)

Ratio Decidendi

• Courts (Supreme Court under Article 142, High Court under Section 482 CrPC) can quash FIRs under SC/ST Act without mutual consent/settlement if allegations, even taken at face value, do not prima facie make out offence under the Act, and proceedings manifest abuse of process due to baseless claims, ulterior motives, and prior civil litigation failures [IMPORTANT POINTS (1), (2)], [1000777690036], [1000777690037] • Special statutes like SC/ST Act do not bar quashing under Section 482 CrPC where case involves civil dispute given criminal colour for vengeance after civil remedies exhausted unsuccessfully, with huge delay and no prima facie applicability of stringent provisions [1000777690033]-[1000777690035]

Court Observations

• Officers instituting FIRs duty bound to vigilantly check prima facie applicability of stringent provisions like SC/ST Act before invocation, given serious penal consequences; mechanical application without satisfaction deprecated [IMPORTANT POINTS (2)], [1000777690037] • Even assuming allegations true, no offence discernible under SC/ST Act; complaint/FIR frivolous, vexatious, oppressive; proceedings with ulterior motives after 60+ years delay and civil suit failures [1000777690024], [1000777690035], [1000777690036] • High Court erred in not quashing under Section 482 CrPC despite clear abuse of process in SC/ST Act case [1000777690038]

Final Conclusion

• High Court judgment set aside; FIR and proceedings quashed insofar as appellant under SC/ST Act and IPC sections using Section 482 CrPC powers, without any settlement or mutual consent, due to baseless allegations and misuse (!) , [1000777690038], [1000777690039]