The Punjab and Haryana High Court has raised concern over the growing trend of false FIRs. Justice Alok Jain directed the DGPs of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh to frame a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for investigating sensitive cases. The court stressed that a Class-I gazetted officer should first conduct a preliminary inquiry before any action.
Justice Jain warned that citizens are misusing their rights by lodging false and malicious complaints. He said people must remember that while they enjoy fundamental rights under the Constitution, they also have a duty to speak the truth. False FIRs, he noted, put life and liberty at risk.
The case in question involved a young woman who accused several people of drugging, selling, and raping her for 22 days. Later, she withdrew her statement, reached a compromise, and married one of the accused.
The accused, arrested in November 2024 at Mehtapur police station in Jalandhar, applied for bail. His lawyer argued that the FIR was fabricated. The complainant herself filed an affidavit stating she no longer wished to pursue the matter.
The High Court said such shocking misuse of law highlights the urgent need for clear SOPs in sensitive cases.
