Santosh Kumar @ Santosh Kumar Verma v. State of U.P. Thru. Prin.Secy. Deptt. of Home and Another
Criminal – Quashing (S.482 Cr.P.C.)
Case brief
What is this about?
S.482 Cr.P.C quashing refused (Allahabad HC, Lucknow Bench, Neutral Citation 2024:AHC-LKO:1177, Subhash Vidyarthi J., order date 5.1.2024): challenge to ACJM Barabanki orders dated 20.10.2022 and 27.07.2023; police report dated 20.09.2022 declared S.156(3) allegations false without any F.I.R; held investigation without F.I.R/Magistrate's order beyond police authority, but S.482 court cannot test correctness of allegations — pleas left to trial court on charges under Sections 452, 323, 506, 354 I.P.C; CBI vs. Aryan Singh (2023 SCC Online 379) relied on.
What did the court decide?
The police may investigate a cognizable offence under Section 156(1) only after registration of an F.I.R under Section 154 Cr.P.C; where no F.I.R was registered and merely an application under Section 156(3) was filed, investigation can be carried out only under an order passed by a Magistrate. The police therefore acted beyond authority in carrying out an investigation and submitting a report to the Magistrate that the allegations levelled in the complaint could not be established.