Decade-Old SC/ST Act Case Quashed: Telangana HC Highlights Abuse of Law

The Telangana High Court has quashed an FIR filed nearly a decade ago against two civil judges who were accused under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The Court found that the complaint appeared to be a retaliatory measure filed in response to an earlier complaint lodged by the accused judges themselves.

Case Background

• The FIR alleged that the two judicial officers engaged in a tussle with colleagues during their time at the Judicial Academy and used caste-based slurs.
• The complaint was filed by Respondent No.5, subsequent to a report submitted by the Director of the Andhra Pradesh Judicial Academy to the Registrar (Vigilance) based on information provided by the two accused judges.
• The accused judges had previously filed a complaint against Respondent No.5 and another individual, Mr. S. Kalyan Chakravarthy, which led to an enquiry.

High Court’s Observations

• The Court observed: "It clearly shows that Respondent No.5 lodged a complaint against the petitioners maliciously as a counter blast."
• The FIR was deemed an act of retaliation following the petitioners’ complaint and subsequent enquiry findings against Respondent No.5.
• The Court labeled the FIR a clear abuse of process of law and referenced the principles laid down in the State of Haryana case.
• The Court highlighted that such misuse undermines the integrity of legal proceedings.
• The Court found no credible evidence to substantiate the claims of caste-based slurs or actions attributed to the accused judges.

Implications of the Ruling

• This ruling underscores the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring that legal provisions under the SC/ST Act are not misused for retaliatory purposes.
• It serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding the judicial process from being weaponized for personal vendettas.

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