New Delhi, May 29

The Supreme Court of India on Monday barred the Uttar Pradesh Police from registering any fresh FIRs against a couple who alleged repeated harassment through multiple criminal complaints. The couple claimed they were being targeted by successive FIRs, all stemming from the same set of facts, leading to an abuse of process.

A Bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Sandeep Mehta passed the interim order in a Special Leave Petition filed by the couple, who challenged the registration of multiple FIRs by different police stations across the state. They argued that the allegations were not only repetitive but also orchestrated to intimidate and harass them.

 Court’s Observations

The Supreme Court took note of the pattern of filing FIRs and found prima facie merit in the couple’s contention that they were being subjected to malicious prosecution.

“If every other police station begins filing fresh FIRs based on the same facts, it leads to judicial overreach and harassment,” the Court said while issuing notice to the State of Uttar Pradesh.

The bench further directed that no coercive steps be taken in respect to existing FIRs until the matter is heard in full. Importantly, it restrained the UP Police from initiating any new complaints against the petitioners without prior permission of the apex court.

 Legal Issue at Hand

The case centers on the principle of multiplicity of proceedings, wherein the same subject matter becomes the basis of multiple criminal investigations. The Supreme Court has previously held in T.T. Antony v. State of Kerala that repeated FIRs on the same facts are impermissible.

 Background

The couple, reportedly involved in a business dispute, claims that false and exaggerated criminal allegations have been strategically filed to pressure and coerce them. FIRs were allegedly registered in different districts of Uttar Pradesh, making it difficult for the couple to seek relief at the local level.