The Delhi High Court has refused to terminate proceedings against two individuals accused of assaulting a man at the Supreme Court complex and circulating footage online.
The court held that a summons requires a prima facie basis, not a final determination of guilt. Questions concerning control of the relevant social-media account and attribution of electronic material must be examined through evidence at trial.
It also rejected the argument that an earlier dispute between the parties justified quashing the case. Prior hostility may be relevant to credibility, but it does not automatically invalidate a later criminal complaint.
The decision reinforces the limited function of pre-trial review. Courts may intervene where proceedings are plainly unlawful or abusive, but should not resolve disputed facts before evidence is formally tested.
