The Telangana High Court has annulled an FIR lodged nearly a decade ago against two civil judges accused under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The court ruled that the case bore the hallmarks of retaliation, initiated as a countermeasure to a prior complaint by the accused.
Presiding over the matter, Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao highlighted the retaliatory nature of the complaint, pointing out its timing and circumstances. “It clearly demonstrates malicious intent and a blatant abuse of legal process,” the court stated, referring to precedents underscoring the misuse of such allegations.
The case stemmed from incidents at the Andhra Pradesh Judicial Academy during the petitioners’ training period. A report detailing disputes and allegations of misconduct involving colleagues was filed by the judges and subsequently escalated to the High Court. This led to disciplinary proceedings, culminating in the removal of the respondent and others from service in 2015.
Shortly after their removal, the respondent lodged a complaint accusing the petitioners of caste-based slurs, resulting in the FIR under the SC/ST Act. The significant two-year gap between the alleged incidents and the complaint raised doubts about its credibility, with the High Court deeming it a retaliatory act.
In its verdict, the court emphasized the misuse of legal provisions and underscored the importance of ensuring justice prevails over vendetta. By quashing the FIR, the judgment sets a precedent for safeguarding judicial officers from unwarranted and malicious allegations.
