In Brief
A landlord appealed against the High Court's quashing of an FIR alleging that the tenant had forged his signature on a No Objection letter to obtain an electricity connection. The High Court had reasoned that electricity is a basic amenity and cannot be withheld by a landlord, so the conduct did not cause sufficient harm. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that while electricity rights are fundamental and cannot be denied to tenants, the fabrication of records and forging of signatures are criminal offences under the Indian Penal Code regardless of the lawfulness of the underlying objective. The case was remanded for proper investigation and trial.
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