In Brief
M. Srikanth, accused No. 4, sought to quash criminal proceedings filed against him in a property dispute case. The complainant alleged that her brother (Accused No. 1) had forged a will and created false documents to claim ownership of inherited property, and had fraudulently leased the property to Srikanth. The Supreme Court held that Srikanth, who merely executed the lease deed based on documents created by another, could not be prosecuted for the alleged forgery. The Court noted that disputes over will validity and inheritance were civil matters with pending civil suits, not suitable for criminal prosecution. Finding no material against Srikanth when allegations were taken at face value, the Court allowed his appeal and quashed proceedings against him, finding their continuation would constitute an abuse of process.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.