In Brief
The appellant purchased property based on a registered power of attorney from Bela Rani and executed sale deeds in 2014. The complainant, who had purchased a different property in 2017, filed an FIR claiming the power of attorney and sale deeds were false. After 12 years of undisturbed possession and successful mutation of property in the appellant's name, criminal charges were filed for cheating and forgery. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that the FIR disclosed no criminal offence against the appellant—the complainant was neither deceived nor a party to the deeds, and key witness (Bela Rani) was never examined. The Court quashed the proceedings, finding the criminal prosecution was an abuse of process used as harassment after the complainant had exhausted civil remedies.
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