A Delhi court has imposed a cost of ₹10,000 on a man for filing a “frivolous” revision petition, observing that liberal access to justice should not be mistaken as a licence to create “chaos and indiscipline.” The court also warned against the growing trend of “wealthy litigants” misusing the judicial process to burden the system and delay justice.
Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Partap Singh Laler passed the order while dismissing a revision plea filed by one Kapil Arora, who sought compensation for the alleged curtailment of his liberty following his arrest in a GST evasion case.
Arora was arrested by the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) department in October 2024 for allegedly evading tax liabilities arising from purported sales of ₹1,284 crore between 2018 and 2024, resulting in a GST evasion of approximately ₹200 crore. He was granted bail by a sessions court on November 27, 2024, but was not released until November 29 due to procedural delays, including verification of sureties and a clerical oversight.
The magistrate court, finding no deliberate lapse by its staff, had earlier rejected Arora’s plea seeking compensation for the delay. Dissatisfied, Arora moved a revision petition before the sessions court, which Judge Laler dismissed on June 9.
“The matter should have ended there,” the judge noted. “If the revisionist believed the delay was intentional, the proper recourse was to approach the court administration on the administrative side—not to misuse judicial mechanisms.”
Judge Laler termed Arora’s petition as a veiled attempt to pressure both the magistrate’s court and CGST officials, emphasizing that such conduct undermines the integrity of judicial proceedings. “This court expresses deep concern and disappointment regarding the revisionist’s insidious and cavalier approach,” he said. “Such petitions should be met with substantial penalties.”
The court further highlighted the broader systemic impact of such misuse: “It is important to prevent wealthy litigants from pursuing unnecessary litigation, as these cases can slow down the justice system and delay trials for other litigants.”
Accordingly, the court dismissed the revision plea and imposed a cost of ₹10,000 on Arora as a deterrent against frivolous litigation.
