The Punjab and Haryana High Court has refused to dismiss a criminal case against a Patiala senior constable accused of defrauding a job seeker and forging an official appointment letter, ruling that public servants facing job scam allegations cannot bypass trial through private settlements.
Justice Shalini Singh Nagpal delivered the order on August 11, rejecting the police official’s petition to quash the First Information Report. The court stated that the judiciary cannot exercise its inherent powers to cancel proceedings when a serving officer is accused of abusing authority to fabricate official documents.
High Court Rejects Settlement Plea
The ruling came after the accused police officer sought to terminate the criminal proceedings following a mutual agreement reached with the complainant in May.
Distinguishing the case from civil, matrimonial, or commercial disputes where courts frequently accept settlements, the high court noted that offenses involving fake job offers and forged public documents carry broader public consequences. The bench observed that such actions undermine public confidence and societal trust, rendering the charges non-compoundable.
The court added that the gravity of the allegations and the alleged method of operation extend beyond an individual wrong, noting that severe legal consequences would follow if the charges are proven true at trial.
Allegations Of Fake Job Offer
The criminal case originated from a complaint filed by a computer teacher at a private school, who stated that the senior constable offered to secure him a government job in exchange for Rs 3 lakh.
According to the complainant, he established contact with the officer through his maternal uncle, a carpenter who had worked at the constable’s house. The officer allegedly demanded an advance payment of Rs 1.5 lakh, which the teacher paid across two installments, completing the final payment in December 2022.
The complainant stated that the constable later instructed him to meet at the Sector 43 bus stand in Chandigarh, where an individual described as a former sarpanch handed him an appointment letter.
Discovered Forgery And Parking Lot Address
Upon examining the document, the teacher discovered that the letter specified a posting at the National Sample Survey Office in Delhi rather than the promised Narcotic Cell, and contained misspelled names.
When the complainant traveled to Delhi to join the post—accompanied by the constable—the address listed on the document turned out to be a parking lot.
Following the discovery, the teacher confronted the officer and demanded a refund, but the constable refused to return the money. The complainant also alleged that the constable had previously defrauded other individuals using similar tactics before the two parties entered into a compromise agreement in May.
