The Jharkhand High Court recently emphasized the importance of judicial diligence to avoid harassment of innocent individuals during legal processes, especially in cases susceptible to manipulation. Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, in a significant order, highlighted the court’s duty to scrutinize details meticulously to prevent wrongful trials.
While adjudicating writ petitions related to rape accusations, Justice Dwivedi noted, “The High Court has the responsibility to read between the lines if malicious prosecution is made… so that no innocent person may be put to harassment and face a trial.” This statement came during a case involving an informant who alleged she was coerced into sexual acts under the pretense of employment as a computer operator, which later turned out to be domestic work in Ranchi.
The court uncovered that the charges might have been driven by ulterior motives linked to the accused’s prior involvement in assisting a woman against a sitting Chief Minister of Jharkhand. The respondent-State did not contest these implications in their affidavit, which pointed to a retaliatory trap set against the accused, suggesting the malicious intent behind the charges.
Justice Dwivedi expressed concerns over the exploitation of legal mechanisms for personal or political vendettas, emphasizing that such actions undermine the integrity of genuine legal grievances. He referenced several Supreme Court judgments that support the dismissal of cases when continued proceedings could abuse the legal process.
