SC no to pleas on relief for unjust prosecution

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New Delhi, August 18

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain PILs seeking directions to the government to frame guidelines for compensation to victims of wrongful prosecution and to ensure strict action against those lodging fake criminal cases, saying it will create a lot of complications.

“The nature of relief prayed for is in the realm of laying down guidelines or in the nature of the legislation. It will not be possible for this court to utilise its processes. The attention of the Union of India and relevant agencies has been invited to the case portrayed in the form of a petition. It is now left to the agencies concerned to take appropriate action,” a Bench led by Justice UU Lalit said, disposing of the petitions filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay and Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra.

The petitions were filed in the backdrop of a case in which the Allahabad High Court had in January declared a man — earlier convicted in a rape case and jailed for around 20 years – innocent; saying the motive behind the FIR was related to a land dispute.

The petitioners had sought directions to the Centre, states and union territories to frame and implement guidelines to compensate victims of “wrongful prosecution” through government machinery and to ensure strict action against fake complainants in criminal cases.