DELAY in FIR - Bhajan Singh @ Harbhajan Singh & Ors. v. Haryana

                                                                                             REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 562 of 2007

Bhajan Singh @ Harbhajan Singh & Ors.                                             ...Appellants


                                                  Versus

State of Haryana                                                                             ...Respondent

WITH

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 982 of 2008

Joga Singh                                                                              ...Appellant

                                                  Versus

State of Haryana                                                                             ...Respondent

AND

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 983 of 2008

Nishabar Singh & Anr.                                                             ...Appellants


                                                  Versus

State of Haryana                                                                             ...Respondent



                                         J U D G M E N T

Dr. B.S. CHAUHAN, J.


There had been inordinate delay of 3 hours in lodging the FIR, though the Police Station was in close vicinity of the place of occurrence. Information of offence was sent to the Illaqa Magistrate as required under Section 157 Cr.P.C. after inordinate delay of 3 hours. (para 4)

8. Shri Amit Kumar, learned counsel appearing for the appellants has submitted that there has been delay in lodging the FIR and sending the copy of the FIR to the court. Therefore, the prosecution failed to give a fair picture with regard to genesis of the crime.

9. Prompt and early reporting of the occurrence by the informant with all its vivid details gives an assurance regarding its true version. In case, there is some delay in filing the FIR, the complainant must give explanation for the same. Undoubtedly, delay in lodging the FIR does not make the complainant's case improbable when such delay is properly explained. However, deliberate delay in lodging the complaint may prove to be fatal. In such case of delay, it also cannot be presumed that the allegations were an after thought or had given a coloured version of events. The court has to carefully examine the facts before it, for the reason, that the complainant party may initiate criminal proceedings just to harass the other side with mala fide intentions or with ulterior motive of wreaking vengeance. The court proceedings ought not to be permitted to degenerate into a weapon of harassment and persecution. In such a case, where an FIR is lodged clearly with a view to spite the other party because of a private and personal grudge and to enmesh the other party in long and arduous criminal proceedings, the court may take a view that it amounts to an abuse of the process of law. 
(Vide: Sahib Singh v. State of Haryana, AIR 1997 SC 3247; 
G. Sagar Suri & Anr. v. State of U.P. & Ors., AIR 2000 SC 754; 
Gorige Pentaiah v. State of A.P. & Ors., (2008) 12 SCC 531; and 
Kishan Singh (dead) thr. Lrs. v. Gurpal Singh & Ors., AIR 2010 SC 3624)


A copy of this judgment and order be sent to the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jind, (Haryana) for information and compliance. (para 31)


....................................J. (Dr. B.S. CHAUHAN)
.....................................J. (SWATANTER KUMAR)

New Delhi, July 4, 2011

DELAY IN FIR

Bhajan Singh @ Harbhajan Singh & Ors. Versus State of Haryana                                                                             

Citation:  SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2011] 7 S.C.R. Part 1 Pg 18 & 19