The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a criminal case, which included charges under the SC/ST Act, linked to alleged irregularities in land allotments over two decades ago and associated revenue proceedings. Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, in a criminal appeal ruling, stated that the case primarily pertained to civil and revenue matters, deeming the prosecution an abuse of legal processes. The court nullified the cognisance and summoning order from March 20, 2023, the charge sheet, and all proceedings stemming from a 2022 FIR at Dadri police station in Gautam Buddha Nagar.
The High Court emphasized that the FIR and charge sheet failed to establish that the acts were committed based on the victim’s Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe status, a prerequisite for invoking the SC/ST Act. Justice Yadav highlighted that the mere mention of Scheduled Caste land or the informant’s status was inadequate to trigger the Act, citing Supreme Court precedent. Additionally, the court noted deficiencies in the investigation, such as deceased individuals being listed as prosecution witnesses, indicating a lack of due diligence.
Furthermore, the court criticized the summoning order as routine and mechanical, lacking prima facie evidence. Considering that co-accused in similar circumstances had been granted relief and no distinguishing factors were presented against the appellant, Justice Yadav concluded that continuing the proceedings would be unjust. The court deemed the invocation of the SC/ST Act in this case unsustainable and ruled that persisting with the case would lead to a miscarriage of justice, ultimately quashing the entire criminal case.
