The Allahabad High Court has declined to quash an FIR and suspend the arrest of a court staffer accused of committing forgery in court documents.
Effects Judicial System
It observed that fraudulent activities by court staff have profound adverse effects on the justice system and diminish public trust in the judiciary.
A bench comprising justices Siddharth and Vinod Diwakar made these remarks while dismissing a writ petition filed by Suresh Kumar Mishra, who stands accused of committing fraud while serving as a senior assistant in the court of the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) of Sonbhadra.
“When court staff exploit their authority for personal gain, it undermines the integrity of judicial decisions and raises doubts about the legitimacy of legal proceedings,” the bench stated.
The court reiterated these observations while declining to quash the FIR lodged under sections 420 (cheating), 120-B (conspiracy), and other sections of the IPC against Mishra.
Plea Rejected
The court rejected the plea, emphasizing that the investigation is in its early stages and the petitioner’s role has emerged as central in executing the crime. Moreover, recognizing that the allegations against the petitioner clearly amount to a cognizable offense warranting the registration of the FIR and subsequent investigation, the court refused to entertain the criminal writ petition.
