The Punjab and Haryana High Court has observed that making grave allegations such as gang rape and later describing them as a “misunderstanding” amounts to misuse of the legal process. While quashing an FIR registered in Pathankot on the basis of a compromise between the parties, the court imposed a penalty of ₹1 lakh on the complainant.
Justice Alok Jain stated that the complainant’s conduct had harmed the dignity of women and that imposing costs was necessary in such circumstances. The court emphasized that stringent provisions like Section 376D of the IPC, related to gang rape, cannot be invoked casually or without responsibility.
According to the case details, the complainant had accused multiple persons of gang rape but failed to provide any convincing explanation for the delay in lodging the FIR. The medical evidence presented during the investigation also did not support the allegations. Later, during the compromise proceedings, the complainant informed the court that the FIR had been filed due to a misunderstanding.
Since neither the state government nor the complainant objected to the quashing of the FIR, the High Court concluded that the dispute had been amicably settled and that continuing the criminal proceedings would serve no useful purpose.
