Justice Sandeep N Bhatt noted that the FIR will cause great hardship to the octagenarian and no fruitful purpose would be served if further proceedings are allowed to continue.
Courts must ensure that criminal prosecution is not used as an instrument of harassment or for seeking private vendetta or with ulterior motive to pressurize accused or to settle scores, the single-judge observed while quashing the FIR.
“At this stage, a mention is required to be made that the current scenario in the society is that Sections of 498A are being rampantly misused by the complainants and in such cases, all the family members are roped in the complaint only with a view to harass the family members and the Hon’ble Apex Court has taken cognizance of such incidents in number of judgments,” the Court remarked.
Source: Barandbench
