SC Quashes False Rape Case Against Ex-Army Officer, But Who Will Restore His Dignity?

Gustakhi Maaf Haryana: Pawan Kumar Bansal

SC Quashes False Rape Case Against Ex-Army Officer, But Who Will Restore His Dignity?

Court’s Landmark Judgment in Favor of Captain Rajesh Walia

In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of India has quashed a false rape case lodged by a 39-year-old married woman with two children against Captain Rajesh Walia, a former Indian Army officer. The woman, who has previously filed eight similar false rape cases in various police stations in Delhi since 2014, was found to be habitual in making such claims. A bench comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice K. Vinod Chandra made this landmark judgment, highlighting the woman’s repeated pattern of filing fraudulent cases.

Supreme Court’s Observations on Woman’s Motive

The apex court, in its judgment, noted the concerning pattern of the woman’s behaviour, observing, “What is concerning before the court is that the same lady filed identical cases against eight others.” The court pointed out that her modus operandi was to avoid cooperating with investigations and failing to appear in court despite being served with notices. The woman had accused the ex-army officer of rape, outraging modesty, and criminal intimidation, all of which were deemed to be false allegations.

Delhi High Court’s Oversight and Court’s Intervention

The Supreme Court also observed that the Delhi High Court, where proceedings were ongoing, should have exercised its inherent powers under Sections 482 and 528 of the BNS to quash the FIR earlier. This judgment emphasizes the need for judicial scrutiny in cases of repeated false accusations to protect innocent individuals from legal harassment.