In a sharp rebuke, the Supreme Court of India has criticized the Uttar Pradesh Police for frequently turning civil disputes into criminal cases. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna expressed strong disapproval, stating that such actions reflect a “complete breakdown of the rule of law.”
The matter came to light during the hearing of a case involving a financial dispute. The UP Police had filed a chargesheet, attempting to treat the civil matter as a criminal offense. The petitioner further alleged that the police had accepted bribes to reclassify the nature of the case.
CJI Warns of Penalties for Misuse of Criminal Law
CJI Khanna warned that if similar petitions continue, the court would not hesitate to impose monetary penalties on the police. In this particular instance, the Supreme Court stayed the criminal proceedings and directed the Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar, along with the investigating officer, to submit their responses within two weeks.
“This is wrong, what is happening in UP. Every day, civil suits are being converted to criminal cases. It’s absurd. Merely not giving money cannot be treated as a criminal offense,” said the CJI during the hearing.
“Let the investigating officer (IO) come and justify the charges in the witness box. This is not the way to file chargesheets. It is strange and alarming that this is happening routinely. Lawyers seem to have forgotten that civil jurisdiction exists.”
The court emphasized that this misuse of criminal law must stop and that accountability will be enforced moving forward.
Pattern of Misuse in Multiple States
This isn’t the first time that the judiciary has raised alarm over the misuse of criminal law for civil matters. In December 2024, Chief Justice Khanna had similarly highlighted this trend, noting that several states were engaging in this practice. He added that such actions not only clog the criminal justice system but also burden the courts unnecessarily with cases that should be addressed through civil remedies.
Judicial Oversight and Accountability
The Supreme Court’s stern stance signals a broader attempt to preserve the sanctity of legal jurisdictions and prevent the misuse of law enforcement powers. By demanding accountability from senior police officials and investigating officers, the court aims to discourage arbitrary and unlawful actions that erode public trust in the justice system.
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