WHAT RECOURSE CAN BE TAKEN IN CASE OF FALSE ALLEGATIONS

INTRODUCTION

As the name implies, false allegations are any remarks or statements made about someone that have no basis in evidence or are known to be untrue, with the intention of causing pain or defamation. False accusations in court result in vexatious and malicious litigations, which frequently waste the valuable time of the courts and the judicial system in addition to damaging the victim’s reputation and causing them to deal with a host of other problems.

Eminent jurists and academics in India have asserted that the Indian legal system needs to be strengthened with a number of legal provisions to discourage the filing of fictitious complaints and cases. The SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, dowry harassment, matrimonial disputes, and rape cases typically result in the highest number of false allegations.

RECOURSES AVAILABLE

The following are some of the options available to fight legal actions against false allegations in India:

1. Seeking Anticipatory Bail: In India, the victim of a false allegation should first seek anticipatory bail from the closest court with jurisdiction to do so in the event that a First Information Report (FIR) is filed against them. This will protect them from being arrested on the basis of a false accusation. Under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, anticipatory bail may be granted prior to the making of an arrest. By requesting anticipatory bail, the victim not only avoids an arrest that could result in severe mental suffering and reputational damage, but it also gives him more time to better prepare his defence.
2. Quashing of the First Information Report: The High Court of the relevant state may, by filing an application under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, quaash a false allegation or complaint in the form of a First Information Report. The court has the inherent authority to secure the ends of justice by issuing the necessary orders. But the accused must prove a number of things, such as that the act or omission against which the allegation is made did not occur, that the incident described in the complaint never happened, that the allegations are unfounded and were made out of personal animosity, etc.
3. Provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860: Section 209 of the Indian Penal Code stipulates that anyone who makes any false claim in a court of justice knowing it to be false will be punished with up to two years in prison and a fine. This punishment can also include intentional harm or annoyance. The court has sufficient authority to apply such provisions as a means of penalising the offender if it determines that the sanctity and validity of the courts have been violated. Moreover, anyone who believes that a criminal conspiracy that is being formed could be used against him in the future may also invoke section 120B of the Indian Penal Code.
4. Sections of the 1872 Indian Evidence Act: Concrete evidence is a requirement for supporting any allegation in a court of law. According to Section 193 of the Indian Evidence Act, anyone who willfully provides false testimony during any stage of legal proceedings or creates false testimony that could be used during any stage of legal proceedings faces a maximum seven-year prison sentence in addition to a fine.  Furthermore, Section 196 of the Evidence Act stipulates that an individual who presents false evidence as authentic or uses it themselves will face the same penalties as if they had provided false testimony.
5. Sections of the 1973 Code of Criminal Procedure: Any person who has been falsely accused has the right to compensation in the justice system under a number of sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The same is supported by Section 250 of the Code, which says that anyone who has been found not guilty may apply for compensation for suffering without a good reason. If the court finds that the accused is at fault, it may also decide to sentence the offender to a simple jail term.

CONCLUSION

A number of pertinent sections of the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, Code of Civil Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act can be used in parallel to obtain relief or start legal proceedings against frivolous allegations and complaints, even though there isn’t a specific statute or provision in the Indian legal system that lists protective measures against any false allegation or complaint.

The legislature must act quickly to pass a law that comprehensively addresses a wide range of scenarios, from compensation to jail time and fines for false accusations, in order to reduce the increasing threat of pointless lawsuits in the nation and relieve the already overworked courts and investigative agencies.