New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna came down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday for the growing practice of converting civil disputes into criminal cases, calling the trend “wrong” and indicative of a “complete breakdown” of the rule of law.
The observation came while the Supreme Court was hearing a case involving a bounced cheque, where a civil suit had reportedly been converted into a criminal case. The Chief Justice expressed shock over the manner in which charges were filed, questioning the legality of the move and pausing the ongoing criminal prosecution.
“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 turned into an offence,” the Chief Justice remarked. He further warned that if similar petitions continue to arise, the court may consider imposing damages.
In a scathing comment, Justice Khanna added, “It is strange, this is happening day in and day out in Uttar Pradesh.” The court directed the Director General of Police, Prashant Kumar, and the investigating officer to file a detailed response within two weeks.
Justice Khanna also said it appeared that lawyers in Uttar Pradesh had “forgotten about civil jurisdiction,” stressing that police officials cannot bypass due legal process in the interest of expediency or alleged corruption.
The petitioner had approached the Supreme Court alleging that the police had demanded bribes and unlawfully converted a civil matter into a criminal one. The Chief Justice said he was prepared to summon the investigating officer to the witness box to justify the decision to file a chargesheet.
This is not the first time the Chief Justice has expressed concern over the misuse of criminal law in civil matters. In December 2024, he had flagged the rampant nature of this practice in several states, cautioning that it unnecessarily burdens the judiciary and undermines civil dispute resolution mechanisms.
The Supreme Court’s strong rebuke sends a clear message against the misuse of police powers and underscores the importance of maintaining the sanctity of civil legal processes.CJI Slams UP Police Over Conversion of Civil Suits Into Criminal Cases, Calls It ‘Breakdown of Rule of Law’
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna came down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday for the growing practice of converting civil disputes into criminal cases, calling the trend “wrong” and indicative of a “complete breakdown” of the rule of law.
The observation came while the Supreme Court was hearing a case involving a bounced cheque, where a civil suit had reportedly been converted into a criminal case. The Chief Justice expressed shock over the manner in which charges were filed, questioning the legality of the move and pausing the ongoing criminal prosecution.
“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 turned into an offence,” the Chief Justice remarked. He further warned that if similar petitions continue to arise, the court may consider imposing damages.
In a scathing comment, Justice Khanna added, “It is strange, this is happening day in and day out in Uttar Pradesh.” The court directed the Director General of Police, Prashant Kumar, and the investigating officer to file a detailed response within two weeks.
Justice Khanna also said it appeared that lawyers in Uttar Pradesh had “forgotten about civil jurisdiction,” stressing that police officials cannot bypass due legal process in the interest of expediency or alleged corruption.
The petitioner had approached the Supreme Court alleging that the police had demanded bribes and unlawfully converted a civil matter into a criminal one. The Chief Justice said he was prepared to summon the investigating officer to the witness box to justify the decision to file a chargesheet.
This is not the first time the Chief Justice has expressed concern over the misuse of criminal law in civil matters. In December 2024, he had flagged the rampant nature of this practice in several states, cautioning that it unnecessarily burdens the judiciary and undermines civil dispute resolution mechanisms.
The Supreme Court’s strong rebuke sends a clear message against the misuse of police powers and underscores the importance of maintaining the sanctity of civil legal processes.
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