Supreme Court Holds Charge Sheet Cannot Be Filed When Interim Order Bars Coercive Action Against Accused
In Satish Kumar Ravi v. State of Jharkhand & Anr., the Supreme Court ruled that a charge sheet cannot be filed after a court issues an interim order restraining coercive action against the accused in a criminal case. A bench led by Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih discharged contempt notices against three Jharkhand police officers who had filed a charge sheet despite such an order. The officers apologized for their actions, explaining they had relied on a 2011 letter from the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) which stated that a charge sheet could still be filed even if coercive action was barred.
The Court rejected this interpretation as “completely illegal” and directed the State to modify the ADGP’s letter. The officers' apologies were accepted, and no further action was taken against them. The case stemmed from a landlord-tenant dispute, where an FIR was filed by the wife of the then-DGP of Jharkhand against her landlord, leading to the interim order in August 2023. Despite the order, the charge sheet was filed in September 2023. The Court found this to be in violation of the restraint order and emphasized the need for compliance with judicial directives