Overview
- The Lucknow bench quashed the September 13 FIR from Bahraich and directed the petitioner’s immediate release if not wanted in another case.
- The court imposed Rs 75,000 in costs on Uttar Pradesh, including Rs 50,000 compensation to the jailed petitioner and Rs 25,000 to the court’s Legal Aid Services within four weeks.
- Justices Abdul Moin and Babita Rani criticized authorities for “scrambling to score brownie points” and allowed action against erring officials and the complainant.
- Records show the man was arrested on September 18 despite the woman’s September 19 statement under BNSS Section 183 that she left voluntarily due to domestic abuse and returned her jewellery.
- The bench cited Supreme Court arrest norms and said the IO should have used BNSS Section 189 to release the accused, noting the added BNS charges did not justify automatic arrest.