Allahabad High Court Stands Firm: Bareilly Violence FIR Stays, Quashing Denied at Initial Stage

In a significant development, the Allahabad High Court has firmly rejected a plea to quash an FIR against seven individuals implicated in the Bareilly violence case that unfolded back in March 2024. It seems the court wasn't swayed by the petitioners' arguments, emphasizing the critical importance of allowing due process to run its course.

The petitioners, namely Abdul Mateen, Afsar Khan, and five others, had approached the High Court with a fervent plea, arguing that they had been wrongly dragged into the entire incident. They claimed, quite emphatically, that they were nowhere near the scene of the crime at the time and, in fact, had an ironclad alibi – participating in a religious event elsewhere. Their petition essentially painted a picture of false implication, seeking to have the initial police report, the FIR, thrown out entirely.

However, Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh, presiding over the case, wasn't convinced that this was the right stage to intervene so drastically. He pointed to a well-established principle in law: the High Court, when exercising its powers under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), should generally not quash an FIR unless, right from the outset, it's glaringly obvious that no serious, cognizable offense could possibly have occurred. You see, it’s a foundational aspect of our legal system that an FIR, which is essentially the very first piece of information about a crime, should be allowed to kickstart an investigation.

Indeed, quashing an FIR at such an early juncture is quite a rare occurrence. The court's perspective is that a detailed examination of evidence – things like CCTV footage, photographic proof, and witness statements – isn't something to be undertaken during a plea to quash the FIR. Instead, these are crucial elements meant for the subsequent stages of investigation and, ultimately, the trial itself.

So, the High Court’s message was clear: the petitioners need to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. They will have ample opportunity to present their alibi and their version of events as the legal process unfolds. For now, the FIR stands, and the wheels of justice will continue to turn, meticulously examining all aspects of the Bareilly violence case.