Pooja v. State of U.P. & Anr.

2026 INSC 1119
Non-Reportable

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

Criminal Appeal No. 4902 of 2026
[@ Special Leave Petition (Crl.) No. 6715 of 2026]

Pooja ...Appellant
Versus
State of U.P. & Anr. ...Respondents

O R D E R

Leave granted.

2. The above matter is filed to quash the proceedings in Case No.16720 of 2024 (Case Crime No.94 of 2024, registered at Police Station Chhapar) pending in the Court of the learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate-I, Muzaffarnagar. The allegation is that the appellant deliberately gave false information and forged the death certificate of her mother, which showed the date of death as 21.11.2019, which was actually 20.11.2019.

3. The certificate showing the date of birth is Annexure P1, issued by the Competent Authority under the Panchayati Raj Vibhag of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The same has been obtained on an online application made by the appellant. Subsequently, one Sanjay Kumar, a person unknown to the appellant and not connected to her family, made a complaint that the death was actually on 20.11.2019. On enquiry, the District Panchayat Raj Officer, Muzaffarnagar found that the date as furnished by the appellant was wrong and hence, he is said to have initiated an investigation by an FIR numbered as 94 of 2024 before the Police Station Chhapar produced as Annexure P4. Subsequently, a charge-sheet has been filed, produced as Annexure P5, on which cognizance is said to have been taken as per Annexure P6 by the learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate-I Muzaffarnagar.

4. The appellant contends that there were disputes with her sister and civil suits were pending between them. A settlement was arrived at, despite which the sister has instigated the filing of the above complaint. In fact, the appellant’s case was that she was informed by her sister about her mother’s death and she only made an application on the bona fide belief that the date was correct. She also submits that she had made the application through a Jan Sewa Kendra as she is not technically savvy.

5. Admittedly, the certificate is issued by the Competent Authority of the Panchayati Raj Vibhag and there cannot be found any forgery or criminal breach of trust in the issuance of the certificate. That the wrong date was furnished cannot lead to an allegation of an offence under Section 420 or Section 465 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC). In any event, the date of death was corrected and there is no allegation against the appellant that she used the death certificate to get any benefits. The date could also be a mistake, since the actual death was on 20.11.2019 and the date of death furnished by the appellant was 21.11.2019.

6. We are of the opinion that no useful purpose would be served in continuing the prosecution. We hence quash the proceedings in Case No.16720 of 2024; arising from the Crime No.94 of 2024, pending before the learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court-I, Muzaffarnagar.

7. The appeal is allowed.

8. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand rejected.

.......…….……………………. J.
(J. B. PARDIWALA)

....……….……………………. J.
(K. VINOD CHANDRAN)

NEW DELHI;
OCTOBER 12, 2026.