Top court quashes FIR and charge-sheet filed against Sasikala Pushpa

NEW DELHI: On Tuesday, as a relief to Sasikala Pushpa who is the expelled AIADMK Rajya Sabha member, the Supreme Court had quashed an FIR and charge-sheet which was filed against her for allegedly forging documents in her anticipatory bail petition.

The top court has also granted her protection from any coercive action in the other two criminal cases which are related to alleged sexual harassment of her family help and damage to property.

A Bench of justices which was comprised of R. Banumathi and S. Abdul Nazeer said there was no prima facie evidence to show that the appellants (Ms. Pushpa and others) had any intention to cause damage, injury or any other acts.

"Since the disputed version in the vakalatnama appears to be an inadvertent mistake with no intention to make misrepresentation, in our view, the direction of the High Court to lodge a criminal complaint against the appellants cannot be sustained and the same is liable to be set aside. The FIR and the charge sheet are quashed only in the facts and circumstances of the present case and to meet the ends of justice. It is made clear that taking advantage of quashing of the case, the appellants shall not resort to any further consequential proceedings," the bench said.

As the bench was told that, the accused had reached a compromise with the victim over the sexual harassment case against Ms. Pushpa and others, based on this they have decided to move to the High Court for quashing of the case.

"We are not inclined to go into the merits of the said matter, except to extend interim protection granted to the appellants in Crime No.5/2016 till the disposal of the said case," it said.

However, the top court, while dealing with the third case of damage to properties against Pushpa and others, it has said that the anticipatory bail has already been granted to her and others. The cases were registered against Ms. Pushpa, her husband R Lingeswara Thilagam and son Pradeep Raja.