Delhi High Court quashed an FIR against 70-year-old Lt. Gen. Inderjit Singh (Retd.), calling the sexual assault allegations “baseless and absurd.” The court said dragging senior citizens into false cases causes injustice to society.
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has given major relief to 70-year-old retired Army officer, Lt. Gen. Inderjit Singh, who was facing serious allegations of sexual assault. The court said that the claims against him were “baseless, absurd, and unsupported by any credible evidence.”
The complaint had alleged that Lt. Gen. Singh tried to sexual assault his woman neighbour in a public park. The complainant accused him of sexual assault, attempted rape, and inappropriate touching. But when the High Court carefully examined the case, it found that multiple independent witnesses, CCTV footage, and even the police’s own preliminary inquiry proved that the accusations were false.
Justice Amit Mahajan, while quashing the sexual assault FIR, made very strong remarks against such false cases. He said:
“It is shocking that a 70-year-old retired officer, who has served the nation with honour, should be subjected to allegations that are inherently improbable and lack any independent corroboration. No man, especially a senior citizen, should be humiliated or dragged into a criminal case without evidence.”
The court also explained that false sexual assault complaints can cause deep harm to men, especially elderly men. It pointed out that these kinds of cases bring emotional pain, social stigma, and permanent damage to reputation. The judge made it clear that while women’s safety is very important, this cannot become a reason to punish innocent men, especially those who have given their life to the service of the nation.
The High Court also reminded that when very serious offences like sexual assault are claimed, they cannot be made without strong proof. In this case, the court said that the videos, photographs, and witness statements all showed that there was no misconduct by Lt. Gen. Singh.
Finally, the court gave a powerful message that applies not just to this case but to society as a whole. It said that nobody, especially senior citizens and decorated officers, should face humiliation or harassment because of false allegations. The judgment concluded with these important words:
“Justice must protect innocence as fiercely as it protects women”.
Explanatory Table of Laws & Sections Mentioned / Relevant
| Law / Section | Provision (What It Covers) | Why It Matters in This Case |
| Indian Penal Code (IPC) – Section 354 | Outraging modesty of a woman by assault or criminal force (includes inappropriate touching, harassment). | The complainant accused Lt. Gen. Singh of this. Court found no evidence. |
| IPC – Section 376 (Attempted Rape) | Covers rape and attempts to commit rape. | The FIR alleged attempted rape, but CCTV and witnesses disproved it. |
| IPC – Section 323 | Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt (physical assault). | The complainant said there was physical assault. No proof was found. |
| IPC – Section 354A | Sexual harassment (unwelcome physical contact, demand/requests for sexual favours, showing pornography, etc.). | False sexual harassment allegations were claimed under this section. |
| Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) – Section 482 | High Court has power to quash an FIR if it finds that the case is false, baseless, or an abuse of legal process. | The Delhi High Court used this power to cancel the FIR against Lt. Gen. Singh. |
| General Principle of Law | Serious cognizable offences cannot be alleged without credible evidence. | Court emphasised that allegations of such nature must have strong proof like witnesses, documents, or CCTV. |
| Fundamental Rights – Article 21 (Right to Life and Dignity) | Ensures right to live with dignity and not face false harassment. | The court reminded that dragging innocent senior citizens in false cases is a violation of dignity and justice. |
Case Details
Court: High Court of Delhi at New Delhi
Case No.: CRL.M.C. 1716/2020
Judgment Date: 26 September 2025
Case Title: Lt Gen Inderjit Singh AVSM VSM (Retd.) v. State of NCT of Delhi & Anr.
Bench Coram: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Amit Mahajan
Counsels
- For the Petitioner (Lt. Gen. Inderjit Singh):
Mr. Saket Sikri, Mr. Gautam Khazanchi & Ms. Pooja Deepak, Advocates - For the State (Respondent No. 1):
Mr. Ajay Vikram Singh, Additional Public Prosecutor - For Respondent No. 2 (Complainant):
Mr. Archit Upadhayay, Advocate (DHCLSC)
Key Procedural Background
- The complaint by Respondent No. 2 was filed under Section 156(3) CrPC asking for registration of FIR against Lt. Gen. Singh.
- Allegations were under IPC Sections 376 r/w 511, 307, 320, 323, 339, 354, 354A, 354B, 355, 503, 506, 509.
- Trial Court directed FIR to be registered, holding that police failed to do so.
- Lt. Gen. Singh challenged the Magistrate’s order and the FIR before the Delhi High Court under Section 482 CrPC (inherent powers).
- High Court found the allegations inherently absurd, improbable, and not supported by independent evidence.
- FIR and Magistrate’s order were quashed on 26.09.2025
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