Crl.O.P.(MD)No.12544 of 2023 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT RESERVED ON: 22.06.2026 PRONOUNCED ON: 14.07.2026 CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE P.DHANABAL Crl.O.P.(MD)No.12544 of 2023 and Crl. M.P. (MD) No.9816 of 2023 S. Meenakshi Sub Registrar, Kallikudi Sub Registrar Office, Madurai District. .. Petitioner / Accused No.11 Vs. State represented by: The Inspector of Police, District Crime Branch, Anti Land Grabbing Special Cell, Madurai District. [Cr. No.12 of 2023] .. Respondent / Complainant. 2. M. Rasu S/o. Mokkaiya Thevar… 2nd Respondent / Defactocomplainant. PRAYER : Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. to call for records pertaining to the case in Cr. No.12 of 2023 on the file of the 1st respondent and to quash the same as against the petitioner. For Petitioner : Mr. Krishna Doss K.P. For R-1 : N. Balasubramanian Counsel for State of TN, (Crl. Side) [for R1] 1/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.(MD)No.12544 of 2023 Mr. R. Shankar Ganesh [for R2] ORDER This Criminal Original Petition has been filed to quash the proceedings in Cr. No.12 of 2023 on the file of the 1st respondent police. 2. The 2nd respondent herein has filed the petition before the Judicial Magistrate, Special Court for Land Grabbing Cases, Madurai in Crl. M.P. No.598 of 2022 as against 18 persons for the alleged offences of impersonation, forging of documents and the said complaint was forwarded to the respondent police for taking appropriate action and based on the said complaint, a case in Cr. No.12 of 2023 for the offences under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 419 read with 34 and 109 of IPC has been registered, wherein this petitioner has been arrayed as A11. The allegations against the petitioner is that while she was working as Sub-Registrar, Perayur, Madurai District, at that time, she registered a Settlement Deed in Doc. No.24 of 2022 dated 04.01.2022. On the date of registration of Settlement Deed, the parties have produced the requisite documents and no any objection has been raised by any person, thereby while acting as Sub-Registrar, the petitioner has registered the Settlement Deed. Due to the property dispute 2/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.(MD)No.12544 of 2023 between the defacto complainant and other accused, this petitioner has been falsely roped into this case and the petitioner acted as per rules and there are no documents made out as against the petitioner and thereby prayed to quash the proceedings as against the petitioner. 3. The learned counsel for State of Tamil Nadu (Crl Side) appearing for the 1st respondent would submit that based on the complaint lodged by the defacto complainant, the 1st respondent police have registered a case in Cr. No.12 of 2023 for the offences under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 419 read with 34 and 109 of IPC and the case is under investigation and hence prayed to dismiss the petition. 4. The learned counsel for the 2nd respondent would submit that without any title, A1 executed a Settlement Deed in favour of the A2 and the same has been registered by the petitioner herein and therefore, he lodged a complaint before the 1st respondent police. Based on the said complaint, the 1st respondent has registered a case in Cr. No.12 of 2023 for the offences under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 419 read with 34 and 109 of IPC and the case is now pending investigation and at this stage, the petition is not maintainable and hence the same is liable to be dismissed. 3/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.(MD)No.12544 of 2023 5. Heard both sides and perused the materials available on record. 6. On a perusal of records, it is seen that the 2nd respondent lodged a complaint against the petitioner and others for the property dispute and the allegations against the petitioner is that she has only registered the document. Mere registering the document will not constitute any offence. The alleged occurrence took place while the petitioner was acting as a Government Servant as ‘Sub Registrar’ and it is her duty to register the document, if it is in order. There is no any specific allegation against the petitioner to constitute the offence. The petitioner has also verified the documents and thereafter only registered the documents and mere registration of document is not sufficient to constitute offence and thereby, there are no materials against the petitioner to constitute the offence and thereby pending FIR as against the petitioner is nothing but abuse of process of law. 7. The present complaint has been lodged to settle the property dispute between the parties by including a Government Servant who registered the Settlement Deed and thereby, the pending proceedings against the petitioner without any criminal intention is nothing but abuse of process 4/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.(MD)No.12544 of 2023 of law, thereby the pending FIR is liable to be quashed as against the petitioner. 8. Accordingly, this Criminal Original Petition is allowed. The FIR pending in Cr. No.12 of 2023 on the file of the 1st respondent police is quashed. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is closed. 14.07.2026 NCC : Yes/No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes / No mjs To 1. The Inspector of Police, District Crime Branch, Anti Land Grabbing Special Cell, Madurai District. 2.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. 5/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.(MD)No.12544 of 2023 P.DHANABAL,J. mjs Pre-Delivery order in Crl.O.P.(MD)No.12544 of 2023 6/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.O.P.(MD)No.12544 of 2023 14.07.2026 7/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis