Conversion of civil disputes to criminal cases in U.P. is ‘absurd’, shows complete breakdown of rule of law, says CJI-OxBig News Network

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Monday (April 7, 2025) found it “absurd” that ordinary civil disputes are being converted to criminal cases “day in and day out in Uttar Pradesh”, reflecting a complete breakdown of the law and order machinery in the State.
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Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Monday (April 7, 2025) found it “absurd” that ordinary civil disputes are being converted to criminal cases “day in and day out in Uttar Pradesh”, reflecting a complete breakdown of the law and order machinery in the State.

“Every day, civil suits are being converted to criminal cases. It is absurd. Disputes over civil issues cannot be turned into offences… There is a complete breakdown of rule of law in Uttar Pradesh. Converting a civil matter into a criminal case is not acceptable,” Chief Justice Khanna, heading a three-judge Bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan, observed.

The remarks came during the hearing of an appeal filed by two men, Debu Singh and Deepak Singh, against an Allahabad High Court decision declining to quash a criminal case filed against them.

The duo who was facing a cheque bounce case suddenly found themselves charge sheeted for criminal offences, including breach of trust, intimidation and criminal conspiracy. Their counsel said the registration of criminal cases was a ploy to reach a speedy resolution as civil disputes take a long time to conclude.

The apex court Bench stayed the criminal proceedings against the two men, but said the case against the dishonoured cheque would continue.

The Chief Justice said the police officer investigating the case should be made to stand in the witness box during trial to explain his move to make a matter of cheque bounce into a criminal case.

“Let the investigating officer stand in the witness box and make out a case of crime. Let him learn his lesson. This is not the way you file chargesheets. It is strange that these things are happening day in and day out in Uttar Pradesh. Lawyers have forgotten there is a civil jurisdiction also,” Chief Justice Khanna said.

The court directed the Director General of Police and the investigating officer to file affidavits in two weeks, giving reasons for setting the criminal law in motion in a civil dispute against the two men. The court listed the case for May 5.