Bombay HC Slams Cyber Crime Officer For Producing Imposter Complainant In TV Show Case

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court recently expressed serious displeasure over the conduct of a Cyber Crime Police officer who presented an imposter as a complainant in a case against a television channel’s show.

HC Questions Authenticity of Complainant in FIR Against TV Show

A bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad noted that the FIR in question was filed by one Sunil Sharma, who alleged that the show, which revolves around a 50-year-old man falling in love with a 20-year-old woman, hurt his sentiments.

The court was informed that the Cyber Crime unit had issued a communication on July 3 to the show’s makers indicating that the enquiry had been closed. However, the production team submitted that when their representative visited the complainant’s listed address, the security guard said no one by that name resided there.

Cyber Crime Officer Brings Wrong Person to Court; Signatures Don't Match

In light of this, the court on July 8 directed nodal officer Prafull Wagh to produce the original complainant, Sunil Sharma, along with his Aadhar Card, Voter ID, and Ration Card on July 16.

However, on July 16, officer Wagh brought a man who introduced himself as Sunil Mahendra Sharma. Upon scrutiny, his documents revealed his actual name to be Mahendra Sanjay Sharma. Matters worsened when the court asked him to sign on a blank sheet — all three signatures differed and none matched the one on the original complaint.

Court Labels Conduct as ‘Very Disturbing’ and a Blow to Judicial Integrity

Calling the episode “very disturbing,” the court said: “Any attempt to hoodwink the Court and produce an imposter with the object to snatch an order based on misinformation or wrong information cannot be countenanced.”

The judges added: “Even if this man claims to be the complainant, it is clearly a blatant lie. Our judicial conscience is shocked by the conduct of this police officer.”

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HC Directs Officer and Imposter to File Affidavits by July 24

The bench further noted that providing false evidence or misleading the court is a serious offence, invoking provisions under Sections 215 and 379 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

Both officer Wagh and the imposter have now been directed to file affidavits explaining their stance by July 24. The HC has kept the matter for hearing on July 28.