After Nearly 34 Days’ Inaction, Madras HC Sends Sub-Registrar’s Property-Forgery Complaint To Another Inspector, Orders Departmental Proceedings Against Current Inspector

The petitioner complained that documents concerning his property had been forged and used to execute a sale in favour of Vanaja.

The Sub-Registrar, acting on the petitioner’s complaint, sent a letter dated 5 October 2026 to the Inspector of Police requesting action.

The petitioner alleged that the police had not acted on that communication and sought a direction to consider his representation dated 21 October 2026.

In response to the Court’s inquiry, the Inspector gave inconsistent accounts about whether he had sought a legal opinion; he ultimately acknowledged that he had not.

The Court recorded that the complaint had remained unattended for nearly 34 days.

The Court did not cite a specific statutory provision or precedent. The petition invoked the High Court’s jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution.

The order applied the general principle that a police authority receiving a complaint requesting criminal action must address it in accordance with law; it also treated unexplained inaction and contradictory accounts by the responsible officer as grounds for administrative and departmental action.

The Sub-Registrar, a public authority, had formally reported suspected forgery in public records and requested police action.

Despite receiving that communication, the Inspector had not acted and gave inconsistent explanations about obtaining a legal opinion.

The Court considered the delay and the Inspector’s conduct unsatisfactory and concluded that the complaint should be handled by another Inspector, while the original Inspector’s lapses should be addressed through departmental proceedings.

The Superintendent of Police was also directed to initiate appropriate departmental proceedings against the Inspector and bring them to a logical conclusion at the earliest, submitting a report to the Court within three months of receiving a copy of the order.