Court Restrains State from Proceeding with Successive FIRs Against Petitioner Until Further Hearing
In a significant ruling, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the State of Haryana to halt proceedings on multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against Dhruv Dutt Sharma, the petitioner, in a contentious landlord-tenant dispute. The case, presided over by Justice Subhas Mehla, addresses allegations of harassment through the strategic filing of multiple FIRs against Sharma concerning the non-payment of rent.
Dhruv Dutt Sharma, represented by Senior Advocate Mr. R.S. Rai along with a team of advocates, argued that the registration of five separate FIRs in relation to disputes over five shops in a single complex amounts to an abuse of legal process. The petitioner contends that the successive FIRs are a deliberate attempt to harass him by ensuring continuous arrests, even if bail is secured in one case.
The High Court acknowledged the concerns raised by the petitioner and referenced precedents set by the Supreme Court and its own previous rulings. In particular, the court considered the principles laid down in the case of State (NCT) of Delhi v. Khimji Bhai Jadeja, a 2026 Supreme Court decision, and a prior judgment in Ashish Bhalla v. State of Haryana from August 2025.
Justice Subhas Mehla issued a notice of motion for April 8, 2026, and instructed the State not to proceed with any FIRs other than the first one, FIR No. 262 of 2025, which is registered under Sections 409, 420, and 120B of the Indian Penal Code at Police Station Civil Lines, Gurugram. This interim relief is intended to protect the petitioner from what has been described as successive arrests, thus preventing potential misuse of the criminal justice system.
The court's decision underscores the judiciary's role in ensuring that legal processes are not manipulated to serve as tools of harassment. The matter remains pending, with the court awaiting a response from the State and other involved parties.
Bottom Line:
Multiple FIRs registered against petitioner in relation to landlord-tenant disputes regarding non-payment of rent considered harassment. State directed not to proceed with other FIRs except the first one until the next date of hearing.
Statutory provision(s): Section 409, Section 420, Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code
Dhruv Dutt Sharma v. State of Haryana, (Punjab And Haryana) : Law Finder Doc id # 2871107
