In a rare move, the Supreme Court of India has directed a woman IPS officer and her parents to issue a public apology to her former husband and his family for filing false criminal cases against them. The order, delivered on July 22, 2025, comes after the court found that the husband and his father were unjustly jailed for 109 and 103 days, respectively, due to the fabricated charges. The charges included serious allegations under Sections 498A (domestic cruelty), 307 (attempt to murder), and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih, emphasized that the suffering endured by the husband and his family could not be adequately compensated. The court deemed a public apology as a form of moral redress in this extraordinary situation. The apology must be published in a national edition of a renowned English and Hindi newspaper, as well as circulated on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The court specified that the apology should be tendered within three days of the order.
The Supreme Court also provided the exact wording of the apology, which the IPS officer and her parents must adhere to without any alterations. The directed apology acknowledges the hurt and annoyance caused to the husband's family due to the words, actions, and stories. It expresses an understanding that the allegations and legal battles have created animosity and deeply impacted their well-being. The apology expresses hope that it can be a step towards finding some peace and closure for all involved, and hopes for peace and an amicable future for both families.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court clarified that this apology should not be interpreted as an admission of liability and will not impact any legal rights, obligations, or consequences under the law. The court also directed the IPS officer to refrain from using her position or the influence of her colleagues against her former husband and his family in any future legal proceedings or actions. The Supreme Court cautioned the husband and his family against using the apology against the IPS officer in any future legal or administrative proceedings, warning that doing so would be considered contempt of court.
Exercising its authority under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court dissolved the marriage, as the couple had been living separately since October 2018 and there was no possibility of reconciliation. The court also quashed all pending criminal and civil litigations between the parties. The bench noted that both parties desired a peaceful resolution, including the matter of child custody. The mother was granted custody of the couple's daughter, while the father and his family were granted supervised visitation rights.
In addition to addressing the immediate case, the Supreme Court endorsed the guidelines established by the Allahabad High Court concerning the establishment of Family Welfare Committees (FWC) to prevent the misuse of Section 498A of the IPC, which deals with cruelty in matrimonial disputes. The court directed that these guidelines remain in effect and be implemented by the relevant authorities. The Allahabad High Court's guidelines, issued in 2022, aim to curb the increasing tendency to implicate the husband and his entire family through broad and sweeping allegations. These guidelines include a "cooling-off period" of two months after the lodging of an FIR or complaint, during which no arrests or police action should be taken.
