NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on a woman for misusing the judicial process and concealing material facts in a petition alleging unauthorised construction at a property in Karol Bagh.
Justice Mini Pushkarna observed that the petitioner deliberately suppressed key information, including the fact that a civil suit on the same issue was already pending before a trial court.
The Court also noted that the woman did not reside at the disputed property, which had been lying vacant for over two decades.
The Court held that any litigant who makes false statements or hides crucial facts to mislead the judiciary renders their petition liable to dismissal. “Any party which makes a false statement, suppresses material facts, or attempts to mislead the Court, their writ petition is liable to be dismissed on this ground alone,” the bench stated.
Justice Pushkarna further said that the woman had been repeatedly approaching one of the respondents with an apparent intent to extort money under the guise of raising complaints about unauthorized construction.
“There is no doubt that this Court takes serious note of unauthorised construction. However, this does not give anyone the right to blackmail complainants.Such conduct is a gross abuse of the legal process,” the Court added.
