Former CJI UU Lalit highlights the growing concern over false allegations against men and urges a balanced justice system. He warns that society has both “Sita Maiyas and Surpanakhas,” stressing the need to protect innocent individuals from wrongful prosecution.
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NEW DELHI: Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) UU Lalit has sparked an important conversation about fairness in the criminal justice system, emphasising that while women’s rights remain crucial, men’s issues also deserve attention. Speaking on November 16, 2025, at the Ekam Nyaay Conference – Shaping an Equal and Just Bharat, held at the Constitution Club of India ahead of International Men’s Day, he urged the nation to recognise the reality of false accusations and the need to protect innocent individuals.
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Drawing from references in the Ramayana, Justice Lalit noted:
“There are Sita maiyas but there are Surpanakhas as well in the society… one has to galvanise the machinery to ensure that innocents are not dragged into court or prosecuted.”
He stressed that not all undertrial prisoners are guilty, highlighting a troubling statistic: Four in five individuals facing criminal charges eventually walk free after acquittal.
This, he said, signals an urgent need for systemic reforms to prevent the prosecution of innocent people.
Justice Lalit acknowledged that the law rightly gives the highest respect to the victim’s statement in rape cases, but also argued that mechanisms must exist to address false cases:
“If there is a false accusation, the charge of false or malicious prosecution should not be left for a second trial… The presiding officer can record a finding that the false accuser must be punished.”
He highlighted common scenarios where consensual relationships between young adults deteriorate, later leading to allegations of exploitation or rape. While some complaints may be genuine, he said, the “shades of grey” must be handled with care to ensure innocent men are not unnecessarily arrested or prosecuted.
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Bombay High Court’s Justice Sadhana Sanjay Jadhav delivered a bold critique of long-standing assumptions that women never fabricate allegations. She questioned:
“A woman would never humiliate herself by making a false allegation… But I ask, why not?”
Justice Jadhav also drew attention to the collateral damage inflicted by false charges:
“When a man is accused, it’s not he alone who suffers. It is his children, his parents, his siblings, his entire world.”
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At the conference, Justice Lalit and Justice Jadhav released the Ekam Nyaay Foundation’s Annual Report.
Founder Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj showcased the organisation’s work in supporting men and families devastated by false accusations:
“We hold their hands from the moment they break down… so many men and their parents call us, unable to breathe under the pressure of stigma.”
Bhardwaj shared that in the past year, the foundation counselled over 2,000 men, facilitated the arrest of 37 offenders and false accusers, helped families file 24 FIRs, conducted three major research studies, published over 123 articles, and generated more than 700 million views across social media platforms.
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