Cricketer Rameez Nemat told the Supreme Court that UP Police keep filing fresh FIRs, even invoking the Gangsters Act, each time he secures bail. The Court continued interim protection, allowing both sides to be heard in detail.
New Delhi: On August 25, the Supreme Court recently heard the petition of cricketer Rameez Nemat, who has accused the Uttar Pradesh Police of continuous harassment by lodging fresh FIRs against him and his wife every time they are granted bail in earlier cases.
Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for Nemat, strongly criticized the action of the police. She argued before the Bench that,
“UP Police are misusing law, slapping repeated FIRs (incl. Gangsters Act) each time bail is granted. Out of 15 cases, the applicant is complainant in just one. I’m ready to stand trial, not seeking quashing.”
The Bench, headed by Justice Surya Kant, carefully noted the submissions but emphasized that the rights of the complainant also need to be considered.
The judge observed,
“Victim must be heard. Impleadment allowed, but that doesn’t mean he is a victim.”
After hearing both sides, the Court passed an order directing the petitioner to file a rejoinder within three weeks. The Court also clarified that the applicant in the interlocutory application will be allowed to assist the Court in the proceedings.
The order read,
“Petitioner may file rejoinder in 3 weeks. Applicant in IA can assist Court. Matter to be posted on a non-miscellaneous day. Interim protection to continue.”
This direction by the Supreme Court means that the interim protection granted earlier to Nemat will remain in place, safeguarding him from any immediate coercive action by the police.
The matter will now be heard in detail on a regular hearing day, where both the petitioner and the complainant’s side will get an opportunity to present their arguments.
By allowing the impleadment of the complainant, but clarifying that it does not automatically mean the complainant is a “victim,” the Court has tried to strike a balance between the accused’s allegations of harassment and the complainant’s right to be heard.
Background of the Case
Rameez Nemat, a professional cricketer, has been facing multiple criminal cases in Uttar Pradesh for the last few years. According to him, most of these cases were lodged by rivals and are politically or personally motivated.
He claims that after he and his wife managed to secure bail in earlier FIRs, the police deliberately booked them again in fresh cases, including under the UP Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, to ensure that they remain trapped in the criminal justice system.
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Out of the 15 FIRs filed, Nemat himself is a complainant in only one case. In the rest, he alleges that he has been falsely implicated.
His grievance is not against facing trial, but against what he calls a “cycle of harassment,” where bail orders are effectively made useless by slapping new FIRs each time. He therefore approached the Supreme Court seeking protection and fair treatment.
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