The Supreme Court emphasized that the railways are a key part of the country’s infrastructure, and any attempts to disrupt the ticketing system must be firmly stopped. Highlighting the importance of a smooth and secure system, the court urged strong measures to prevent such threats. The railways play a crucial role in connecting the nation and supporting its economy. Safeguarding its ticketing system is vital to ensuring efficiency and public trust.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court emphasized the critical role of Indian Railways in the country’s infrastructure, stating,
“Any effort to disrupt the integrity and stability of the ticketing system has to be stopped on its tracks.”
This declaration came from a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Prashant Kumar Mishra while hearing two separate appeals involving individuals accused of ticketing fraud.
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The court noted,
“The Indian Railways is a keystone of our country’s infrastructure, carrying around 673 crore passengers annually and having a significant impact on the economy.”
The appeals focused on the interpretation of Section 143 of the Railways Act, 1989, which imposes penalties for unauthorized ticket procurement and supply activities.
The first appeal contested a Kerala High Court ruling that quashed criminal proceedings against Mathew K Cheriian, who was accused of creating fraudulent user IDs on the IRCTC portal to illegally obtain and sell railway tickets. The second appeal came from J Ramesh, who challenged a Madras High Court decision that refused to dismiss similar proceedings against him. Ramesh, an authorized agent, was accused of supplying e-tickets booked through multiple user IDs.
The Supreme Court ruled that Cheriian, not being an authorized agent, should face proceedings under Section 143 of the Railways Act.
It stated,
“Any breach has to be remedied by civil action and not criminal action,”
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Concluding that while Cheriian must face legal action, Ramesh could not be prosecuted under the same section for alleged breaches of contract terms.
The court quashed the criminal proceedings against Ramesh, asserting,
“Section 143… penalises the actions of only the unauthorised agents and not the unauthorised actions of the authorised agents.”
Consequently, it determined that Ramesh could not be attributed with any offense based on the facts presented.
Indian Railways is the fourth-largest railway network in the world, managed by the Ministry of Railways, Government of India. It serves as the backbone of India’s transport system, connecting urban and rural areas and supporting the movement of passengers and freight across the country.