Gurgaon Police Crack Down on False Complaints, Action Taken in 208 Cases Over the Past Year

Gurgaon, India – In a significant move to curb the filing of false complaints and the provision of false information, the Gurgaon police have taken action in 208 cases over the past year. The crackdown follows a growing trend where individuals, driven by personal enmity, the desire for undue benefits, or malicious intent, have filed baseless complaints with the police.

Vikas Arora, Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon, led the initiative by issuing directives to act under Section 182 of the Indian Penal Code and the more stringent Section 217 of its successor, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). These sections penalize the act of providing false information to a public servant. While the IPC previously prescribed a maximum prison term of six months and a fine of Rs 1,000 for such offenses, the BNS has increased the penalties, now including imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to Rs 10,000, or both.

Over the past year, action has been taken against 208 individuals who filed false complaints. In the current year alone (from January 1, 2024), 108 people have faced legal consequences for filing false complaints involving various serious crimes. These include 39 cases of rape, 10 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 16 for molestation, 22 for threats, four for snatching, four for theft, nine for assault, one for kidnapping, one for murder, one for money lending, and one under the SC/ST Act.

Commissioner Arora emphasized that the filing of false complaints not only wastes police resources but also violates legal provisions. “In some investigations, it was discovered that the complainant had filed a false complaint against someone out of enmity or other reasons, seeking unwarranted police action. This wasted police time and violated Section 217 BNS,” Arora said.

In a public communication, the Gurgaon police urged citizens to refrain from filing false complaints, stressing that the police are available 24/7 to assist and protect the public. The statement added, “In any suspicious situation, police assistance can be sought, but do not deliberately file any kind of false complaint or information; this is a legal offence.”

This initiative marks a strong stance by the Gurgaon police to maintain law and order and ensure that justice is served fairly and without misuse.