Supreme Court Says Document Not Forged Merely Because it is Not Traceable in Public Records

The Supreme Court held that a document cannot be termed forged merely because it is not traceable in official records after several years.

The case arose from an FIR alleging that the appellants submitted a forged letter from an Executive Magistrate to establish title in a property dispute.

The Allahabad HC had refused to quash the case. Setting aside that order, the Court observed that a document qualifies as forged only if it satisfies the ingredients of Section 464 IPC relating to making a false document.

It held that non-traceability alone does not establish forgery and quashed the criminal proceedings.

[Catalyst Trusteeship Ltd. v. Ecstasy Reality Pvt. Ltd]