Madras High Court Dismisses Woman’s Plea Seeking To Register FIR To Defame Her

The Madras High Court dismissed a woman’s plea seeking registration of an FIR alleging defamation. The petitioner claimed certain statements and social media posts tarnished her reputation. The Court held that registration of FIRs is not automatic; complaints must demonstrate prima facie cognizable offences under Section 500 of the IPC for defamation. The bench emphasized that FIRs cannot be used as instruments for personal vendetta or to curb freedom of expression, citing precedents such as State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal. Since the petitioner failed to establish actionable defamation, the Court refused relief. The ruling reinforces judicial caution against misuse of criminal procedure to suppress speech or harass individuals without clear evidence of illegality.