Supreme Court quashes FIR in case against former Gujarat Assistant Solicitor General and Senior Advocate IH Syed

The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed a first information report (FIR) registered against former Assistant Solicitor General (ASG) and Senior Advocate IH Syed in a case filed against him for extortion, wrongful confinement and other offences. [IH Syed v. State of Gujarat].A Bench of Justice AS Bopanna and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra also set aside the Gujarat High Court order dated June 2, 2022 which had refused to quash complaint.The apex court, upon reviewing the affidavit presented before it, observed that the complainant took Syed's name due to a misunderstanding. After realizing the mistake, he decided not to proceed with the complaint against the senior lawyer."Therefore, if this additional aspect of the matter is kept in view and the order passed by the High Court is taken into consideration, we are of the opinion that in the present facts and circumstances, the FIR as against the appellant herein, would not be appropriate and all further action unnecessary. Therefore, the prayer as made, is to be accepted. Accordingly, the order impugned herein is set aside," the top court directed..In May last year, an additional sessions court denied anticipatory bail to Syed in the case. On June 2, the Gujarat High Court had refused to quash the complaint.Syed then moved an application before the High Court apprehending arrest for the offences of offences of extortion, criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, rioting, voluntarily causing hurt, intentional insult, criminal intimidation and wrongful confinement.On June 13 last year, the High Court had granted anticipatory bail to Syed, noting that the case seemed to have been instituted with the aim to injure or humiliate him, particularly since he was a soft target..As per the prosecution, Syed and other accused forced the informant to sign an agreement that was contrary to his own interests, and on his refusal, they abused him.It was also alleged that the informant’s family was threatened and that he was intimidated with the threat of a fake rape case..Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmedi along with Advocates Devvrat, Abid Ali Beeran P, Aniq Kadri and Sarath S Janardanan appeared for Syed.Advocates Swati Ghildiyal, Deepanwita Priyanka, Devyani Bhatt and Ishaan George appeared for respondent..[Read Order]