Supreme Court Expands Scope of ‘Victim’ Under Criminal Law
Introduction: A Shift Towards Victim-Centric Criminal Justice In a significant ruling reinforcing victim rights in India’s criminal justice system, the Supreme Court has held that criminal revision proceedings do not automatically abate upon the death of the person who initiated them . The Court clarified that legal heirs or children of a deceased victim can continue such proceedings , provided they fall within the statutory definition of a “victim”. This judgment strengthens the victim-centric approach in criminal law and prevents substantive justice from being defeated by procedural technicalities. Factual Background of the Case The ruling arose from appeals filed by Syed Shahnawaz Ali , whose father had initiated criminal proceedings alleging that the accused had fabricated a sale deed to illegally claim ownership of his property . Key Facts: The trial court discharged the accused of several serious offences. The trial was permitted to continue only for the offence of cheating. Ag...