Madhushree Datta Vs State of Karnataka & Anr. (Supreme Court of India)
Supreme Court held that illegal termination of employment constitutes a civil dispute rather than criminal intimidation. Accordingly, appeal allowed and chargesheet against the appellants are quashed.
Facts- The accused appellants – Madhushree Datta and Badrinarayana Jaganathan – have taken exception to the impugned order by presenting these appeals. The second respondent as complainant lodged a complaint dated 26th October, 2013 with the Sub-Inspector of Police, H.A.L. Police Station, Marathahalli, Bangalore, against M/s Juniper Networks India Private Limited and the appellants.
The complainant asserted that she was employed as a Technical System Analyst at the Company, where she was subjected to ongoing harassment by the management. She claimed that she was coerced into resigning under duress, with the threat of immediate termination if she did not comply. The first accused, allegedly instructed the complainant not to return to work and confiscated her personal belongings, including her laptop, bag, wallet, money, credit cards et cetera.
More than 2 (two) months later, a First Information Report was lodged by the complainant accusing the Company and the appellants of having committed offences punishable u/s. 323, 504, 506, 509, 511 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. The FIR states that the Company, along with the first accused, subjected the complainant to both physical and mental torture.
