M. S. SHERIFF vs THE STATE OF MADRAS AND OTHERS.

The Supreme Court held that an appeal is competent under Section 476B of the Criminal Procedure Code from a High Court's order directing the filing of a perjury complaint. The Court established that simultaneous civil and criminal proceedings regarding the same matter can embarrass the accused, thus criminal proceedings should generally take precedence and civil proceedings should be stayed until the criminal matter is resolved. The appeal was allowed, affirming the High Court's directive for prosecution for perjury.