State Of Orissa Through Kumar ... vs Genesh Chandra Jew

The Supreme Court held that the provisions of Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, do not apply to the actions of the appellants, who are officers of the Orissa State Forest Department, in the context of the allegations made against them under the Orissa Forest Act, 1972, and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The Court emphasized that the complaint was not an abuse of process and that the High Court's decision to reject the appellants' plea for protection under Section 197 was justified. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, affirming the lower court's ruling.