ABDUL WAHAB ANSARI vs STATE OF BIHAR . — Crl.A. No. 885/2000

Case Summary: Abdul Wahab Ansari v. State of Bihar The Supreme Court allowed the appeal and quashed criminal proceedings against appellant Ansari, a public servant who ordered police firing during an encroachment removal operation in July 1993, resulting in one death and two injuries. The Court held that Section 197 CrPC (requiring government sanction for prosecuting public servants for acts done in official duty) applied to Ansari's actions, as he was acting under magistrate's orders to remove the encroachment and control the mob. Critically, the Court clarified that objections under Section 197 can be raised at any stage of proceedings, not merely at charge-framing, and quashed the cognizance taken without prior sanction. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.