Supreme Court Refuses to Club 53 FIRs in ₹49 Crore Investor Fraud Case, Stresses Victims’ Rights

May 21, 2026 : The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a plea seeking consolidation of 53 FIRs registered across seven States in connection with an alleged ₹49 crore investment fraud case, observing that courts cannot ignore the rights of victims in the name of speedy trial or consolidation of proceedings.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi was hearing a plea filed by accused Upendra Nath Mishra and Kali Prasad Mishra.

Senior advocate Aman Lekhi, appearing for the accused, relied on previous Supreme Court judgments where multiple FIRs in large fraud cases had been consolidated. However, the Bench was not persuaded by the submissions, leading to the withdrawal of the plea.

The criminal cases against the accused are pending in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Andhra Pradesh.

During the hearing, the Bench observed that every case of fraud is separate and distinct because each involves different victims and different amounts allegedly cheated, even if the accused persons are common in all cases.

Refusing to order consolidation of the FIRs, the Court remarked that the judicial system had often overlooked the plight of victims while adopting a pro-accused approach in such matters. The Chief Justice also referred to recent amendments in criminal laws, noting that victims’ rights now receive statutory recognition.

The Bench further clarified that FIRs relating to separate acts of cheating and conspiracy cannot be clubbed merely for convenience of investigation or trial. Justice Bagchi observed that offences involving fraud, cheating and conspiracy constitute distinct crimes and questioned why victims should be made to suffer because of consolidation.