Magistrate is empowered to take cognisance based on a Protest Petition even after rejecting Final Report: SC

The Supreme Court (SC), in an appeal filed against the order of Allahabad High Court directing the Magistrate not to proceed on the basis of protest petition, held that, where the police report is accepted and the accused person(s) are discharged, the Magistrate has the power to take cognizance of the offence on a protest petition on the same or similar allegations even after the acceptance of the final report.