Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court has sought an explanation from the additional chief secretary (home) for not using the honorific ‘Hon’ble’ before a Union minister’s name in an FIR, questioning the police’s adherence to protocol.A division bench of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena passed the order on a petition filed by Harshit Sharma seeking the quashing of an FIR registered against him in Mathura. The court noted the police should have shown protocol by adding the honorific to the minister’s title in the FIR, even if the complainant didn’t use it.The HC, in its order dated Mar 31, observed, “The additional chief secretary, (home), govt of Uttar Pradesh, will have to explain on his affidavit why in the FIR the Hon’ble Union minister, whose name figures, has not been described with the usual honorific and at one point referred to just by his name without even using a basic prefix like Mr.”The HC has directed to put up this case on Apr 6 for the next hearing. The court was dealing with a plea seeking quashing of the FIR alleging criminal intimidation and criminal breach of trust.It is alleged that the accused had taken Rs 80 lakh from the complainant on the pretext of a job. They later failed to return the amount and allegedly threatened to kill him. The minister is not an accused in the case but his name finds mention in the FIR. TNN
