Introduction:

The Supreme Court intervenes to quash an FIR against a Belgian citizen, Peter Van Geit, in connection with the tragic death of 13 trekkers during a forest fire near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border in 2018. Organizing the ill-fated trek through his website, Van Geit faced accusations under IPC Sections 304 A and 338. The Madras High Court initially declined to quash the FIR, citing a duty owed by the appellant as the trek’s organizer. Disagreeing with this perspective, the Supreme Court, in a decisive ruling, absolves Van Geit of any criminal liability, attributing the deaths to an unforeseen act of nature.

Arguments:

The appellant, Peter Van Geit, contested the allegations, asserting that he merely facilitated the trek and was unaware of the forest fire. The Madras High Court maintained that the appellant, as the trek’s organizer, bore responsibility for ensuring compliance with approved paths. The High Court emphasized the need for a trial to determine the petitioner’s innocence, given the tragic loss of life.

Court’s Judgement:

A Division bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih delivered a noteworthy verdict, disagreeing with the High Court’s stance. The Supreme Court deemed the trekker’s deaths as an act of nature, absolving Van Geit of any negligence or criminal intent. The ruling emphasized the lack of awareness among the organizers, including the appellant, regarding the forest fire. Relying on precedent, the Court invoked the State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal to quash the proceedings against Peter Van Geit.