Is quashing still possible after a charge-sheet? Filing a charge-sheet does not, by itself, extinguish the High Court’s inherent powers under BNSS section 528. Relief remains exceptional and depends on the legal grounds, the allegations and the procedural stage.

After the police report, examine more than the FIR: witness statements, annexures, cognizance, charge orders and applicable special statutes. A disputed defence version normally needs evidence at the appropriate stage. Quashing should not be treated as a miniature trial.

Consider whether discharge, bail or trial defence is the more appropriate remedy. A commercial dispute labelled “cheating” needs scrutiny of the alleged dishonest intention and statutory ingredients; the civil nature of one aspect is not always conclusive.

Documents: complete police report, orders, pleadings from earlier proceedings, chronology and relevant original records. Practical point: A targeted petition identifying the precise legal defect is more useful than a generic assertion that the complaint is false.

Verify the current statutory text at India Code.