In this judgment, Supreme Court held that, Law does not prohibit entertaining the petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. for quashing the charge sheet even before the charges are framed or before the application of discharge is filed or even during its pendency of such application before the court concerned.

In the para 12,

12. In view thereof, if any person has forged in a letter under the name of the Samithi and forged the signature of Shri M.A. Khan, M.P., the matter being of grave nature requires investigation and, in view of above, we cannot find fault with the action initiated against Umesh Kumar, appellant. Once criminal law is put in motion and after investigation the charge sheet is filed, it requires scrutiny in the court of law. However, before the  charges could be framed, Umesh Kumar, appellant, approached the High Court under Section 482 Cr.P.C. for quashing of the charge sheet. The scope of Section 482 Cr.P.C. is well defined and inherent powers could be exercised by the High Court to give effect to an order under the Cr.P.C.; to prevent abuse of the process of court; and to otherwise secure the ends of justice. This extraordinary power is to be exercised ex debito justitiae. However, in exercise of such powers, it is not permissible for the High Court to appreciate the evidence as it can only evaluate material documents on record to the extent of its prima facie satisfaction about the existence of sufficient ground for proceedings against the accused and the court cannot look into  materials, the acceptability of which is essentially a matter for trial. Any document filed along with the petition labelled as evidence without being tested and proved, cannot be examined. Law does not prohibit entertaining the petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. for quashing the charge sheet even before the charges are framed or before the application of discharge is filed or even during its pendency of such application before the court  concerned. The High Court cannot reject the application merely on the ground that the accused can argue legal and factual issues at the time of the framing of the charge. However, the inherent power of the court should not be exercised to stifle the legitimate prosecution but can be exercised to save the accused to undergo the agony of a criminal trial. (Vide: Pepsi Food Ltd. & Anr. v. Special Judicial Magistrate & Ors., AIR 1998 SC 128; Ashok Chaturvedi & Ors. v. Shitulh Chanchani & Anr. AIR 1998 SC 2796; G. Sagar Suri & Anr. v. State of U.P. & Ors., AIR 2000 SC 754; and Padal Venkata Rama Reddy @ Ramu v. Kovvuri Satyanarayana Reddy & Ors., (2011) 12 SCC 437)

Citations: [JT 2013 (12) SC 213], [2014 ALL SCR 661], [2013 AD SC 9 581], [2014 AIR SC 1106], [2014 AJR 1 350], [2014 ALD CRI 1 304], [2014 ALLCC 84 850], [2014 ALT CRL AP 1 479], [2013 JLJR 4 151], [2013 KLJ 4 334], [2013 PLJR 4 284], [2015 RLW SC 1 391], [2013 SCALE 11 28], [2013 SCC 10 591], [2014 SCC L&S 2 237], [2014 SCJ 2 209], [2013 UC 3 1918], [2014 SCC CRI 1 338], [2013 SCC ONLINE SC 809], [2013 AIC 130 53], [2013 SUPREME 6 323], [2013 AIOL 584], [2013 AIR SC 6062], [2013 SLT 7 656], [2013 AIR SCW 6062]

Other Sources:

https://indiankanoon.org/doc/194914590/

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/in/5609af3fe4b0149711415ef0