The Supreme Court said the courts cannot quash investigations in criminal offences in a casual manner as it would amount to miscarriage of justices and obstruction to the process of law. The apex court said the high courts can exercise its extraordinary powers under Section 482 CrPC to quash criminal cases only in exceptional cases and the power cannot be exercised in an arbitrary manner.

A bench of justices D K Jain and A R Dave gave the ruling while upholding an appeal by the Orissa Government challenging the state high court's decision to quash the probe initiated by the Vigilance Department of the state government into the allegations of irregularities in the receipt of excess quota, recycling of rice and distress sale of paddy by a Rice Mill in the state.