The Supreme Court of India has quashed the FIR and legal proceedings against Belgian national Peter Van Geit in relation to the tragic death of 13 individuals during a trekking expedition in the Kurangani hills of Tamil Nadu back in March 2018.

In a verdict delivered by a bench comprising Justice B V Nagarathna and Justice A G Masih, the apex court meticulously examined the circumstances surrounding the case. The court observed that Peter Van Geit, as the head of an NGO, was solely responsible for facilitating the trekking expedition and bore no culpability for the devastating forest fire that resulted in the loss of lives.

The bench's decision was a direct response to an appeal filed by Geit against the verdict of the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, which had previously declined to quash the FIR and ongoing proceedings against him. The charges leveled against Geit under sections 304-A and 338 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) were deemed inapplicable by the Supreme Court.

Section 304-A of the IPC deals with negligence leading to death, while Section 338 pertains to causing grievous harm through actions endangering life. However, the court asserted that these charges were unjustly imposed, given that the deaths resulted from a forest fire, an uncontrollable natural disaster, and not from any negligent or criminal act on Geit's part.

The apex court emphasized that neither Geit nor the trekking expedition participants were aware of the impending blaze, which engulfed them unexpectedly. The tragedy was deemed an unfortunate accident rather than the consequence of any wrongdoing or negligence attributable to Geit.

The bench further criticized the invocation of sections 304-A and 338 of the IPC against Geit, deeming it unwarranted. It underscored the need for the High Court to have quashed the FIR, charge sheet, and ongoing legal proceedings against him.

Consequently, the Supreme Court overturned the previous order of the High Court, thereby absolving Geit of any legal liability in the matter. The court took note of Geit's Belgian citizenship and his role in running a non-profit organization, and dispensed with the requirement of his personal appearance in the trial court.

The tragic incident, which occurred on March 11, 2018, resulted in the loss of 13 lives and injuries to several others. The bench acknowledged the severity of the forest fire, which trapped the trekking expedition participants, making escape impossible.

In defense of Geit, his legal counsel asserted that his involvement was limited to facilitating the trekking expedition through a tour agency and that he bore no responsibility for the tragic outcome. This argument resonated with the court, ultimately leading to the quashing of all charges against Geit.