JODHPUR, Oct. 1 -- The Rajasthan high court has quashed two FIRs registered against Hanumangarh Independent MLA Ganesh Raj Bansal and his family members in a land lease matter dating back to 2003, observing that the police and the CID (CB) are expected to act strictly in accordance with law, and they are not puppets of any individual,even as it held that registration of the FIRs after 23 years amounted to an abuse of the process of law. Justice Ashok Kumar Jain, while allowing the petitions, quashed FIR Nos. 624/2026 and 625/2026 along with all consequential proceedings arising from them against the Independent MLA, his wife Santosh Bansal and other family members. "The police or the CID (CB) is expected to act strictly in accordance with law, and they are not puppets of any individual giving commands against the law. Everyone is duty-bound to uphold the constitutional ethics and values. If anyone disobeys the law, he is liable, as no one is above the law," said the detailed order released late Tuesday. The case relates to alleged irregularities concerning the Hanumangarh Municipal Council and land and lease matters. The FIRs, registered at Hanumangarh Junction police station on September 17 and 18, concerned alleged offences relating to land lease documents from 2003. FIR 624 named Santosh Bansal, Ganesh Raj Bansal and two others, while FIR 625 named the couple and two other persons. The investigation was subsequently transferred to CID-CB. The order records that Ganesh Raj Bansal was arrested by CID-CB on September 20 at 7.45am. Bansal, an Independent MLA, was arrested just a day before the September 21 election for chairperson of the Hanumangarh Municipal Council. The election took place after the recent municipal polls, in which councillors backed by Bansal emerged as a significant bloc. His supported candidate, Manju Rinwa, was subsequently elected chairperson of the council. The MLA was later granted bail by the District and Sessions Court on September 26, three days before the High Court pronounced its judgment. Appearing for the petitioners, advocate Kunal Upadhyay argued that the alleged offences related to events of 2003, but no satisfactory explanation had been given for registering the criminal cases nearly 23 years later. The bench noted that the alleged acts related to 2003, when Santosh Bansal was chairperson of the municipal council, while Ganesh Raj Bansal was neither a councillor nor holding any official position in the council. The court also observed that there is not a single word in the FIR about misuse of any official position by petitioner No.2. The bench found that the complainant had been pursuing disputes concerning the municipal land for years and that the relevant authorities had been aware of the issue since 2003. It also noted that no action had been initiated by the district administration or municipal authorities at that time. Holding that the FIRs and subsequent proceedings constituted an abuse of the process of law, the court quashed FIRs 624 and 625 and all consequential proceedings. The court clarified that police have the statutory power and duty to register and investigate information disclosing a cognizable offence. However, such powers must be exercised strictly in accordance with law and cannot be used in a manner that amounts to abuse of the legal process....