False Accusation Laws in Bangladesh: Remedies Against False Cases in 2026

False accusation Bangladesh law in 2026: defending against a false case

A false accusation Bangladesh police or a court has acted on is one of the most disruptive events a person or a business can face. A first information report or complaint petition can lead to arrest, remand, frozen reputations and years of court dates before anyone tests whether the allegation is true. The law gives the accused a sequence of answers: anticipatory and regular bail, release or discharge where the evidence is thin, quashment by the High Court Division under section 561A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, and, once the case collapses, compensation and prosecution of the accuser.

This guide explains how Bangladesh law treats false accusations in 2026. It covers the Penal Code offences in sections 182, 193 and 211, the false case provisions in section 17 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000 and section 28 of the Cyber Security Act 2026, the 2025 and 2026 amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, defamation and malicious prosecution claims, and how to preserve the evidence that wins these cases. It ends with a step-by-step defence plan and the mistakes we see most often.

Summary: A person falsely accused in Bangladesh can protect liberty first, through anticipatory bail under section 498 of the Code of Criminal Procedure or bail before the magistrate, then end the case early through release under section 169, discharge on an interim investigation report under section 173A, discharge under sections 241A or 265C, or quashment under section 561A. Once the case fails, the accuser can be ordered to pay compensation under section 250 of the Code or section 17 of the Nari o Shishu law, prosecuted under section 211 of the Penal Code, and sued for malicious prosecution or defamation within one year.

Key point: The tools against a false case were strengthened in 2026. The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act 2026 (Act No. XI of 2026) raised the compensation a magistrate can order against a false complainant under section 250 from Tk 1,000 to Tk 50,000 and inserted section 173A, which lets a magistrate discharge an accused on an interim police report. The Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Act 2026 (Act No. 85 of 2026) kept the tribunal's power to punish a false complainant on its own motion and order compensation at the end of trial.

At a glance

Swipe or scroll →

Table of Contents

Understanding Bangladesh law on false accusations

There is no single statute on false accusations. The protection is spread across the Penal Code 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, special statutes that create their own false case offences, and the civil law of defamation and malicious prosecution.[1] [2] Understanding Bangladesh law on false accusations therefore means understanding two tracks. The defensive track ends the case against you. The offensive track holds the accuser to account. The order in which you use them matters.

What makes an accusation legally false

An allegation is not false merely because the accused denies it or because the prosecution fails. The penal provisions turn on knowledge and intent. Section 211 of the Penal Code requires that the accuser knew there was no just or lawful ground for the proceeding and acted with intent to cause injury.[1] Section 17 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000 uses the same structure: a case filed with intent to cause harm or loss of dignity, knowing there is no just or lawful ground.[4] A false accusation Bangladesh law will punish is a deliberate one.

Three common patterns

Most false case work falls into three patterns: a civil or commercial dispute recast as cheating, breach of trust or forgery; a family dispute filed under the Nari o Shishu, dowry or domestic violence laws; and a mass case, where dozens of named and unnamed accused are listed in one FIR after a political or local incident.

In June 2025 the then Law Adviser described this last practice, including inflating real incidents by naming many people to extort money, as a problem the government was embarrassed by.[8]

Police case or complaint case

The route the accuser chose shapes the defence. A police case begins with an FIR, moves through investigation and ends with a charge sheet or final report. A complaint case begins with a petition to a magistrate, who examines the complainant and may dismiss the complaint, direct an inquiry or issue process.[2] Our overview of criminal law in Bangladesh explains each stage. The remedies below open and close at particular stages, and missing one can mean years of avoidable litigation.

False accusation Bangladesh offences in the Penal Code

Three Penal Code provisions matter most when an accusation is fabricated: bringing a false criminal charge, lying to an official and lying in evidence.[1]

Section 211: false charge of an offence with intent to injure

Section 211 is the core provision. It punishes anyone who, intending to injure a person, institutes or causes to be instituted criminal proceedings against that person, or falsely charges that person with an offence, knowing there is no just or lawful ground. The basic penalty is imprisonment of up to two years, a fine, or both. Where the false charge concerns an offence punishable with death, imprisonment for life or imprisonment of seven years or more, the maximum rises to seven years, with liability to a fine.[1] The provision covers the person who files the case and the person who procures someone else to file it.

Section 182: false information to a public servant

Section 182 applies earlier in the chain. It punishes giving information to a public servant, known or believed to be false, intending or knowing it likely that the public servant will use lawful power to the injury or annoyance of another person. The punishment is imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of up to one thousand taka, or both.[1] It is the natural charge where a false general diary entry or report to police has been made but no case has yet been registered.

Under section 195(1)(a) of the Code, a court may take cognizance of an offence under sections 172 to 188 only on the written complaint of the public servant concerned or a superior.[2] The accused therefore has to persuade the officer to complain rather than file directly.

Section 193: false evidence

Section 193 punishes intentionally giving false evidence, or fabricating false evidence, in any stage of a judicial proceeding with imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine; in other cases the maximum is three years.[1] It matters where the accuser or witnesses swear to fabricated facts, produce forged documents or plant material. A legally required preliminary investigation before a court proceeding counts as a stage of that proceeding.[1]

How a court-related false charge is prosecuted

Where the falsehood was committed in or in relation to a court proceeding, section 476 of the Code provides the route. A civil, revenue or criminal court that believes an offence referred to in section 195(1)(b) or (c) has been committed in relation to a proceeding before it may hold a preliminary inquiry, record a finding and send a signed written complaint to a first-class magistrate, who then deals with it as if it were a police report.[2] In practice, an accused who has been discharged or acquitted should apply promptly to that court, with the record that shows the accusation was knowingly false.

The table below compares the main false case provisions. On a phone, scroll it sideways.

False case provisions in the special laws

Two special statutes that generate many prosecutions contain their own false case offences. Both were rewritten by ordinance in 2025 and confirmed by Parliament in 2026, and both give the trial tribunal power to act without waiting for a separate prosecution.

Section 17 of the Nari o Shishu Act

Section 17(1) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000 punishes a person who files or causes to be filed a case or complaint under another section of the Act, intending to cause harm or loss of dignity, knowing there is no just or lawful ground. The filer and the person who caused the filing are liable to rigorous imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine.[4] Under section 17(2), the tribunal may take cognizance of the offence on a written complaint or on its own motion.[4]

Section 17(3) adds a faster remedy. Notwithstanding the first two sub-sections, if after trying an offence under the Act the tribunal is satisfied that the accusation was false and made to harass, it may call on the complainant to show cause, order appropriate compensation to the accused and, if it considers it necessary, also sentence the complainant to rigorous imprisonment of up to two years.[4] These changes were introduced by the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, Ordinance No. 11 of 2025 dated 25 March 2025, and re-enacted by section 8 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Act 2026, Act No. 85 of 2026 dated 10 April 2026, which repealed the Ordinance.[5] [6]

Defence counsel should ask for section 17(3) relief expressly at the end of trial, pointing to the evidence that proves the false accusation Bangladesh tribunals are asked to punish was invented rather than mistaken.

Section 28 of the Cyber Security Act 2026

The Cyber Security Act 2026 (Act No. 81 of 2026) contains a parallel offence. Section 28 makes it an offence to file, or cause to be filed, a case or complaint under any other section of the Act with intent to harm another person, without reasonable or lawful ground. The person who files and the person who procures the filing are liable to the punishment prescribed for the offence falsely alleged; where several sections are invoked, the higher punishment applies.[7] The Cyber Tribunal may take cognizance on a written complaint by the aggrieved person, or someone authorised by that person, or on its own motion.[7]

Section 30 then lets the tribunal order an amount equal to the loss caused, or such amount as it thinks fit, to be paid to the injured person, from the fine or in addition to it.[7] Our guide to cyber law in Bangladesh explains the offences and the tribunal in more detail.

The 2025–2026 changes to false case law in Bangladesh

The interim government treated false and inflated cases as a priority in 2025, and the elected Parliament converted most of its reforms into Acts in April 2026. The changes most relevant to anyone facing a false accusation Bangladesh police have registered are procedural, and they bite early.

The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act 2026

Parliament passed the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2026 on 7 April 2026.[9] The resulting Act No. XI of 2026 does four things that matter here:

• Section 173A interim reports: before an investigation is complete, a Police Commissioner, District Superintendent of Police or officer of equivalent rank may call for an interim report and, where it shows insufficient evidence against an accused, direct that it be sent to the magistrate, who may discharge that person while the investigation continues against others.[2] [8]
• Section 250 compensation: the maximum compensation a magistrate may order against a false complainant rose from Tk 1,000 to Tk 50,000, or from Tk 500 to Tk 25,000 for a third-class magistrate, and the additional fine under sub-section (5) rose from Tk 3,000 to Tk 1 lakh.[3]
• Bail conditions: section 498 now has a sub-section (2) allowing any court that releases an accused on bail to impose reasonable and fair conditions to prevent abscondence or ensure good behaviour.[2]
• Arrest safeguards: police must carry visible identification, notify the family within 12 hours, allow consultation with a lawyer or relatives, preferably within 12 hours, and record each arrest with a witness in an arrest memorandum and register.[9]

Withdrawal of harassment cases

The elected government has continued a separate, political track. On 30 April 2026 the Law Minister, Md Asaduzzaman, told Parliament that 23,865 politically motivated harassment cases had been withdrawn and the rest were being processed.[14] A four-member district committee headed by the district magistrate, formed on 5 March 2026, reviews applications using the FIR, any charge sheet and the public prosecutor's opinion, and a six-member central committee headed by the Law Minister, formed on 8 March 2026, decides on the recommendations.[14] Withdrawal itself happens in court: under section 494 of the Code, a public prosecutor may withdraw with the court's consent before judgment, which operates as a discharge before charge and an acquittal after it.[2]

What did not change

The Penal Code provisions themselves were not rewritten. The official text of section 182 still caps the fine at one thousand taka, and section 211 retains its two-year and seven-year maxima.[1] The strongest new tools sit in the procedure codes and special statutes.

First response: protecting liberty when you are falsely accused

The first days after a false accusation Bangladesh police have recorded decide much of what follows. Obtain the FIR or complaint petition and the case number, assume arrest is possible, and decide immediately whether to seek bail before arrest or surrender before the court.

Anticipatory bail under section 498

Section 498(1) of the Code allows the High Court Division or the Court of Session, in any case, to direct that a person be admitted to bail.[2] This is the basis of anticipatory bail, sought by a person who has not yet been arrested but reasonably fears arrest in a named case. The application should explain why the accusation is false, address any risk of absconding and offer to surrender.

The Appellate Division keeps this jurisdiction narrow. In State v Zainul Abedin, decided on 6 March 2024, it held that an accused should not remain on anticipatory bail for an indefinite period, rejected bail until the police report as unjustified, and directed the High Court Division to refrain from "unscrupulous exercise" of the power. It relied on State v Md Kabir Biswas, 75 DLR (AD) 60, and State v Abdul Wahab Shah Chowdhury, 51 DLR (AD) 242.[11] In that case the Court allowed eight weeks of bail and then required surrender before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate.[11] Expect anticipatory bail to be time-limited and plan the surrender from the outset.

Surrender and bail before the trial court

When anticipatory bail expires, or where it is not sought, the accused surrenders and applies for bail before the magistrate or tribunal. For non-bailable offences, bail under section 497 is discretionary and is refused where there are reasonable grounds for believing the accused committed an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life.[2] The evidence that the accusation is false, gathered in the first days, is often what tips the balance. Our guides to bail law and criminal defence and criminal defence and bail procedures cover the tactics in detail.

Using the arrest safeguards

If arrest happens, a missing witness, a late family notification or a defective arrest memorandum should be raised at the first production before the magistrate.[9] These points rarely end a case, but they shape how the magistrate views the police account and any remand prayer.

Ending a false case early: release and discharge

Bail protects liberty; it does not end the case. The next objective is to remove the accused from the case at the earliest stage the law allows.

Release during investigation

Section 169 requires the officer in charge or investigating officer to release a person in custody, on a bond to appear before a magistrate when required, where the investigation shows there is not sufficient evidence or reasonable ground of suspicion to forward the accused.[2] The defence should put its evidence before the investigating officer early, in writing, rather than wait for the charge sheet.

Discharge on an interim report under section 173A

Section 173A is the main 2026 tool against mass and padded cases. A supervising officer may call for an interim report before completion of the investigation. If it shows insufficient evidence against a particular accused, the officer may direct that it be submitted to the magistrate or tribunal, which may discharge that accused if satisfied.[2] The investigation continues against the others, and a discharged person may be named again in the final report if the completed investigation produces sufficient and substantive evidence.[2] [8] For someone named in a mass case about an event they did not attend, a written representation to the supervising officer is often the quickest exit.

Discharge before charge

If the police submit a charge sheet or the magistrate issues process on a complaint, the next opportunity is discharge. Section 241A requires a magistrate, after hearing both sides and considering the record, to discharge the accused if the charge is groundless, recording reasons. Section 265C imposes the same duty on a Court of Session where there is no sufficient ground for proceeding.[2] A discharge application should be built on the prosecution's own documents: contradictions in the FIR, statements and seizure lists, documents that show the dispute is civil, or proof that the accused was elsewhere.

An order refusing discharge can be challenged in revision. The choice between revision and quashment is tactical, and is discussed next.

Quashing a false case under section 561A

Section 561A preserves the High Court Division's inherent power to make orders to prevent abuse of the process of any court or otherwise to secure the ends of justice. It is the most powerful remedy against a false accusation Bangladesh courts recognise, and the most misunderstood.

The grounds

In Hasina Akhter v Amena Begum, decided on 17 October 2022, the Appellate Division listed the grounds on which a proceeding may be quashed: the facts alleged do not constitute any offence; the proceeding is barred by law; the court lacks jurisdiction (coram non judice); there is a lack of legal evidence; or quashing is required for the ends of justice.[10] Each ground is tested on the prosecution's materials, not on the defence's version.

What section 561A cannot do

The same judgment set the limits. The Court held that the falsity or truth of an allegation must be decided at trial on the evidence, and that the High Court Division should not have relied on witness testimony and a medical report while the prosecution's evidence was incomplete.[10] It cited Golam Sarwar Hiru v State, 13 MLR 103 (AD), for the proposition that the superior courts do not favour section 561A applications once trial has started and witnesses have been examined, and Habibur Rahman Mollah v State, 62 DLR (AD) 233, for the principle that the High Court Division should not usurp the trial court's jurisdiction.[10]

When quashment works

The lesson is that section 561A is strongest where falsity is visible on the face of the record. Examples include a commercial or land dispute dressed up as cheating, where the FIR itself describes only a broken promise; a proceeding barred by a statutory requirement, such as a prosecution for an offence under sections 172 to 188 of the Penal Code without the public servant's complaint required by section 195; or a complaint filed in a court with no jurisdiction.[2] [10] A case whose falsity depends on believing the defence witnesses instead of the prosecution's is a case for discharge or trial, not quashment.

Timing is the other decisive factor. Applications filed soon after cognizance, charge sheet or framing of charge, and supported by the prosecution's own documents, have the best prospects. TRW's section 561A criminal quashment practice handles these applications in the High Court Division, and where the false case is part of unlawful state action a writ petition may run alongside.

Holding the accuser to account: penalties and compensation

Once the case ends, the law offers three ways to make the person behind a false accusation Bangladesh courts have rejected pay: compensation in the same proceeding, a separate prosecution and a civil suit. Paying one does not release the others.

Compensation under section 250

Section 250 applies where a case instituted on complaint or on information to police or a magistrate is tried by a magistrate, and the magistrate discharges or acquits the accused. If the magistrate finds the accusation false and either frivolous or vexatious, the discharge or acquittal order may call on the complainant or informant to show cause why compensation should not be paid. After recording and considering the cause shown, the magistrate may, for recorded reasons, order compensation of up to Tk 50,000, or Tk 25,000 for a third-class magistrate, to the accused or each of them.[3]

The section has teeth. In default of payment the magistrate may order simple imprisonment of up to 30 days, and under sub-section (5) the magistrate may additionally order imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Tk 1 lakh.[3] The complainant may appeal the compensation order where it was made by a second or third-class magistrate or exceeds Tk 5,000, and payment waits for the appeal period or the appeal.[3] Crucially, the order does not exempt the complainant from any other civil or criminal liability, although compensation already paid is taken into account in a later civil suit on the same matter.[3]

Section 250 does not apply to cases tried by a Court of Session or a special tribunal. For those, the defence relies on the special statute or on a separate prosecution.

Tribunal compensation under the special laws

For cases under the Nari o Shishu law, section 17(3) lets the tribunal order compensation and, where necessary, up to two years' rigorous imprisonment at the end of trial, after a show-cause.[4] For cyber cases, sections 28 and 30 of the Cyber Security Act 2026 let the tribunal try the false complainant and order compensation for the loss caused.[7]

Prosecution of the accuser

A separate prosecution under section 211, section 182 or section 193 punishes the accuser rather than compensating the accused. Proof of knowledge and intent is far easier after a discharge or acquittal with reasoned findings. Where section 195 applies, the complaint must come from the public servant or court concerned.[2] In practice the magistrate and tribunal powers above are usually faster.

Defamation counter-claims and malicious prosecution

A false accusation Bangladesh complainants make often comes with a public campaign: social media posts, press statements, letters to employers or regulators. Defamation law and the tort of malicious prosecution address that wider harm.

Criminal defamation

Section 499 of the Penal Code defines defamation as making or publishing an imputation intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe it will harm, a person's reputation; section 500 punishes it with simple imprisonment of up to two years, a fine, or both.[1] Under section 198 of the Code, a court may take cognizance of defamation only on a complaint by the person aggrieved.[2]

That distinction matters because of the Eighth Exception to section 499: an accusation preferred in good faith to a person with lawful authority over the accused, such as a magistrate, is not defamation.[1] A defamation complaint aimed at the FIR alone invites this defence. It is strongest against publication beyond the authorities, or where bad faith can be shown.

Online defamation after the 2025 reforms

Defamation is no longer an offence under the cyber law. The offence list in the Cyber Security Act 2026 covers hacking, forgery, fraud, cyber terrorism, sexual harassment and blackmail, and religious or ethnic hate content, but contains no defamation offence.[7] Online defamation is therefore pursued under sections 499 and 500 of the Penal Code or by civil suit, while harassment or blackmail accompanying a false accusation may still fall within the cyber offences.

Civil defamation and malicious prosecution

A civil suit for damages sits alongside the criminal remedies. Malicious prosecution, a common law tort applied by the civil courts, generally requires the plaintiff to show that the defendant set the prosecution in motion, that it ended in the plaintiff's favour, that there was no reasonable and probable cause and that the defendant acted with malice, causing damage. A discharge or acquittal with findings that the accusation was false is the foundation of the claim.

The limitation periods are short. Under the First Schedule to the Limitation Act 1908, a suit for compensation for malicious prosecution must be brought within one year from when the plaintiff is acquitted or the prosecution is otherwise terminated; for libel, one year from publication; and for slander, one year from when the words are spoken or, if not actionable in themselves, from when the special damage results.[12] A legal notice demanding retraction and compensation is a useful first step, but it does not stop the clock.

Evidence that defeats a false accusation Bangladesh courts will hear

False cases are won on documents. The accused has to reconstruct their account quickly, before phones are replaced, CCTV is overwritten and witnesses forget.

Digital evidence is admissible

The Evidence (Amendment) Act 2022, passed on 3 November 2022, allows courts to admit digital and electronic records, including audio, video, CCTV footage and mobile phone records, as well as digital footprints and biometric impressions. A court may order forensic examination where it considers it necessary or where a party doubts authenticity, and both prosecution and defence may produce digital evidence.[13]

What to collect

• Location and time: CCTV from the claimed scene and from where you actually were, phone location history, ride-hailing and toll records, office access logs and travel documents.
• Communications: full message threads, emails and call logs with the accuser, exported with metadata, especially any demand for money or threat to file a case.
• The underlying dispute: contracts, payment records, land documents or family papers that show the matter is civil or that the accuser had a motive.
• Public statements: screenshots and archived copies of posts and press statements, with dates and links, for any defamation claim.

Record how each item was obtained and keep originals unaltered. Fabricating or tampering with evidence is itself an offence under section 193, and a defence built on a doctored file will fail.[1] Where third parties such as building managers hold footage, ask in writing immediately, before routine deletion.

A step-by-step defence plan for a false accusation Bangladesh case

The sequence below reflects how we approach a new instruction. The order is deliberate: liberty first, early exit second, accountability last.

Swipe or scroll →

Matching the remedy to the stage

Before charge sheet, the priorities are bail, written representations and section 173A. After charge sheet and cognizance, discharge and section 561A become available. After acquittal or discharge, compensation and counter-proceedings begin, and the one-year limitation period for malicious prosecution starts to run.[12] People who cannot afford private counsel may be eligible for government legal aid; our guide to legal aid in Bangladesh explains how to apply.

Mistakes to avoid when facing a false case

The same errors recur whenever a false case is handled in a panic. Avoiding them is often worth more than any single application.

• Hiding instead of acting: absconding turns a defensible case into a warrant and weakens every later bail application. Seek bail or surrender on a planned date.
• Filing a counter-case in anger: a retaliatory FIR without evidence exposes you to the same section 211 and section 17 liability you are complaining about.[1] [4]
• Arguing facts in a section 561A application: the High Court Division will not decide whose version is true; frame quashment on the prosecution's own record.[10]
• Forgetting to ask for compensation: section 250 and section 17(3) are invoked at the end of the case; if no one asks, they are rarely used.
• Missing the one-year deadline: the malicious prosecution and defamation clocks run while you celebrate the acquittal.[12]

What to watch in 2026

Three developments will shape false case defence over the coming year. First, how magistrates and tribunals use section 173A in mass cases, and whether supervising officers call for interim reports consistently or only in high-profile matters.[2] Second, whether the higher compensation ceilings under section 250 and the Nari o Shishu tribunal's own-motion power produce a visible rise in orders against false complainants.[3] [6] Third, the progress of the harassment case withdrawal committees, which affect thousands of accused.[14]

The law against a false accusation Bangladesh complainants make is now stronger on paper than at any time since the Code was enacted. Its value depends on using each tool at the right stage, with evidence ready. TRW defends individuals and companies in false cases, seeks anticipatory bail, discharge and quashment, and brings compensation and defamation claims afterwards. Speak to our criminal quashment team or contact TRW to have your case reviewed.

Frequently asked questions

What is the punishment for filing a false case in Bangladesh?

Under section 211 of the Penal Code, up to two years' imprisonment, a fine or both, rising to seven years where the false charge concerns an offence punishable with death, life imprisonment or seven years or more. Special laws such as the Nari o Shishu Act and the Cyber Security Act 2026 have their own, often heavier, penalties.[1] [4] [7]

Can I get compensation if I am acquitted in a false case?

Yes. In magistrate-tried cases, section 250 of the Code allows compensation of up to Tk 50,000 against a complainant whose accusation was false and frivolous or vexatious. Nari o Shishu and Cyber Tribunals have their own compensation powers, and a civil suit for malicious prosecution is also available.[3] [4] [7]

What is the penalty for a false case under the Nari o Shishu Act?

Section 17 provides rigorous imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine. At the end of trial the tribunal may also order compensation and up to two years' rigorous imprisonment for a false and harassing complaint, after a show-cause.[4]

Can I get anticipatory bail in a false case?

The High Court Division and the Court of Session may grant bail under section 498 before arrest, but the Appellate Division has held that anticipatory bail should not continue indefinitely and should be followed by surrender before the trial court.[2] [11]

When can the High Court Division quash a false case?

Under section 561A, where the facts alleged disclose no offence, the proceeding is barred by law, the court lacks jurisdiction, there is no legal evidence, or quashing is required for the ends of justice. It will not decide disputed facts.[10]

Can I be removed from a mass case before trial?

Yes. Under section 173A, introduced by ordinance in 2025 and enacted in 2026, a magistrate may discharge an accused on an interim investigation report showing insufficient evidence, while the investigation continues against others.[2] [8]

Is filing a false GD or police report an offence?

Giving false information to a public servant intending to cause injury or annoyance is punishable under section 182 of the Penal Code with up to six months' imprisonment, a fine or both, but prosecution needs the public servant's written complaint.[1] [2]

Can I sue the accuser for defamation?

Yes, for statements published to others, under sections 499 and 500 of the Penal Code or by civil suit. A good-faith accusation made only to the police or a magistrate is protected by the Eighth Exception to section 499.[1]

How long do I have to sue for malicious prosecution?

One year from acquittal or other termination of the prosecution. Libel and slander claims also carry one-year limitation periods.[12]

Is digital evidence accepted to prove an accusation is false?

Yes. Since the Evidence (Amendment) Act 2022, courts can admit digital records such as CCTV, audio, video and phone records, and may order forensic examination where authenticity is disputed.[13]