Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
False imprisonment is a tort (a civil wrong) of total restraint of a person's liberty without lawful justification. A person who has been falsely imprisoned can file a civil suit for compensation (damages). The time limit within which this suit must be filed is governed by the Limitation Act, 1963.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The Schedule to the Limitation Act, 1963, prescribes the period of limitation for various types of suits.
We need to look at the entries under the heading "Suits Relating to Torts".
Article 74 of the Schedule to the Limitation Act, 1963, provides for:
- Description of suit: For compensation for false imprisonment.
- Period of limitation: One year.
- Time from which period begins to run: When the imprisonment ends.
Therefore, a person has one year from the date their false imprisonment ends to file a suit for compensation.