Filing a false complaint under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 can result in significant penalties. These include imprisonment, which can range from six months to five years, along with a fine. In more severe cases, such as when the false statement leads to conviction for a crime punishable by death or imprisonment for seven years or more, the penalty can be as severe as life imprisonment or even the death penalty.