HC Sets Aside Govt Move to Withdraw 43 Criminal Cases, Including Hubballi Riots

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday has set aside the decision taken by the state government to withdraw the prosecution of the accused, including former ministers and MLAs, in 43 criminal cases registered in various police stations of the state.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Bengaluru

The 2022 Hubballi riots case is one among the 43 cases.

The division bench of Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind pronounced the order while allowing the public interest litigation filed by city-based lawyer Girish Bharadwaj questioning the legality of the government order dated October 15, 2024.

Referring to the contention of the petitioner that the decision in question is against Section 321 of CrPC, the court said that if allowed to be sustained, the said decision would work contrary to the object and spirit of Section 321, discounting the rule of law and working, in its ultimate analysis, against the public interest. In view of this, it is declared that the order shall stand non-est from the inception. The consequences in law shall follow, the court said while setting aside the order.