BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has upheld the detention of Sharath Kumar, a resident of Andersonpet, Kolar, under the Goonda Act, citing his involvement in 45 criminal cases. The division bench, comprising Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice Ramachandra D Huddar, rejected the habeas corpus petition filed by Sharath’s wife, who argued that his detention was illegal.
The Deputy Commissioner of Kolar ordered Sharath’s detention on April 4, 2024, for one year, under the Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Gamblers, Goondas Act. This order was confirmed by the state government on May 3, 2024.
Sharath’s wife contended that the detention was unwarranted, claiming that although Sharath understands Kannada, the legal documents should have been provided in his mother tongue, Tamil. She also argued that despite Sharath being granted bail in several cases and not violating court conditions, the detention lacked justification and did not correlate with the alleged offences.
State Public Prosecutor B A Belliappa countered that Sharath knows Tamil, Kannada, and English, and that all documents were legible and understood by him. The court observed that the acquittals in some cases were not honorable, and Sharath’s extensive criminal record, including attempted murder, robbery, theft, and attacks on public servants, justified the detention.
The bench emphasized the state’s duty to protect citizens’ safety and the necessity of preventive measures like detention to ensure societal peace and security, especially given the diminishing fear of law and growing public anxiety.
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