Mangaluru: City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy on Thursday clarified that provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) are invoked only when credible evidence establishes unlawful activities. His statement came in response to a social media post by Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) Karnataka State Secretary Mohammed Riyaz Kadambu regarding a recent arrest linked to a threatening social media message.
The clarification followed discussions on social media over whether stricter legal provisions, including UAPA, should have been applied in the case.
Social media post questioned use of UAPA
Mohammed Riyaz Kadambu had raised the issue through a Facebook post in connection with the arrest of Shankar Mathappa Moger (35), a resident of Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district. Moger was arrested after allegedly posting an inflammatory message on social media threatening to carry out an explosion in front of Ullal Masjid.
In his post, Kadambu questioned why the UAPA provisions were not invoked in the case.
“Is the threat to explode an explosive not an act of sedition? Is it not an act that warranted the invocation of UAPA? I believe UAPA is invoked based on crime and not based on religion,” he wrote.
The post triggered discussions online, prompting the police commissioner to clarify the legal position and the basis on which such provisions are applied.
Police emphasise evidence-based action
Responding to the remarks, Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy said the police strictly function on the basis of facts and evidence while deciding which legal provisions to invoke in a case.
He stated that in the present case, the investigation had not uncovered sufficient material that would justify invoking provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
According to him, the police examine the nature of the offence and available evidence before applying special laws such as UAPA.
“In the case at hand, there was no material found to attract provisions of UAPA, and therefore it has not been invoked,” he said.
Police open to legal scrutiny
The commissioner also stated that anyone who believes stronger provisions should be applied in a case is free to approach the appropriate court and present their evidence.
“If the person making such allegations is truly convinced, they are free to approach the competent court and place their material before it,” he said.
At the same time, he cautioned against making reckless or provocative statements on social media that could create confusion or communal tensions.
He added that attempts to communalise issues or mislead people through unverified claims on social media were irresponsible.
Investigations will follow law
Sudheer Kumar Reddy reiterated that all police investigations are conducted strictly in accordance with the law and based on available evidence.
He said decisions regarding the application of legal provisions are not influenced by speculation or narratives circulating on social media platforms.
Investigations will continue to be guided by legal procedures and factual findings gathered during the probe.
Pending UAPA cases under active pursuit
The police commissioner also assured that cases where UAPA provisions have already been invoked will be pursued with seriousness and due diligence.
He said investigators will continue collecting the necessary evidence in such cases to ensure that the legal process moves forward appropriately.
“Unlike those who attribute motives from behind a keyboard, our job is simple: investigate, gather evidence, and act according to law — as we always do,” he said.
Conclusion
The clarification from the police commissioner comes amid increasing public scrutiny over the use of stringent laws in criminal cases. Authorities emphasised that such provisions are applied only after careful examination of evidence to ensure that legal action remains fair, justified and in line with the law.