The Hindu : Karnataka News : Petition to quash proceedings in lower court rejected

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 16, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Petition to quash proceedings in lower court rejected

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 15. The Karnataka High Court has rejected a petition filed by residents of a village in Navalgund taluk of Dharwad district praying to quash proceedings in a lower court against them for staging rasta roko.

The petitioners, Hanumanthappagouda K. Lakshmannavar, and 16 other residents of Arekurahatti village, staged a rasta roko agitation on September 3, 2003.

The prosecution said the petitioners had abused the police, indulged in rioting, and blocked traffic.

The petitioners had refused to call off their protest despite efforts of the police.The police had registered charges against the petitioner and the Civil Judge (Junior Division) and Junior Magistrate First Class, Navalgund, was hearing the case.

The petitioners denied the charges levelled against them and said they were falsely implicated. They urged the High Court to quash proceedings against them in the lower court.

Justice A.C. Kabbin said since the issue was being considered by the lower court, he did not find any grounds to interfere either in the registration of cases or prosecution.

Therefore, the petition deserved to be rejected. However, he took a lenient view of the rasta roko and said that the petitioners had resorted to it because of non-payment of wages for drought-relief work. He observed that the petitioners were poor and even a day's delay would deprive them of having their daily meal.

They had no other option but to agitate. Therefore, though they indulged in certain offensive acts, the State Government could examine them sympathetically and, if need be, withdraw the case.

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