Police recover stolen electricity cables in Kebbi, arrest suspect

The Karnataka High Court has mandated a police sub-inspector to pay Rs 3 lakh to a resident, K N Mohan Reddy, for his unlawful arrest following a civil dispute. Justice M Nagaprasanna emphasized, "The petitioner is a witness in a will. How could you arrest him? There is lawlessness here. Stop this Police Raj or we will have to stop it with iron hands."

Reddy sought the court's intervention after his arrest on August 25 following a notice under Section 35 (3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhitha. He was accused of forging a will and fraudulent documents, alongside co-accused Vishal Baliga. The matter hinges on a civil court's adjudication regarding the will's authenticity, pending since January 10, 1994.

Reddy's lawyer argued that the police officer violated the law by arresting him on August 25, producing him before a magistrate court for further questioning. The High Court, however, stayed the arrest order earlier that day. The bench, referencing the Supreme Court's Satender Kumar Antil vs Central Bureau of Investigation judgment (2026), held that Reddy's liberty was unlawfully taken away.

The court asserted that the investigating officer, along with superiors, including the Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police, are equally culpable for their failure to enforce proper procedures. Consequently, the court ordered the sub-inspector to pay Rs 3 lakh from his own funds, and the cost shall not be borne by the state exchequer.