No jail, just trees: Karnataka man ordered to plant 50 saplings for drunken misconduct

In Karnataka's Belagavi, a man named Anil Ningappa Pujari was recently ordered to plant 50 saplings and pay a fine of Rs 1,000 following an incident of drunken misconduct. On August 25, the local court mandated Pujari to plant 25 trees at the court premises and another 25 trees at the Sadalaga police station as community service. The court also offered free legal aid to Pujari, but he declined to seek counsel or utilize any assistance.

According to prosecutors, on March 23, Sadalaga police head constable Madhusudan GS received a call from a woman reporting her husband's assault and nuisance-making behavior. Upon arrival at the spot, officers found Pujari intoxicated, verbally abusing people and making obscene gestures. Despite attempts to reason with him, Pujari refused to comply. His wife initially considered filing a complaint, but ultimately decided against it.

Pujari was subsequently charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for performing obscene acts or songs and engaging in public misconduct while under the influence of alcohol. Pujari appeared before the court and admitted guilt following the filing of a charge sheet by the police. Although community service is not recognized as a punishment under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the BNS introduced it to foster reformative and restorative justice.