Karnataka HC nominates ADGP Hitendra as new head of SIT to probe KPSC cases

The High Court of Karnataka has warned of the growing danger posed by deepfakes, cyber fraud and criminals posing as law enforcement officers. It called for stronger cross-State police cooperation, noting that an unannounced operation by Maharashtra police in Tumakuru violated constitutional and statutory rules. The court ruled that the Vadgaon Police from Kolhapur had improperly inspected business premises and recorded statements in Tumakuru without consulting local law enforcement in the case of a criminal complaint filed in Kolhapur.

The judgment highlighted the importance of verifying the authenticity of police personnel when they operate outside their home State, as unannounced operations can instill fear and be exploited by criminals. The court's remarks came while granting partial permission to petitions filed by Shiva Enterprises and Siddhi Agencies in Tumakuru, which challenged the actions of the Vadgaon police.

The case began on August 19, 2025, when Maharashtra police stopped a truck on the Bengaluru-Pune highway and seized tobacco products, claiming they violated the Food Safety and Standards Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. On August 21, a team of five to six Vadgaon police officials visited the petitioners' location, issuing notices for them to appear in Kolhapur.

Instead, they recorded statements on the spot, inspected their bookkeeping and took copies of their ledgers without preparing a seizure memo. Justice Suraj Govindaraj emphasized that police personnel conducting operations in a State other than their own should ordinarily coordinate with and seek assistance from the local jurisdictional police.

Although the court did not overturn the criminal case, it instructed the Maharashtra police to inform the Karnataka authorities before taking further action in relation to the petitioners, subject to the law and exceptions allowing for urgent action.