BENGALURU: Citing inadequacies and inconsistencies in police claims, the high court quashed proceedings against 12 persons allegedly found at a city recreation club on March 12, 2020.
Seshadripuram police had registered a suo motu case under sections 79 and 80 of Karnataka Police Act against seven individuals and five workers found at Striker Association Recreation Club when the premises were raided after a tip-off about gambling. Thereafter, a chargesheet was filed before the metropolitan magistrate (traffic court-1), Mayo Hall.
Police said they raided the club after obtaining permission from the magistrate and seized Rs 12,800 cash, 120 tokens of various colours, a 6x4 dart game board.
However, Justice K Natarajan, after perusing the records placed before the court, said the magistrate’s order permitting police to register the case was not forthcoming. “The FIR was registered on March 13, 2020, and it reached the magistrate at 11am. This being the case, permission might have been sought by police on March 12, but it should have been submitted with the FIR and submission of the investigating officer. But nothing has been found,” he said.
This proves the documents submitted were created only to show police obtained permission for raiding the club as per procedure, he said in his order.
