HC voids government order withdrawing 43 criminal cases, including Hubballi riots FIRs
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka High Court on Thursday struck down a state government order that had instructed public prosecutors to withdraw 43 criminal cases, including those related to the 2022 Hubballi riots.
The court's verdict came in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Girish Bharadwaj that challenged the order.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind allowed the PIL, declaring the government’s directive invalid from the beginning.
“The government order is set aside. It shall be treated as non est from inception. Legal consequences will follow,” the Court said while pronouncing its verdict.
Delivering the judgment in what was his final sitting at the Karnataka High Court, Chief Justice Anjaria, who is slated for elevation to the Supreme Court, expressed gratitude to the legal fraternity.
“This is my last day on this dais. I thank all lawyers, court staff, and everyone who supported me. This is my final sitting, final pronouncement, and final order here,” he said emotionally before announcing the decision.
Advocate Venkatesh Dalwai, representing the petitioner, argued that the State Government had exceeded its authority by directing prosecutors to file applications under Section 321 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to withdraw cases.
He emphasised that the decision to withdraw prosecutions lies solely with the public prosecutor, who must act independently and not at the behest of the executive.
Citing Supreme Court rulings, Dalwai argued that prosecutors are not mere intermediaries for government decisions and must evaluate each case on merit.
He further revealed that both the Law Department and the Prosecution and Government Litigation Department had advised against withdrawing the 43 cases—advice that was ignored by the Home Department, which issued the withdrawal order on October 15, 2024.
The cases selected for withdrawal involved serious offences including rioting, attempted murder, assault on police personnel, and destruction of public property.
Among them were cases arising from the Hubballi riots, which was triggered by a social media post.
Protesters allegedly vandalised a police station and hurled footwear at it during the agitation.
The petitioner also questioned the motivation behind the State’s move, pointing out that the cases marked for withdrawal involved politically influential individuals—including former ministers, MLAs, and office-bearers of powerful organizations. The PIL alleged that the list had been selectively curated to serve political ends.
“Criminal cases registered across Karnataka between 2008 and 2023 were reviewed, and 43 were handpicked for withdrawal. Many of these involved prominent political figures and influential activists, raising serious doubts about the impartiality of the exercise,” said the plea.
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Rupee dips after India-US trade rally; falls 22 paise to 90.54/USD
Mumbai (PTI): The rupee depreciated 22 paise to 90.54 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday, following a sharp rally after India and the US agreed to a trade deal on suspected dollar buying by corporates and importers.
Forex traders said despite the positive sentiment post the India-US trade deal, caution still remains as there is no signed or officially released trade agreement yet — no framework text or final documentation.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.35 against the US dollar, then lost ground and fell to 90.54, registering a loss of 22 paise over its previous close.
On Tuesday, the Indian rupee emerged as the best-performing Asian currency, registering a record gain of 117 paise or 1.28 per cent in a single trading session to settle at 90.32 against the US dollar, after India and the US agreed to a trade deal.
"After Tuesday's good news the rupee was back to its own self of weakening as RBI bought dollars towards the end to take the dollar up to 90.2650," said Anil Kumar Bhansali Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
Forex traders said investors are trading with caution as the India-US trade deal still awaits formalisation.
"Any sustained turnaround in FII flows will depend on greater clarity around the final structure and commitments within the deal," CR Forex Advisors MD – Amit Pabari said.
President Trump stated that India will end purchases of Russian crude over an undefined timeline, while increasing imports of US energy, including oil and coal, and potentially Venezuelan crude with US approval.
"Moving away from discounted Russian oil could prove challenging for India, given its long-standing commercial and strategic ties with Moscow, and may have implications for India’s energy costs and external balance," Pabari added.
According to Pabari, the 89.80–90.00 zone should act as strong support. "Ultimately, the directional cue for the rupee will hinge on confirmation of the final trade agreement and its specifics. That clarity will determine whether this move extends — or pauses for consolidation," he said.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.02 per cent lower at 97.41.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.65 per cent at USD 67.77 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, Sensex advanced 68.49 points to 83,816.96 in early trade, while the Nifty was up 51.90 points to 25,779.45.
Foreign Institutional Investors purchased equities worth Rs 5,236.28 crore on Tuesday, according to exchange data.
