Bengaluru, Aug 28: The Karnataka High Court has quashed a criminal case against two persons who had painted graffiti on the walls of a school during the recent Hijab row -- based on the technical ground that the Vijayanagar district is not notified under the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act.
Muzammil, 23, and Mohammad Jamaul, 25, from Hosapete in Vijayanagara district were charged under the act after the headmaster of the Government Girls High School in the town had complained to the police.
On March 16, 2022, the headmaster had found the graffiti, 'Hijab is our dignity', written on the wall of the school in black paint.
The Hosapete town police had investigated the matter. After a case was registered against the two accused, a charge sheet had been filed in the court against them.
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The two persons then approached the high court seeking to get the case dismissed. Justice M Nagaprasanna heard their petition and delivered the judgment on August 1.
The advocate for the accused argued that Vijayanagara district is not notified under the Act under which the two were accused.
“For an incident to become an offence under Section 3 of the Act, the rigor of Section 1 of the Act will have to be noticed. Section 1 of the Act directs that to bring a place/local area within the ambit of the Act, a notification from the hands of the state government is imperative. It is an admitted fact that Hosapete Town is not the one that is notified to be coming within the Act, for the respondents to allege that the petitioners have incurred themselves the wrath of Section 3 of the Act,” the HC said.
"Therefore, quashing the case against the two accused," the HC said. "In light of the fact that there is no notification issued by the State bringing in Hosapete Town under the Act, further proceedings if permitted to continue would become an abuse of the process of the law and result in miscarriage of justice.”
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Madikeri (Karnataka) (PTI): The BJP on Wednesday demanded a thorough investigation into the case of Kerala trekker GS Sharanya, who went missing for three days and was later found.
Members of the BJP’s Kodagu unit lodged a complaint at the Napoklu police station, seeking a probe and stating that the case appeared suspicious.
Sharanya, who had gone on a trek to Tadiandamol hill near Kakkabbe, went missing and was later found on Sunday following a search operation by the police, forest department, and residents.
Kodagu BJP leader P Danoj submitted a complaint to the Station House Officer, seeking a proper investigation into the case.
Speaking on the occasion, he said the behaviour of Sharanya, who was found on the fourth day, had raised suspicions.
“It is impossible for anyone to survive in a dense forest for four days without food. Naxal activities are taking place in several areas, and this case has further raised suspicion,” he said.
He demanded that the police conduct a thorough investigation and inform the public of the truth.
Napoklu BJP Shakti Kendra president Ambikaryappa alleged that Sharanya’s disappearance could be a "publicity stunt".
“It appears to be a drama aimed at tarnishing the tourism prospects of our district. Moreover, it is suspicious that Sharanya, who was in the dense forest for four days, was found without any signs of fatigue,” Ambikaryappa said.
