Karnataka HC calls for tougher laws to curb 'wheeling' on roads
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka High Court has raised serious concerns over the lack of specific legal provisions to deal with the growing menace of 'wheeling', and has called for tougher laws to curb it.
Wheeling is a dangerous stunt where two-wheeler riders lift the front wheel while driving.
Justice V. Srishananda, while hearing a bail plea, observed that current laws fall short of effectively deterring such behavior.
Presently, individuals performing wheeling can only be charged under provisions related to negligent or rash driving, which are bailable offences.
Justice Srishananda noted that these provisions are inadequate for law enforcement to take stringent action against such hazardous acts.
"At the time of enacting the Motor Vehicles Act, perhaps the lawmakers did not envisage a situation where a two-wheeler would be driven on the rear wheel alone," he said.
Given the sharp rise in such stunts, the Court called on the State to enact tougher laws targeting wheeling.
"In light of the alarming increase in such incidents, it is the bounden duty of the State and enforcement agencies to introduce necessary statutory provisions and adopt stringent measures to suppress this dangerous trend," the judge stated.
The Court highlighted that the act of wheeling not only endangers the lives of riders and pillion passengers but also poses a grave threat to public safety.
"Young motorcyclists wrongly equate wheeling with bravery, unaware of the life-threatening consequences. This reckless behaviour disrupts public order and peace," the court noted.
The court said this while rejecting a bail application filed by a man accused of performing wheeling on a motorcycle with two pillion riders in October 2024.
According to the police, the stunt ended in a crash when officers attempted to intercept the vehicle. A confrontation followed, during which the accused allegedly abused the officers, caused injuries, and damaged government property by throwing a police phone into a canal.
While the accused maintained that he was falsely implicated due to a personal dispute with the police, the High Court was not convinced.
The judge also took into account the prosecution's claim that the petitioner was a repeat offender and had behaved aggressively during the incident.
"Mere filing of the charge sheet cannot, by itself, justify bail. The petitioner is free to approach the appropriate court for bail if there is any significant change in circumstances," the Court said in its concluding remarks.
Advocate Sadiq N. Goodwala represented the petitioner, while Government Pleader Girija S. Hiremath appeared for the State.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
