Karnataka HC quashes criminal case against startup founder over Tatkal ticket booking tool
Bengaluru, Sep 6: The Karnataka High Court has dismissed criminal proceedings against an IIT graduate and startup founder, who developed a software tool that significantly reduced the time required to book railway Tatkal tickets.
Gaurav Dhake, who was charged under Section 143 of the Railways Act for allegedly illegally procuring and distributing railway tickets, saw the case against him quashed by a single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna.
The court ruled that Dhake's creation of a browser extension, which reduced the typical Tatkal booking time from five-seven minutes to just 45 seconds, did not constitute a violation of the Railways Act.
The software tool, which auto-filled the traveler's details to expedite the booking process on the IRCTC website, was initially offered for free. However, in February 2020, Dhake limited its use to 10 bookings per day to prevent bulk ticketing by agents and began charging Rs 30 per booking for "authenticity."
The Railways issued a notice to Dhake in September 2020, leading to the registration of a criminal case against him.
The Railways Protection Force (RPF) argued that Dhake had made over Rs 12 lakh in profits from the software, but the court found no evidence of illegal ticket procurement or supply, essential elements to justify charges under Section 143 of the Railways Act.
"The petitioner has not indulged in the unauthorised business of procuring or distributing railway tickets," the court noted, dismissing the charges as an "abuse of process."
Justice Nagaprasanna also referenced a 2016 Kerala High Court judgment in a similar case, stating that the facts of Dhake’s case did not warrant the continuation of legal proceedings.
Dhake had argued that his tool merely expedited the booking process for public benefit and was not intended for illegal use.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
