K’taka Govt reconstitutes legal panel to handle communal cases from Mangaluru, DK district
Bengaluru: In a move aimed at strengthening legal representation in sensitive communal cases, the Government of Karnataka has reconstituted a special panel of law officers to handle such cases arising from the jurisdiction of the Mangaluru City Police Commissionerate and the Dakshina Kannada District Police Unit before the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka.
This decision, issued through Government Order dated July 3, 2025, comes in the wake of growing communal tensions in Dakshina Kannada and Mangaluru City and a rise in the number of such cases being registered in recent times.
According to the official order, the newly formed panel supersedes an earlier Government Order dated June 20, 2025, and includes the following legal officers from the Advocate General’s Office:
1. B.A. Belliappa – State Public Prosecutor – I
2. Shahul Hameed Reheman – Additional Advocate General
3. Pradeep C.S – Additional Advocate General
4. Asma Kouser – Additional State Public Prosecutor
5. Rashmi Jadhav – Additional State Public Prosecutor
The panel is empowered to take the assistance of the concerned High Court Government Pleader for handling specific cases when required.
The reconstitution was initiated based on a request from the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP), Karnataka, through a letter dated June 11, 2025. The police chief had highlighted the pressing need for a dedicated legal team to manage and pursue the rising number of communal cases effectively, especially in light of the sensitive law-and-order situation in the region.
The government, after due consultation with the Advocate General of Karnataka, approved the formation of this high-powered legal panel. The appointed officers are expected to ensure robust prosecution and uphold the rule of law in communal cases that reach the High Court from these two key jurisdictions in the coastal district.
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Skeleton handed over to police, says Lawyer for Dharmasthala mass burials case complainant
Belthangady: A skeleton, allegedly buried as mentioned in the complaint related to the Dharmasthala mass burials case, has been exhumed and handed over to the Belthangady police. Pawan Deshpande, the lawyer representing the complainant, stated that all necessary legal procedures were followed and a formal statement was recorded before the judge.
The complainant, who has alleged the mass burial of bodies in Dharmasthala, appeared before the Principal Civil Judge and JMFC Court of Belthangady Taluk on July 11 to give his statement.
Speaking to the media after the court proceedings, advocate Pawan Deshpande said, “The complainant is prepared to clearly identify the locations where the bodies were buried. We will cooperate fully with the police on whatever date they set. Relevant information has already been submitted, and there is a concern that evidence could be destroyed. It is now the responsibility of the police to act and exhume the bodies as per the statement.”
When asked about the identity of the accused in the case, Deshpande clarified that the details have been submitted to the court and are with the investigating officer. “We do not have access to that information,” he said.
The lawyer also confirmed that the complainant has not been arrested or taken into police custody. “He is with us and will appear whenever the police direct him to. The complainant is cooperating with the investigation,” Deshpande added.
