K'taka HC says police interrogation of Shaheen School students in anti-CAA drama violated JJ Act
Court has asked State govt to file reply on action taken against police officers involved
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday observed that the policemen interrogating children with regard to the sedition case on the staging of an anti-CAA drama at Shaheen Education Society in Bidar last year, was a serious violation of the provisions under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 as the policemen were wearing uniforms and were carrying their weapons during the interrogation.
The Court also directed the state government to file a report on action taken against the police officers involved in the act while also issuing directions to the police across the state so that no such case is repeated in the future.
The observation was made by a division bench comprising of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice NS Sanjay Gowda. The observation was made after the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Basaveshwar accepted the correctness of the photographs in which the cops were interrogating the children while dressed in their uniforms and while carrying their weapons.
“The second photograph of April 1, 2020, shows that these school children (2 boys, 1 girl) are being interrogated by five police officers out of which four are in full uniform and at least two of them are carrying firearms. In the affidavit, Shri Basaveshwar has accepted the correctness of the photographs annexed to the IA. By not denying the photographs annexed to rejoinder, it is apparent that he has accepted the correctness of the photographs,” the court observed.
“The police officer interacting with children shall be as far as possible in plain clothes and not in uniform and for dealing with a girl child, woman police personnel shall be engaged," Section 86 on the constitution of a Special Juvenile Police Unit for Children in its Sub-Rule 5 states
The bench added, "Prima facie this is a serious case of violation of Rights of the Children and provisions of 86 (5) of JJ Act 2016."
“We direct the state government to respond by filing an affidavit of a very senior officer stating on record what action has been initiated against the police officers who interrogated school children while wearing uniform and carrying firearms. Apart from placing the action taken report the state government may consider issuing directions to the police throughout the state which will ensure that such violation of rights of children does not take place again," the order observation added.
“"If we condone this action, this will be repeated. We cannot condone such action at all. Why children are subjected to all this? This has to be corrected, this can't go on like this” the bench orally observed.
Students of the Shaheen Education Society belonging to classes 4, 5, and 6 had staged a play on the CAA and NRC, last year. Following that, an FIR was registered at the Bidar New Town police station, for sedition against the school authorities for performing "anti-national activities" and "spreading negative opinion" about Parliamentary laws, based on a complaint by activist Nilesh Rakshala. Pursuant to the FIR, the Headmistress of the school, as well as a parent of a child, were arrested. They were later released on bail.
The court has now directed the Director-General Inspector General of Police to nominate a senior officer to file an affidavit in two weeks’ time. The officer, Court has directed, should be higher in rank than Shri Basaveshwar, the Deputy Superintendent. The matter will now be heard on September 3.
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Opposition Leader R. Ashok slams Siddaramaiah over Law and Order situation
Bengaluru: Karnataka Assembly Opposition Leader R. Ashok has launched a sharp attack on the state government, questioning the deteriorating law and order situation under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s leadership.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Ashok highlighted a series of recent crimes across the state, including the gang rape and extortion of a woman at K.R. Market in Bengaluru and the brutal assault of three laborers in Vijayapura. He also pointed out six cases of robbery, extortion, and theft reported in the past five days in Bidar, Mangaluru, Chitradurga, Mysuru, Anekal, and Hubballi.
“Swami CM Siddaramaiah, law and order has collapsed completely. The common man is living in fear, and there is no safe environment for women to move around freely. How long will you continue to cling to power while running such a disastrous government? Resign and free the people of Karnataka from this misrule,” Ashok said in his statement.
ಕಾನೂನು ಸುವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯ ಗ್ಯಾರೆಂಟಿ ಎಲ್ಲಿದೆ?
— R. Ashoka (@RAshokaBJP) January 21, 2025
❌ಕೆ.ಆರ್.ಮಾರುಕಟ್ಟೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬಸ್ಸಿಗಾಗಿ ಕಾಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಮಹಿಳೆ ಮೇಲೆ ಸಾಮೂಹಿಕ ಅತ್ಯಾಚಾರ, ಸುಲಿಗೆ
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❌ ಬೀದರ್, ಮಂಗಳೂರು, ಚಿತ್ರದುರ್ಗ, ಮೈಸೂರು, ಆನೇಕಲ್, ಹುಬ್ಬಳ್ಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ - 5 ದಿನಗಳ ಅಂತರದಲ್ಲಿ ಒಟ್ಟು 6… pic.twitter.com/VdX4DFtLDP
