Wanting to be arrested, Japanese student stole Bengaluru ACP’s chair

A Japanese national has stolen a chair from the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), JC Nagar in Bengaluru on March 27. According to him, he did this to ensure action against police officers who he claims asked him to pay a bribe in connection with a case in 2019.

Hirotoshi Tanaka, a 31-year-old Japanese national, came to Bengaluru to learn English in 2019. He wants the police to book him for stealing a chair and arrest him too.

Tanaka wants to stay in India and seek justice in the 2019 case which was quashed by Karnataka High Court.

Although it was revealed that the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) had set February 28 as the deadline for him to go back to his country after the term of his visa expiry.

A case was filed against Tanaka at RT Nagar police station as he had assaulted the principal of the English coaching center he had enrolled in. The case was quashed after both parties resolved it between them.

According to Tanaka,  the principal of the coaching center asked him to work for the center’s promotion and when Tanaka approached him for salary, the principal ignored him for six days in a row.

Tanaka met the principal on November 13, 2019, and brought up his salary, which led to a heated argument. Following which Tanaka shouted at the principal and pushed him, to which the principal said, “If you touch me again, you can’t stay in Bengaluru.”

The owner of the center approached the police and Tanaka was summoned by the police, where he was told to write an apology before being let off.

When asked to return the tuition fee, the police said that they would set up a meeting with him at the RT Nagar police station. Although he was arrested all of sudden and his mobile phone was confiscated and he was put behind bars.

This case was quashed by the high court on November 2, 2020.

Later a police officer at RT Nagar demanded a bribe of Rs 8,500 for returning his bag that was confiscated during the custody. He alleges the owner of the coaching center to have bribed the police.

Tanaka filed a complaint with the human rights commission last month, a hearing was scheduled but had to be postponed as the Bengaluru City Police didn’t send a report of his case.

Talking about why he stole the chair, Tanaka said,” I wanted to be booked for the offense and stay in jail so I can pursue the case against the officers and ensure that they are brought to justice before I go back. ”

Dharmendra Kumar Meena, DCP North informed that Tanaka made an allegation and sent us a petition. ACP JC Nagar is looking into the case.

Police informed that no case has been registered against Tanaka for stealing a chair from the ACP office as he is already in violation of the Passport Act and Foreigners Act.

A senior officer accused him of wanting to be booked so that he can extend his stay in India.