Madiwala murder protest: HC quashes criminal cases against MP Nalin, Kalladka

Bengaluru/Bantwal: The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday, November 20, quashed criminal cases against Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Puttur MLA Sanjeeva Matandoor, RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat and others for violating Section 144 of the CrPC during protests against the alleged killing of RSS activist Sharath Madivala.

The Bantwal police had lodged an FIR against 14 elected representatives, on July 7, 2017 for taking out a procession urging arrest of Madiwala’s perpetrators.

Hearing the petition filed by Nalin Kumar and 13 others, Justice Ashok G. Nijagannavar while passing the verdict observed that the police did not have the right to register a suo motu case for violation of prohibitory orders imposed by the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district.

The court held that as per the law a complaint with regard to violation of prohibitory order could be registered by those who ordered the prohibitory orders, which in this case happens to be Dakshina Kannada DC or the authority above the DC.