- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8017 WP No. 31715/2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 10TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD WRIT PETITION NO.31715/2025 (GM-POLICE) BETWEEN: SRI NAGARAJU K V S/O SRI VENKATESHAPPA AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS R/AT NO.149/A, KITHGANUR COLONY CHURCH CROSS, K.R.PURA POST BENGALURU EAST TALUK BENGALURU - 560 036 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SOMASHEKARA K M., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY ITS SECRETARY TO HOME DEPARTMENT VIDHANA SOUDHA BENGLAURU-560 001 2. THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE BENGALURU CITY, INFANTRY ROAD BENGALURU-560 001 3. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE WHITEFIELD DIVISION Digitally signed by VANAMALA N Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8017 WP No. 31715/2025 WHITEFIELD MAIN ROAD RUSTAMJEE LAYOUT, VINAYAKA LAYOUT, WHITEFIELD, BENGALURU-560 066 4. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT NO.5, MILLERS ROAD, VASANTH NAGAR BEGNALURU-560 052 5. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF POLICE WHITEFIELD DIVISION CLUSTER, K.R.PURAM 2, NISARGA LAYUT, DEVASANDRA, KRISHNARAJAPURAM BENGALURU-560 036 6. THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE HOSAKOTE SUB-DIVISION, HOSAKOTE BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT-562 114 7. THE POLICE INSPECTOR AVALAHALLI POLICE STATION BENGALURU CITY-560 049 8. THE SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE AVALAHALLI POLICE STATION BENGALURU - 560 049 …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT.SARITHA KULKARNI, AGA) THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO I) QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 06.04.2017 VIDE NO.SDPO/HSK/GC/144/2017 PASSED BY THE - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8017 WP No. 31715/2025 RESPONDENT NO.6 UNDER KARNATAKA POLICE MANUAL ORDER NO.1059(5) AND CONSEQUENTIAL ENTRY IN THE ROWDY REGISTER/LIST VIDE SL.144, NO./B11/PS/GC/101/17 MAINTAINED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.7 AGAINST THE PETITIONER VIDE ANNEXURES-E AND F RESPECTIVELY. II) IN THE ALTERNATIVE ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS OR ANY OTHER SUITABLE WRIT OR DIRECTION TO THE RESPONDENTS MORE PARTICULARLY THE RESPONDENTS NO.2, 3, 5 AND 7 TO REVIEW THE ENTRY IN THE REGISTER OF ROWDIES AS PROVIDED UNDER CLAUSE (2) OF ORDER 1057 OF THE KARNATAKA POLICE MANUAL FOR DELETION OF THE PETITIONER'S NAME FROM THE ROWDY REGISTER/LIST ON THE BASIS OF CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN 'B' GROUP HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B M SHYAM PRASAD ORAL ORDER The petitioner's name is entered in the Register of Rowdies by the impugned Memo dated 06.04.2017, and the petitioner's name in such Register continues. The - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8017 WP No. 31715/2025 petitioner's case is that this Memo is issued because of certain differences in opinion between the petitioner and the Investigating Officer, who had registered crime in No.93/2017 against the petitioner. Sri K.M. Somashekara, the learned counsel for the petitioner, arguing in support of the petition, submits that [a] in the year 2017, proceedings are commenced against the petitioner not just in Crime No.93/2017 but also in Crime Nos.113/2017, 120/2017 and 152/2017 for offences such as cheating, forgery and unlawful assembly, [b] the petitioner has been acquitted in Crime No.152/2017 and the proceedings in Crime No.113/2017 is closed because of the settlement [c] the police have filed B Report in Crime No.120/2017. The learned Counsel canvasses that the petitioner was constrained to approach the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission and those proceedings have culminated with the seventh respondent being called upon to close the proceedings with the deletion of the petitioner's name from the Register. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8017 WP No. 31715/2025 Mrs. Sarita Kulkarni, the learned Additional Government Advocate, places on record a Report from the eighth respondent which affirms the assertions as regards the proceedings in Crime No.93/2017 pending consideration. This Report does not refer to any other proceedings in the last eight years. The question whether the petitioner's name must continue in the Register is considered in the light of these circumstances. This Court is of the view that if there are no proceedings against the petitioner in the last eight years, there would be justification as directed way back in the year 2018 for closure of the proceedings. However, while providing for the same, this Court must also observe that the outcome in the present proceedings cannot have any bearing on the merits of the allegations against the petitioner, which is pending consideration in CC No.650/2019. Hence the following. ORDER The petition is allowed directing the seventh respondent to take appropriate measures within - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8017 WP No. 31715/2025 two [2] weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order to delete the petitioner's name from the Register of Rowdies. SD/- (B M SHYAM PRASAD) JUDGE NV List No.: 4 Sl No.: 18