- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:14858 WP No. 10878 of 2023 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 12TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI WRIT PETITION NO. 10878 OF 2023 (GM-POLICE) BETWEEN: 1. SRI M.N. SATHISH S/O NANJAPPA GOWDA M M AGED 44 YEARS DHATRI NILAYA 1ST CROSS VIJAYANAGAR CHIKKAMAGALUR - 577 101 …PETITIONER (BY SRI P.P. HEGDE, SENIOR ADVOCATE FOR SMT. RACHITHA RAJSHEKAR, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT HOME DEPARTMENT VIDHANA SOUDHA BANGALORE - 560 001 2. SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE SH-57, VIJAYA NAGAR CHIKKAMAGALURU - 577 101 Digitally signed by SUVARNA T Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:14858 WP No. 10878 of 2023 3. DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE CHIKKAMAGALURU SUB DIVISION CHIKKAMAGALURU - 577 101 4. CHIKKAMAGALUR TOWN POLICE STATION REPRESENTED BY ITS INSPECTOR OF POLICE CHIKKAMAGALURU - 577 101 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI MANJUNATH K., HCGP) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE ORDER DTD 05.03.2018 BEARING NO.SDC/CKM/ROWDY/CC/02/2018 PASSED BY THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE / RESPONDENTS NO.3 VIDE ANNEXURE-A ENTERING PETITIONERS NAME IN THE ROWDY REGISTER WITH CHIKKAMAGALUR TOWN POLICE STATION/RESPONDENT No.4 AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:14858 WP No. 10878 of 2023 ORAL ORDER The present writ petition is filed seeking the following prayer : "1. Issue writ of certiorari or any other appropriate writs or orders quashing the order dated 05-03-2018 bearing No.SDC/CKM/ROWDY/ CC/02/2018 passed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police/Respondents No.3. vide Annexure 'A' entering Petitioner's name in the Rowdy Register with Chikkamagalur Town Police Station/ Respondent No.4; 2. Issue writ of certiorari or any other appropriate writs or orders quashing the order dated 31-12-2022 bearing No. r¹Dgï ©/gËr ªÀÄÄPÁÛAiÀÄ/33/2022 passed by the Superintendent of Police/Respondents No.2 vide Annexure 'C' in so far as it pertains to temporary removal of the name of the Petitioner from the Rowdy Register and transferring his name to the temporary register, thereby refusing to remove the name of the Petitioner from rowdy register and consequently issue appropriate writs or orders for removal of the name of the Petitioner from the Rowdy Register maintained at Chikmagalur Town Police Station. 3. Issue appropriate writs or orders restraining the Respondents from keeping any surveillance on the movements of the Petitioner except in accordance with due process of law; 4. Issue appropriate writs or orders ordering Respondents to pay appropriate compensation to the Petitioner for violation of his fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India. 5. Grant such other and further reliefs as this Hon'ble Court deems fit to grant under the circumstances of the case, in the interest of justice." - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:14858 WP No. 10878 of 2023 2. It is the grievance of the petitioner that the respondents without any basis have opened a rowdy sheet against the petitioner on 05.03.2018. It is submitted that the petitioner is a practicing advocate and he is not involved in any crime. However, the respondents on 31.12.2022 have passed an order, i.e., respondent No.2, whereby it is stated that they have temporarily removed the name of the petitioner from the rowdy register and transferred his name to the temporary register. 3. The learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that on a periodical analysis, when the petitioner is not involved in any other case, the question of continuing the rowdy sheet will not arise. And once if a rowdy sheet cannot be continued, the question of keeping the name of the petitioner in a temporary rowdy register is not correct. It is submitted that this procedure is unknown to law and contrary to the Police Manual. 4. The learned High Court Government Pleader appearing for the respondents submits that as there is a - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:14858 WP No. 10878 of 2023 every likelihood that the petitioner may have committed or may have been involved in offences and to have him under surveillance, they have kept him in a separate temporary register and absolutely there is nothing wrong with the said act of the respondent No.2. 5. Having heard the learned counsels on either side, perused the material on record. The rowdy sheet is opened and continued as per the procedure contemplated under the Police Manual. The rowdy sheet is opened against the petitioner and the respondents in the year 2020 wanted to close the rowdy sheet. In that case, they should have closed the rowdy sheet and transferring his name into the temporary register is not contemplated in the Police Manual. If the petitioner indulges in any further activities and the Police Manual/Police Code gives them any power to open the rowdy sheet, the police are always at liberty to do so. But, they cannot continue to keep the name of the petitioner in a temporary register. In that view of the matter, this Court is passing the following: - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:14858 WP No. 10878 of 2023 ORDER i. Accordingly, the writ petition is allowed directing the respondents to remove the name of the petitioner from the temporary register and consequently the proceedings dated 31.02.2022 and 05.03.2018 are set aside. ii. If the petitioner involves in any crime and as per the Police manual, if the respondent wants to initiate any action, they are always at liberty to do so. iii. All I.As. in this petition shall stand closed. Sd/- (LALITHA KANNEGANTI) JUDGE SD List No.: 2 Sl No.: 5