Govt withdraws 142 cases pending trial in state

As many as 142 cases, including heinous cases like rioting, assault on police officials, attempt to murder and molestation, pending trial in courts across the state have been withdrawn on the directions of the government.

The cases pending in sessions and JMFC courts have already been withdrawn in a phased manner on the directions from government between October 2018 and January 2019, according to information obtained from director of prosecutions and government litigation in Bengaluru by DH under RTI Act.

Thus, some of the prominent accused like MLA of Bhadravathy (case related to assault on returning officer in APMC elections, April 25, 2011) and KPCC Kissan Khet Mazdoor Congress State President Sachin Meega (case registered in October 6, 2016) have been exonerated.

The biggest beneficiaries of government’s magnanimous decision are those accused in the infamous Ulaibettu (December 5, 2015) and Karai communal violence (after Puttur Hindu Samajotsava, January 16, 2015) in Dakshina Kannada district, farmers who had set KSRTC buses on fire and vandalised Mini Vidhan Soudha (Rs 50 lakh loss) during Kalasa-Banduri agitation in Gadag district (August 24, 2015), leaders from Kuruba and Balija communities (accused of
attempting to murder police officials during Yoginarayana Yathindra Jayantotsava
on October 4, 2015) in Tumkur district, agitators involved in the violence triggered during the cremation of Sub Inspector Mallikarjuna Bande (January 8, 2014) and dropping of Qamarul Islam from Cabinet (June 25, 2016) and farmers involved in the rampage against NTPC’s (National Thermal Power Corporation) 4,000-MW thermal power plant in Vijayapura district.

Cases filed against the managements of Syder Pord Rosy India Private Limited, Mysuru; West Coast Paper Mills Limited, Dandeli, (three cases) and BHEL, Bengaluru, for violations of Factories Act 1948 and Karnataka Factories Rules, 1969, were also withdrawn.

Courts across the state allowed prosecutors to withdraw cases. But many prosecutors in the action taken report to Director of Prosecutions and Home department had disapproved the government’s decision to withdraw cases as it would send a negative message to the society, sources told DH.