Karnataka High Court issues notice to govt in PIL seeking SIT probe against Viveknagar police in custodial death

Bengaluru: The high court of Karnataka has ordered notice to the state government in a PIL filed by People's Union for Civil Liberties-Karnataka over the alleged custodial death of a youth in November 2025. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vebhu Bakhru and Justice CM Poonacha also ordered notice to the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission.

On November 12, 2025, two policemen from Viveknagar police station detained Darshan, 23, who was sitting outside his house in Sonnenahalli, Viveknagar. When Darshan’s mother Adilakshmi and her elder son Ajith asked for the reason, the policeman said that he had shown a machete to scare food delivery App staff.

On November 15, Adilakshmi was summoned to the station and police asked her to arrange money to take her son to Unity Foundation Rehabilitation Centre due to his drinking issues. On November 26, 2025, Darshan’s father PL Gopi was informed by the rehabilitation centre that his son had passed away due to breathing issues.

The petition said that Adilakshmi filed a complaint against the police inspector, and three other police personnel of Viveknagar police station based on the post-mortem report issued by the Victoria Hospital. According to the petition, the post-mortem confirmed that Darshan had suffered injuries. In December 2025, Darshan's custodial death matter was transferred to CID for investigation.

The petitioner has sought directions for setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to take over the investigation in the FIR registered with the Madanayakanahalli police station. The petition stated that the matter is a custodial murder and needs to be investigated by a SIT. The CID will not be able to do justice as till date no accused police officer has been taken to custody, the petition said. The petition further sought directions for payment of Rs 50 lakh compensation to the legal heirs of Darshan and to provide protection to the family members who are the witnesses in the case.