Karnataka High Court Nixes Controversial State Withdrawal of Riot Cases

The Karnataka High Court has nullified a state order to withdraw 43 criminal cases, including those from the 2022 Hubballi riots, following a PIL by advocate Girish Bharadwaj. The court deemed the order illegitimate, as the decision to withdraw cases should be independently undertaken by public prosecutors.

In a decisive verdict, the Karnataka High Court nullified a controversial state directive to withdraw 43 criminal cases, including notable cases from the 2022 Hubballi riots. This judgment follows a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Girish Bharadwaj.

The court, led by Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind, ruled that the government's directive was invalid from the outset, underscoring the need for prosecutors to operate independently rather than under executive influence.

The PIL highlighted that the cases for withdrawal disproportionately involved politically influential figures, raising questions about the impartiality of the state's actions. Chief Justice Anjaria, in his final court session before elevation to the Supreme Court, emphasized the importance of prosecutorial independence in upholding legal integrity.

(With inputs from agencies.)