The Karnataka High Court has taken serious exception to the manner in which Whitefield Police allegedly arrested a man in connection with a Facebook post celebrating the cancellation of comedian Kunal Kamra’s show in Bengaluru, observing that the police station appeared to be “violating the law time and again.”
Justice M. Nagaprasanna was hearing a petition challenging the registration of a crime for offences under Sections 217 and 353(2) of the BNS, 2023. The case arose from a representation by the Hindu Rashtra Samanvaya Samithi opposing Kamra’s proposed comedy show at Uru, Whitefield. Following the representation, the show was cancelled, after which the petitioner posted on Facebook that the cancellation was a “victory for Hindu unity.”
The Court noted that the alleged disharmony arising from the Facebook post was identified suo motu by Whitefield Police, with a police constable alleging that the post had created imaginary disharmony. The Bench further noted that although a notice under Section 35(3) of the BNSS required the petitioner to appear before police within three days, police allegedly travelled to Udupi at around 2 a.m., took him into custody and brought him to Whitefield Police Station. The notice was allegedly served only after he had already been taken into custody. The Court observed:
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“Therefore, the Whitefield Police Station appears to have been violating the law time and again as this Court has repeatedly coming across this violation of law from this Police Station.”
It further said the notice itself indicated that the petitioner was supposed to appear before the police three days later, but had already been taken into custody. Taking a serious view of the alleged conduct, the High Court directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police and the Police Sub-Inspector allegedly involved in the incident to remain personally present before the Court on August 29 at 2:30 p.m.
The Court warned that if the DCP and ACP failed to appear, it would be “constrained to summon the Commissioner of Police of the City of Bengaluru to set the house in order.”
The matter has been listed for August 29, 2026 at 2:30 p.m.
