No place for hooligans in Bengaluru, declares HC

BENGALURU: Taking serious note of Thursday’s incident in Ramamurthynagar in East Bengaluru, when a couple of labourers and BBMP officers were attacked while removing unauthorized hoardings and flexes, the Karnataka high court on Friday summoned city police commissioner T Suneel Kumar over the issue.
This was after BBMP counsel V Sreenidhi mentioned before court in the morning session that workers and officers engaged in removing unauthorized flexes and hoardings had been attacked. The court also noted that it has been widely reported in the media.

When the commissioner appeared before the court just before noon, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari said there is no place for hooliganism in Bengaluru city, and the police need to deal with it seriously.

“It troubles us that officers doing public duty are roughed up. It is not only a challenge to law but also to the orders of this court. There cannot be a bigger offence than this. It has to be dealt with seriously. This has to be the last thing in Bengaluru,” the Chief Justice observed.

The court also directed the commissioner to ensure protection to BBMP officials and workers engaged in removing unauthorized flexes, hoardings, banners etc.

CHARGESHEET BY TUESDAY

The court directed the police commissioner to ensure that the chargesheet in the Ramamurthynagar case is filed on or before Tuesday (August 7) before the jurisdictional magistrate.

The bench specified that bail applications of the accused will be considered only by the high court.

It said that the police commissioner is required to keep vigil to prevent anyone from putting up illegal hoardings and flexes in Bengaluru in future. It directed the commissioner to file an affidavit on or before the next date, specifying the steps taken or proposed to be taken.

BBMP TAKEN TO TASK

The court also took BBMP to task and said that removal of flexes is a minor thing, and the civic body has to answer some serious questions when the court takes up the matter on August 8. “Flex is a minor thing. Ask your officers to come out of their chambers and chairs and walk on the road,” the bench told BBMP counsel Sreenidhi.

Earlier, advocate-general Uday Holla, who appeared along with the police commissioner, told the court that so far, 20,000 illegal flexes/hoardings had been removed during the drive.

Holla added that an FIR had been lodged with relation to the incident which took place opposite Mutthumariyamma Temple in Ramamurthynagar police station limits, and that four people were arrested, while two are absconding. He said that an FIR had been registered under Sections 143, 147, 323, 324 and 353 IPC, and assured the court that a final report would be filed by Tuesday.