Sri Ramesh Babu V M v. The State of Karnataka

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ WRIT PETITION NO. 22529 OF 2026 (GM-POLICE) BETWEEN:

SRI. RAMESH BABU V.M. S/O MUNIVENKATAPPA, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS, R/AT 1ST CROSS, MALLIGE ROAD, GOKULA EXTENSION, TUMAKURU - 572 104. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SHASHIKUMAR R, ADVOCATE) AND:

¶1THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, HOME DEPARTMENT, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU - 560 001.

¶2THE DIRECTOR GENERAL AND INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE NO.6, NRUPATHUNGA ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 001.

¶3THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE TUMAKURU DISTRICT, TUMAKURU - 572 101.

by SHWETHA RAGHAVENDRA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

¶4THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE TUMAKURU SUB-DIVISION, TUMAKURU - 572 101.

¶5THE CIRCLE INSPECTOR OF POLICE TILAK PARK CIRCLE, TUMAKURU - 572 101.

¶6THE SUB-INSPECTOR OF POLICE JAYANAGARA POLICE STATION, TUMAKURU - 572 104. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. SARITHA KULKARNI, AGA)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTTUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASHING THE POLICE NOTICE DATED 16.07.2026 ISSUED BY RESPONDENT NO.6 PROPOSING TO REOPEN THE ROWDY SHEET AGAINST THE PETITIONER, AS BEING ILLEGAL, ARBITRARY AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL. (VIDE ANNEXURE-A) AND ETC.,

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ

ORAL ORDER

¶1Learned Additional Government Advocate accepts notice for the respondents.

¶2Petitioner is before this court seeking for the following reliefs:

a. Issue a Writ of Certiorari or any other appropriate writ, order or direction quashing the Police Notice dated 16.07.2026 issued by Respondent No.6 proposing to reopen the Rowdy Sheet against the petitioner, as being illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional. (Vide Annexure-A)

b. Issue a Writ of Mandamus directing Respondent Nos.3 to 6 not to reopen, continue or maintain any Rowdy Sheet against the petitioner on the basis of cases which are already been considered by this Hon'ble Court while passing the order dated

18.12.2024 in W.P.No.32163/2024. (Vide Annexure-H)

c. Award exemplary costs of this writ petition against Respondent Nos.5 and 6 for their arbitrary and repeated abuse of police powers in disregard of the binding judgment of this Hon'ble Court.

d. Grant such other reliefs as this Hon'ble Court deems fit in the facts and circumstances of the case.

¶3The contention of the petitioner is that on an earlier occasion, the rowdy sheet, which had been opened against the petitioner, had been quashed by this Court vide order dated

18.12.2024 in W.P.No.32163/2024, taking into consideration that the three criminal proceedings which were pending against the petitioner had been stayed by co-ordinate benches.

¶4The submission now made by the counsel for the petitioner is that apart from those three criminal proceedings there are no other criminal proceedings which have been initiated requiring the reopening of

the rowdy sheet insofar as the petitioner is concerned.

¶5A perusal of the aforesaid order dated 18.12.2024 in W.P.No.32163/2024 indicates that the Co-ordinate bench of this Court had considered the orders passed in W.P.No.29117/2019, W.P.No.15630/2018, and W.P.No.4504/2021 and in that background directed the name of the petitioner to be deleted from the rowdy sheet.

¶6However, reserving liberty to the respondents to re-enter the petitioner's name in the list of the rowdy sheet if the need arises, what has now been issued is only a police notice proposing to reopen the rowdy sheet. It would be for the petitioner to reply to the same, placing on record the details of the criminal proceedings which have been filed against the petitioner and the stay orders passed by the respective co-ordinate benches of this Court, as also to indicate that there are no other criminal proceedings other than that considered in the order dated 18.12.2024 in W.P.No.32163/2024. If such details are furnished to the respondents in reply to the notice dated 16.07.2026, the respondents would

have to consider the same and pass necessary orders.

¶7Reserving liberty to the petitioner to reply to the police notice dated 16.07.2026 and directing the respondents to pass necessary orders as per the observation made herein above, the petition stands disposed.

Sd/- (SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE

GJM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 11