HC declines PIL seeking to make the names of Riot Accused public

On Wednesday, the Karnataka High Court declined to entertain a PIL which had sought for a direction to City Police to make public on their website the names & details of the accused arrested in connection with the Aug 11 east Bengaluru violence.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka noted that if the appeal sought by HM Khaleel Ahmed is accepted, the same would have serious repercussions on the right to privacy of the accused. 

The bench also wondered whether the petitioner is espousing the rights of the accused or arguing against their interest. Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel claimed there’s no information forthcoming with regard to the arrested persons. He said under section 41 of the criminal procedure code, Police have to make public names of the accused & officers in charge of the investigation.

However, the Court noted that those provisions operate on a different footing, & the appeal of the petitioner would result in those names going viral & thus affect the fundamental rights of the arrested persons. 

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