The Karnataka High Court voiced concern over the lack of adequate legal provisions to curb the dangerous motorcycle stunt known as ‘wheeling’. While hearing a bail plea in such a case, the Court noted that existing penal laws fail to deter the practice and urged the State to enact stricter laws. It observed, “It is the bounden duty of the State and enforcement agencies to introduce necessary statutory provisions and adopt stringent measures to suppress this dangerous trend.”
The case arose out of an incident reported in October 2024, where the accused was allegedly performing a wheeling stunt on a motorcycle with two pillion riders. As per the prosecution, when the police attempted to intercept the vehicle, the accused lost control and crashed. Following this, the accused is said to have verbally abused the officers, caused them injuries, and thrown a government-issued mobile phone into a canal, thereby damaging public property. Based on this sequence of events, he was arrested and a charge sheet was filed.
The petitioner, represented by Advocate Sadiq N Goodwala, argued that he had been falsely implicated owing to a prior personal dispute with the local police officials. He sought bail on the grounds that the investigation was complete and the charge sheet had already been filed.
Opposing the bail plea, Government Pleader Girija S Hiremath, appearing for the State, contended that the petitioner was a habitual offender and had shown violent and non-cooperative behaviour during the incident. It was further argued that granting bail at this stage may not be appropriate given the nature of the offence and the petitioner’s past conduct.
Justice V Srishananda, after examining the material on record, observed that the offence of wheeling currently falls within the scope of bailable offences under provisions related to rash or negligent driving, which are insufficient to effectively curb such acts. He remarked, “At the time of enacting the Motor Vehicles Act, perhaps the lawmakers did not envisage a situation where a two-wheeler would be driven on the rear wheel alone.”
Emphasising the public danger posed by such stunts, the Court noted, “Young motorcyclists wrongly equate wheeling with bravery, unaware of the life-threatening consequences. This reckless behaviour disrupts public order and peace.”
The Court underscored the need for dedicated legal provisions targeting wheeling, given its increasing frequency and impact on public safety. He stressed that law enforcement agencies often face challenges in taking effective action due to the absence of appropriate statutory backing.
Dismissing the bail application, the Court held that the filing of a charge sheet alone does not entitle the petitioner to bail. The Court stated, “Mere filing of the charge sheet cannot, by itself, justify bail. The petitioner is free to approach the appropriate court for bail if there is any significant change in circumstances.”
In conclusion, the Court urged the State to examine the legislative gaps concerning wheeling and consider appropriate amendments to deter such hazardous conduct in the interest of public safety.
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