The Karnataka High Court has strongly criticized the police for failing to register what it termed as "real crimes" while taking action in a minor cow theft case. Justice M Nagaprasanna made the oral observation while granting interim relief to four members of a family who had challenged an FIR registered by the MK Doddi police in Channapatna taluk.
Court's Observations on Police Conduct
"Real crimes, you don't register... You knock on a police station 100 times to register a real crime. But two cows went missing two years ago, then you registered a crime," the judge remarked, expressing displeasure over the selective approach of law enforcement.
Background of the Case
The complainant, Dasaiah, alleged that Shekar had informed him that Mangalamma and her family members sold two cows that went missing in August 2024. Based on this, an FIR was registered in March 2026 against the family. The petitioners argued that the inordinate delay in lodging the complaint raised serious doubts about its credibility.
Legal Arguments
While the police maintained that cow theft is a cognizable offense and they were duty-bound to register the case, the court noted the lack of any plausible explanation for the two-year delay. Justice Nagaprasanna observed that allowing such proceedings to continue would amount to an abuse of the legal process.
Interim Relief Granted
The judge stated that criminal law should not be invoked lightly or used as a means of harassment. Granting interim relief, the court stayed the proceedings against Mangalamma and three others.
