Karnataka High Court Says Attempt to Murder Charge Justified in Reckless Driving Case

Karnataka High Court slammed a Bengaluru techie for reckless driving in a road rage case, refusing to quash the FIR. The court stressed there is no excuse for endangering lives, including a family with a child.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has given a sharp rap on the knuckles to a software engineer involved in a road rage incident. The court made it clear that there is “no excuse for road rage” and reckless driving, especially when it endangers a family with a child.

The case involves Sukruth Keshav Gowda, a techie from Kodigehalli in Bengaluru. He had filed a petition asking the court to cancel an FIR filed against him by the Sadashivanagar police. The FIR included a serious charge: attempt to murder.

During the hearing, Justice M. Nagaprasanna’s bench pulled up the techie for his actions. The incident happened when Gowda, driving his car recklessly, hit a scooter. A couple and their child were riding on that scooter.

Road Rage

The techie's lawyer argued that it was just a road rage incident and an accident. He claimed his client had no intention to kill anyone and that the police had wrongly added the attempt to murder charge without any basis.

However, the court wasn't convinced. Justice Nagaprasanna noted that the police had initially filed the case under a different section. They later added the attempt to murder charge (under Section 109 of the BNS) only after getting permission from a competent court. The judge said the police had followed the correct procedure.

In a sharp observation, the judge said, “Bengaluru’s traffic should teach you patience. But it seems the petitioner has no patience.” The court firmly stated, “There is no excuse for road rage.”

While the court did not cancel the FIR, it disposed of the petition. It did, however, give Sukruth Gowda the freedom to challenge the chargesheet once it is filed by the police.