A viral video of Karnataka High Court Justice M Nagaprasanna questioning the delay in arresting a police officer accused of abetting a lawyer's suicide has sparked debate online. The judge questioned why the officer remained free despite a 13-page death note alleging torture. The court earlier ordered an SIT probe.
A video of Karnataka High Court Justice M Nagaprasanna questioning lawyers over the alleged lack of action against a police officer accused of abetting a woman lawyer's suicide has gone viral on social media, drawing widespread discussion about police accountability and equal treatment under the law. During the hearing, Justice Nagaprasanna questioned why the officer had not been arrested despite allegations of torture and a 13-page death note reportedly left behind by the deceased lawyer.
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The judge's sharp questions centred on what action had been taken against the police officer accused of torturing the woman during an investigation. He also questioned why the officer was still free when the allegations were serious enough to be recorded in detail in the death note.
Judge questions why accused officer remains free
In the viral courtroom footage, the judge is heard asking the lawyer representing the state what steps had been taken against the investigating officer.
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The lawyer reportedly responded that the matter was still under investigation.
Justice Nagaprasanna then questioned the basis of the investigation, pointing to the allegations that the police officer had tortured the woman and that the alleged torture was linked to her death.
The judge also asked whether the accused officer had sought anticipatory bail. When told that she had not, he made a pointed observation that she may not have needed to seek such protection because she was a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
The judge questioned whether the same approach would have been followed if the accused had been an ordinary citizen.
"Had it been a common man, would you not have arrested that person after a 13-page death note?" the judge asked in the viral footage.
He also questioned whether being a police officer could place someone beyond the reach of the law.
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13-page death note at centre of case
The case concerns a woman lawyer who died in an alleged suicide and reportedly left behind a 13-page death note. The note is said to contain detailed allegations of torture and mistreatment during questioning by the investigating officer.
The Advocates Association had approached the Karnataka High Court last month, alleging that the deceased had been physically assaulted, stripped and tortured by the woman police officer. The state has denied these allegations.
The court, however, took note of the contents of the death note and the serious allegations raised in the case.
The accused officer, Deputy SP Kanaka Lakshmi B.M., has not been arrested in connection with the abetment of suicide allegations and has not sought anticipatory bail, according to the details presented before the court.
The matter remains under judicial scrutiny, and the allegations have not been established as facts.
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Court had earlier ordered SIT probe
Justice Nagaprasanna had earlier formed a Special Investigation Team comprising three senior IPS officers to investigate the allegations of torture and examine whether the investigating officer was responsible for abetting the woman's suicide, according to a report by Law Chakra.
The court also dismissed a petition filed by Deputy SP Kanaka Lakshmi B.M. seeking to quash the FIR registered against her in connection with the abetment of suicide allegations. A detailed order in the matter is awaited.
The case has also led to calls for an independent investigation. A request was made for the probe to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), with the petitioners arguing that the allegations require an investigation outside the state police system.
Case linked to Rs 196 crore scam
The deceased lawyer was reportedly an accused in a case linked to an alleged Rs 196 crore scam involving the Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation.
She faced charges under Sections 406 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, relating to criminal breach of trust and cheating. On November 13, she had filed an affidavit alleging that she was subjected to torture by the woman investigating officer handling the case.
The allegations against the police officer are now at the centre of the court proceedings following the woman's death.
The viral video has prompted strong reactions online, with many users praising Justice Nagaprasanna for questioning whether the law is being applied equally. Others have used the remarks to raise broader questions about police accountability and whether officials accused of serious wrongdoing receive different treatment from ordinary citizens.
However, the case is still before the court. The allegations against the police officer remain unproven, and the investigation is ongoing.
