Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (RJP)

Bengaluru, Jun 4: The Karnataka high court has said that it is illegal to arrest people who are engaged in the Andar Bahar, a game of cards, without the permission from local magistrate.

In effect, filing of first information report, investigation and charge sheeting against people who play Andar Bahar without the permission from local magistrate also becomes illegal , as per the high court judgment.

G T Raghavendra and others had gone to court challenging their arrests and cases filed against them in relation to Andar Bahar game. The single judge bench of Justice A N Venugopala Gowda delivered the verdict saying that the cases filed against Raghavendra and others were illegal.

Advocate Arun Shyam had represented the applicants. He had argued that as per section 155 of the CRPC, the police had to obtain the permission from the local magistrate to enter into private premises to arrest persons engaged in the game of Andar Bahar.

C T Raghavendra and others were arrested in a Mangaluru flat while they were playing the Andar Bahar game. 16 cases were filed against them which now stand cancelled as per the high court judgment.