The Halasuru Gate police have decided to withdraw the case lodged against residents of Malleswaram, Vyalikaval, and Sadashivanagar areas of Bengaluruwho had participated in a protest against the Sankey Tank flyover and road widening project.
On Tuesday, May 30, the Halasuru Gate police submitted a closure report (B-report) to the court. This decision came after the Karnataka High Court issued a stay order on Monday, May 29, halting the investigation into the First Information Report (FIR) filed against the petitioners who had taken part in a walk against the proposed Sankey road widening and flyover project on February 19.
Initially, the police in the Malleshwaram constituency had registered an FIR against eight individuals and 70 unidentified individuals under sections 341, 141, 149, and 283 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), which pertain to wrongful confinement, unlawful assembly, and obstruction of public way.
These charges were related to the peaceful Sunday morning walk that took place on February 19, 2023 as part of the Save Sankey protest. However, following widespread opposition to the police's actions, the case was transferred to the Halasuru Gate police station to ensure an impartial investigation.
The protest, which involved a silent march, witnessed the participation of more than 200 residents from Malleshwaram, Vyalikaval, and Sadashivanagar areas of Bengaluru. During the peaceful protest, the citizens wore black attire and utilized the hashtag '#SaveSankey' on social media to raise awareness.
Later, the Sadashivanagar police had filed an FIR against 70 of the protesters after one of them received a summons notice from the police. Over the past few weeks, residents of these areas, along with many others, strongly criticized the FIR, considering it arbitrary, unfounded, and unjust.
Despite making multiple representations to the previous BJP government, highlighting that the FIR violated their constitutional rights to freedom of speech, expression, and peaceful assembly, the case remained open.
