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2026 Supreme(Online)(Kar) 32403
THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
Suraj Govindaraj, J
Ajith Kumar K. P. – Appellant
Versus
State of Karnataka – Respondent
WP No. 17139 of 2026
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Akarsh Kumar Gowda
For the Respondents: C.H. Devaraj
Once a person is acquitted in the criminal cases that led to their inclusion in a police rowdy sheet, the authorities must consider their representation for removal of the name from such records.
Headnote:The petitioner approached the Court under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India seeking the removal of his name from the rowdy sheet/register maintained at the Gowribidanur Rural Police Station. The petitioner contended that his name was included due to the pendency of cases in C.C.No.219/2018 and C.C.No.893/2017, in both of which he was subsequently acquitted on 01.03.2023 and 02.08.2023 respectively. The primary issue is whether the continuation of a person's name in a police rowdy sheet after acquittal in the underlying criminal proceedings is arbitrary and violative of Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution of India. The Court observed that since the criminal proceedings ended in acquittal, the respondents must consider the representations made by the petitioner for deletion of his name. The petition stands disposed off with a direction to the respondents to consider the petitioner's representation and pass necessary orders within 30 days.
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. petitioner seeks removal from rowdy sheet following acquittal in criminal cases. (Para 1 , 2 , 3) |
| 2. direction to respondents to consider representation for deletion of name post-acquittal. (Para 4) |
| 3. disposal of the writ petition. (Para 5) |
THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENTS TO DELETE / REMOVE THE NAME OF THE PETITIONER FROM THE ROWDY SHEET / ROWDY REGISTER MAINTAINED AT GOWRIBIDANUR RURAL POLICE STATION, FORTHWITH AND ETC.
THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ
ORAL ORDER
1. Learned Additional Government Advocate accepts notice for respondents.
2. Petitioner is before this Court seeking for the following reliefs:
1. Direct the respondents to delete/remove the name of the petitioner from the rowdy sheet/rowdy register maintained at Gowribidanur Rural Police Station, forthwith;
2. Declare that the continuation of the petitioner's name in the rowdy sheet/rowdy register after his acquittal in C.C.No.219/2018 and C.C.No.893/2017, and without consideration of his representations dated 24.06.2025, is illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional and violative of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India; Annexure-E and E.1;
3. In the alternative, direct respondent Nos.3 to 5 to consider the petitioner's representations dated 24.06.2025 strictly in accordance guidelines laid down by this Hon'ble Court, and to pass a reasoned speaking order within a time-bound period after affording an opportunity to the petitioner;
3. A rowdy sheet was opened in the name of the petitioner on account of pendency in C.C.No.219/2018 and C.C.No.893/2017. However, the petitioner was acquitted in C.C.No.219/2018 on 01.03.2023 and in C.C.No.893/2017 on 02.08.2023. The FIRs relating to the said cases arise out the same set of facts.
4. Thereafter, the petitioner had submitted a representation on 24.06.2025 to delete his name from the rowdy list maintained by the respondents. Now that the criminal proceedings against the petitioner ended up in acquittal, it would be for the respondents to consider the representation of the petitioner and pass necessary orders, if there are any other proceedings pending against the petitioner, within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of copy of this order.
5. With these above observations, the petition stands disposed off.
