Book cases against Covid rule violators, Karnataka High Court tells DGP

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed Director-General and Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood to ensure that FIRs are registered against those found to be violating Covid-19 norms.

The HC also maintained that such violations are cognisable offences and non-bailable in nature according to the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases (KED) Act, 2020.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj while hearing a PIL filed by Bengaluru-based Letzkit Foundation directed Sood to set up a team including senior police officers to educate the police on effective enforcement of laws to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection.

The team should also monitor the registration of FIRs and investigation in cases of violations including those congregating in large numbers.

The bench noted that police were hesitant in registering FIRs for such violations, thereby taking the law lightly perhaps by way of collecting fines. "We hasten to add that none should be spared for the violations," the bench mentioned.