High court pulls up Karnataka police over ‘misuse of law’ in cow theft case

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has once again come down heavily on the functioning of the state police, expressing strong displeasure over what it termed as arbitrary and misplaced priorities in handling criminal cases.

Hearing a petition related to a cow theft case from Channapatna, Justice M. Nagaprasanna, presiding over a single-judge bench, criticised the police for filing an FIR two years after the alleged incident and targeting an entire family without sufficient grounds.

The case dates back to August 18, 2024, when a resident named Dasayya reported that his two cows had gone missing after being tied for grazing. However, no immediate action was taken. Surprisingly, nearly two years later in March 2026, the police registered an FIR against four members of a neighbouring family based on claims made by a middleman.

The accused had approached the High Court seeking to quash the FIR, arguing that the case was baseless and filed with undue delay. During the hearing, the court questioned the rationale behind initiating criminal proceedings after such a long gap, especially when the cattle had not been traced.

The bench observed that common citizens often struggle to get FIRs registered even after repeated visits to police stations. “People are made to run from pillar to post to lodge complaints, but in this case, the police have hastily filed a case against an entire family over a two-year-old incident,” the court remarked.

Justice Nagaprasanna termed the action a clear misuse of legal provisions and criticised the police for diverting attention from serious crimes. The court emphasised that law enforcement agencies should focus on genuine and pressing criminal matters rather than pursuing weak and delayed cases.

The High Court also issued an interim stay on further investigation against the accused family, noting that the case reflected an abuse of authority. It warned that such conduct would not be tolerated and directed the police to act responsibly.

The case has once again raised questions about policing standards and accountability in Karnataka, with the judiciary reiterating the need for a more professional and citizen-friendly approach.