Clickgate: HC Quashes CID Case Against Police Officer

BENGALURU: The legal battle between Additional Director General of Police P Ravindranath and a woman whose photograph he clicked at a coffee shop has come to an end, with both sides deciding to settle the case amicably. This comes about six months after the compromise process was initiated.

The case against the senior police officer was registered on May 26, 2014.

Based on a complaint filed by the 30-year-old woman, the High Court, in July 2014, had allowed Ravindranath’s petition challenging a chargesheet filed by the Criminal Investigation Department against him.

On March 25, Justice A N Venugopala Gowda compounded the case based on an amicable settlement memo signed by Ravindranath and the victim. The two resolved not to initiate any civil or criminal proceedings against each other.

I’ve Got Justice: Ravindranath

ADGP Ravindranath (research and restructuring, Dharwad) told Express that justice had been meted out to him with the High Court quashing the chargesheet.

“I never indulged in any act that would insult the dignity of women,” he said, adding that the CID removed the charges as the allegations were false.

“But the CID had invoked Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) to fix me. The CID also mentioned in the chargesheet that I had absconded and hence a non-bailable warrant was issued by the magistrate court. All this is false,” he said.

The woman was unavailable for comment.

The Other Case: A case was also filed by Ravindranath against the then city police commissioner Raghavendra H Auradkar, DCP Ravikant Gowda and sub-inspector M S Ravi, accusing them of practising untouchability.

“I am yet to decide on whether or not to take the case further,” he said.