BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has quashed the criminal proceedings initiated under the POCSO Act against Rt Rev Prasanna Kumar Samuel, Bishop, Church of South India, Karnataka Central Diocese (CSI KCD). Allowing the petition filed by the Bishop, Justice Hemant Chandangoudar quashed the proceedings which was initiated under the provisions of the POCSO Act in 2015 against him and four others based on a complaint filed by late Mary Susheela.
The Cubbon Park police filed the chargesheet against four others in 2016 and the Bishop was left out since there was no material against him. However, the sessions court issued summons to the Bishop in December 2017. The court said the perusal of the chargesheet and the statement of the victim recorded clearly discloses that the petitioner is not involved in the commission of the offences. However, the magistrate “without perusing the chargesheet, without application of mind, issued the summons and the same is impermissible and is an abuse of process of law,” the court added.