BENGALURU: The Karnataka HC ruled that the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Special Court has no jurisdiction to try offences under Indian Penal Code.
Justice HP Sandesh passed the order while partly allowing the criminal revision petition filed by Chennakeshava, a resident of Bengaluru East taluk, questioning the order dated January 12, 2024, passed by the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Special Court in the city and discharging him from the offence punishable under Section 420 of the IPC and Section 192(A) of Karnataka Land Revenue Act.
The high court said the special court can deal with offences under Section 192-A of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964. Sections 3 and 4 of the Act and the power are not vested with the Land Grabbing Court to deal with IPC offences.
Quashing the special court’s order regarding the observation that it can try the IPC offences, the high court said the magistrate, who commits the case, should split up the IPC offence and send the chargesheet to the Land Grabbing Court and retain the charges of the IPC and proceed in accordance with the law.