NEW DELHI: Playing cards for entertainment and recreation without an element of betting and gambling does not involve moral turpitude, the Supreme Court has recently said as it restored the election of a man in a cooperative society in Karnataka.
A two-judge bench, led by Justice Surya Kant and also comprising Justice N Kotiswar Singh, in its verdict, noted that one Hanumantharayappa YC, who was elected to the board of directors of Government Porcelain Factory Employees Housing Co-operative Society Ltd, was allegedly fined Rs 200 without any trial when some persons, including him, were caught playing cards on roadside.
The verdict came after hearing a plea filed by Hanumantharayappa, who was removed from the post following a Karnataka High Court ruling.Deciding in favour of Hanumantharayappa, the SC said that playing cards for fun without gambling isn’t a moral crime.
“In the very nature of things, we find it difficult that the misconduct attributed to the appellant involves moral turpitude. It is well known that the expression moral turpitude is used in legal as well as societal parlance to describe a conduct, which is inherently base, vile, deprave or having some connection showing depravity. Every action against which one can raise an eyebrow may not necessarily involve moral turpitude,” the bench said.
It set aside the HC’s order upholding the decision to remove Hanumantharayappa from the post in the cooperative society.