Karnataka HC denies bail to Bengaluru student, suggests harsher punishments

The Karnataka High Court in Bengaluru has refused bail to a 23-year-old engineering student accused of rape, sparking a debate over judicial rhetoric after the presiding judge suggested that harsher physical punishments could deter crime.

During the bail hearing, Justice R Nataraj remarked that the "law has lost its teeth" because offenders are not dealt with firmly. He suggested that more severe consequences, similar to those in some West Asian countries, are needed to ensure public compliance with the law.

“If you chop off a leg or a hand, then people will, perhaps, realise to comply with law," Justice Nataraj said during the proceedings. "Because we have a democracy, everybody takes advantage of it."

The accused student has been in judicial custody since early April. He faces allegations of sexually assaulting a former classmate. According to the police, the incident occurred on September 12, 2023, when the accused allegedly asked the woman to accompany him to an apartment under the pretext of discussing their friendship. The woman first approached the National Commission for Women before subsequently filing a police complaint.

Arguing for the student's release, the defence counsel stated that the accused had already spent nearly two months in jail for an offence he allegedly did not commit. The defence also highlighted that the allegations made against him related to events that occurred nearly three years ago.

Justice Nataraj dismissed these arguments, stating, “If you eat salt, you got to drink water. Let him stay for another four-five days. Let him get used to prison. Who knows if you are punished, you may have to go back.”

Following the arguments, the High Court issued a notice to the Karnataka state government. The court has posted the matter for its next hearing on June 8.