The Karnataka High Court has quashed a criminal case filed by Gangolli police against Sheena Poojary, a 55-year-old auto-rickshaw driver from Alur, Kundapur taluk. Dr. Ravindranath Shanbhag of the Human Rights Protection Foundation, Udupi, announced on September 8 that the court's decision exonerates Poojary, who was falsely implicated in illegal stone quarrying and theft from government land. Speaking at a press conference in Udupi, Dr. Shanbhag highlighted this unique instance of alleged police misconduct.
Sheena Poojary, a diligent driver, supports his Endosulfan-affected wife and two college-going sons, striving to cover their medical and educational expenses. His ordeal began on August 24, 2025, when Uday Shetty, an acquaintance from Alur, hired his rickshaw to Gangolli. Poojary dropped Shetty at the Gangolli police station and waited outside. After thirty minutes, a constable called Poojary inside.
An officer there questioned Poojary about Uday Shetty. Upon confirmation, police instructed Poojary to sign a document. Despite his inability to read or write and his query about the necessity, officers assured him it was a mere formality with no issues. Trusting their word and believing in civic duty, Poojary signed, then provided a copy of his Aadhaar card. Police then vaguely warned him he might need a single court appearance, sparking his initial apprehension.
Two months later, Poojary received a court summons. Gangolli police notified him by phone, then delivered the notice for his signature. When an acquaintance read the document, Poojary was stunned: he stood as the second accused in a criminal case at Kundapur court, charged alongside Uday Shetty (first accused) with illegally quarrying and stealing red stone from government land. Beyond knowing Shetty was from Alur, Poojary had no other connection to the alleged crime. He confronted the Gangolli police, who dismissed his concerns, calling it a 'small case' and advising him to pay a minor court fine.
Poojary's conscience would not allow him to confess to a crime he did not commit. Faced with the daunting prospect of prolonged legal battles, he felt desperate. Acting on advice from a law student, he approached the Human Rights Protection Foundation in Udupi, providing only the summons copy. The Foundation promptly took up his cause, leading to the High Court's recent ruling. Dr. Shanbhag confirmed the Foundation would now assist Poojary in filing a defamation suit against the implicated police officials.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Vartha Bharati Udupi