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News18
14-05-2025
- News18
‘Wheeling Misconstrued As Bravado By Youth': Karnataka HC Urges Legal Reform To Curb Rising Menace
Last Updated: The Court noted the stunt has dangerously spread from urban roads to rural areas, creating serious risks for both riders and the general public The Karnataka High Court has called upon the state government and law enforcement agencies to consider introducing stringent legal provisions to combat the growing menace of 'wheeling", a hazardous stunt performed by motorcycle riders. The Court underscored the inadequacy of existing laws under the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act in deterring such reckless behaviour. The Single Bench of Justice V Srishananda, while dismissing a bail application filed by Arbaz Khan, who was arrested for allegedly performing wheelies and assaulting police personnel, observed, 'Legislature has to take into consideration that existing statutory provisions relating to reckless and negligent driving is hardly sufficient to curb the menace and therefore, to fill up the legislative vacuum, suitable and stringent provisions are to be incorporated by amending the Indian Penal Code and Motor Vehicles Act to complement each other." Highlighting that 'wheeling", the act of lifting a motorcycle's front wheel while in motion, is often glamourised among youth, the Court noted the stunt has dangerously spread from urban roads to rural areas, creating serious risks for both riders and the general public. 'Younger generation riders of the motorcycle are under the misconception that the act of wheeling is bravado and indulge in such perilous stunts, being unaware of the grave risks involved in the said act," the Court remarked. The Court said that such perilous misadventures not only endanger the lives of riders and pillion passengers but also disrupt public order and safety. 'The act of a few unscrupulous and unmindful youths in indulging in wheeling would definitely disturb the public order and tranquillity." Justice Srishananda stressed that the bailable nature of reckless driving offences under current laws significantly hampers the ability of enforcement agencies to effectively curb such behaviour. Taking judicial notice of the alarming rise in such incidents, the Court urged the state to fulfill its 'bounded duty" to enact tougher measures. It said, 'Taking note of the galloping trend and alarming rise in such incidents, it is now the bounded duty of the State and its law enforcement agencies to legislate necessary legal provisions and to take stringent measures to suppress the perilous activity." The remarks came in a case involving Arbaz Khan, who was booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — including Sections 132, 109(1), 121(1), 115(1), 352, 351(2), 238 read with Section 3(5), 281, 125, 125(a) — and under Sections 183, 184, 192, 196 and 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act. According to the police, Khan and two others were performing wheelies in October 2024 when they fell off their motorcycle. As the police approached to assist them, they were allegedly assaulted by the accused, who also hurled abuses, used filthy language, and threw a police officer's mobile phone into the Tungabhadra canal. Dismissing the bail petition, the Court noted the petitioner's habitual involvement in such offences and his aggression toward police officers. It said, 'In curbing the acts of a few unscrupulous elements that have a deleterious impact upon society at large, thereby disturbing public order and endangering the safety and security of citizens… the discretionary power vested in this Court cannot be exercised in favour of the applicant." The Court concluded that mere filing of a chargesheet does not automatically entitle the petitioner to bail, particularly in light of his past conduct and the seriousness of the present allegations. Noting that Khan is a habitual offender, the Court observed, 'Mere filing of the chargesheet, by itself, cannot be held sufficient to entitle the petitioner to an order of bail by invoking the extraordinary jurisdiction of this Court under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023." Accordingly, the criminal petition was rejected. First Published: May 14, 2025, 18:42 IST
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bombay High Court orders YouTubers to take down videos defaming Girish Mahajan
The Bombay High Court has ordered to take down six allegedly defamatory videos by two YouTubers, who are also journalists, targeting Maharashtra Water Resources Minister and senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan. Restraining the journalists, Anil Thatte and Shyam Giri, from publishing or circulating similar content on their YouTube channels — 'Anil Gaganbhedi Thatte' and 'Mudda Bharat Ka' — a Single Bench judge, Justice Arif Doctor in a May 8, 2025 order, made available on Monday, noted that the videos were 'prima facie defamatory'. The judge observed, 'I find that a case for the grant of ad interim relief has been made out. The statements made by defendant no. 1 (Mr. Thatte) in the videos as discerned from the transcripts are in my prima facie view per se defamatory. Defendant no.1 despite being served notice has chosen not to appear and justify the basis on which the statements and insinuations have been made against the plaintiff (Mr. Mahajan). Hence, there shall be an ad interim order in terms of prayer clauses till the next date.' Senior advocate Ravi Kadam, representing Mr. Mahajan, said six videos were uploaded on April 1, 8 and 14, 2025, making false, reckless and defamatory statements against the BJP leader. Mr. Kadam argued, 'These video clips have not only garnered several views, but have also been widely disseminated to the public at large. There are presently six such offending videos, five of which have been uploaded on the YouTube channel of defendant no. 1 (Mr. Thatte), 'Anil Gaganbhedi Thatte' and one on the YouTube channel of defendant No. 2 (Mr. Giri), 'Mudda Bharat Ka'. The court directed the YouTubers to immediately delete the six videos and directed Mr. Mahajan to serve a copy of the order on Google LLC to ensure compliance with the order. The Bench posted the matter for June 20.
