Karnataka High Court Slams Police For Making Lawyer Accused In Murder Case Allegedly To Examine CCTV Footage From His Adjoining Premises

Staying the criminal proceedings against an advocate who was arraigned as an accused in a murder case allegedly since his residence and office, equipped with CCTV cameras, was adjacent to the crime scene, the Karnataka High Court on Monday [July 6] opined that the acts of the Investigating Officer (IO) appeared to be prima facie 'a gross abuse of process of law'.

The single judge bench of Justice M.Nagaprasanna also asked the Special Public Prosecutor to secure instructions as to why exemplary costs should not be imposed on the IO, along with initiation of departmental proceedings.

“…The petitioner (lawyer) was not the accused at the time when crime was registered. A remand application comes to be filed by IO including the name of petitioner on the following grounds…The reason is that the office of petitioner and his house abut each other, therefore CCTV footage will have to be examined. For examination of CCTV, the house of the petitioner is lugged into the crime. There cannot be another illustration of gross misuse of provisions of law by the IO who is drawing the advocate or any citizen into the web of crime for examination of CCTV footage. If this is to be permitted., no house or person having CCTV in his house will be safe. All these observations are prima facie…”, the court said.

“…Learned SPP to secure instructions as to why the IO should not be mulcted with exemplary costs for dragging the petitioner to the web of crime if its only for the aforesaid reasons, along with departmental proceedings against him…”, the court further added.

The petitioner, B. Lokesh, an advocate practicing in Anekal, was not originally named as an accused when Crime No. 142/2026 was registered at Bannerghatta Police Station for offences under Sections 103[Murder] and 238 [ Destroying Evidence] of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. However, the Investigating Officer subsequently filed a remand application including the advocate's name as accused No. 7, the petitioner's counsel submitted today.

The Court remarked the reason cited by the IO was that the advocate's office and house abut the murder location, and the CCTV footage from his premises needed to be examined.

It further discerned from the records that the advocate had appeared for the accused, who is now accused No. 1 in the murder case.

“…What is discernible from the aforequoted paras is another circumstance why petitioner is dragged into the crime. He has appeared for accused no 1 who is now charged for murder. Therefore, to examine CCTV footage in the office of petitioner advocate as also the reason that he has appeared for accused no.1, he has been dragged into the web of crime …This is a Gross Abuse of Process of Law…”, the court opined.

The Court granted interim stay of all proceedings against the petitioner in connection with Crime No. 142/2026 of Bannerghatta Police Station, including restraining the respondents from arresting the petitioner or taking any coercive action against him, until the next date of hearing.

“Stay the proceedings against the petitioner in relation to Crime No 142/2026 till next date of hearing,” the Court ordered.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on July 16, 2026.

According to the FIR, on 09.06.2026, the Police Constable- complainant, while he was out on patrol in late evening, found the body of the victim allegedly from an empty vacant land belonging to the accused lawyer.

Case Title: B. Lokesh v. State of Karnataka & Ors.

Case No: WP 19998/2026