'System Must Stop Appeasing Illegal Immigrants': Karnataka High Court Stays Counter FIRs Against Bengaluru Doctor By Bangladeshi National

Censuring the Bengaluru Police, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday [July 28] stayed further investigation into criminal cases registered against a city-based doctor, observing that the system must 'stop appeasing illegal immigrants' by registering frivolous counter-cases against citizens who expose them.

The single judge bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna, hearing a petition filed by Dr. Nagendra, noted that the entire episode constitutes a 'classic illustration of abuse of process of law' at the hands of the police. In one of the cases, the Court further questioned how authorities could entertain a complaint from a Bangladeshi national against the very person who aided the police in identifying her illegal status, all within a shocking 15-minutes window.

“...It transpires that the moment the said complainant stops the illegal immigrant, she registers a complaint before police, petitioner is taken into custody and released next day. There cannot be a better illustration of abuse of process of law at the hands of police. It is not understandable as to how the crime even could be registered without there being any infliction of injury on the complainant in the case at hand. It is high time the system stops supporting illegal immigrants, that too by way of registering crimes against persons of the city who only had showed such people staying here as illegal immigrants…”, the court noted in the order.

The Court also referred to the timeline of events that occurred on July 22, 2026 in the first case. It noted that based on information provided by Dr. Nagendra, the Investigating Officer (IO) officially wrote to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) at 11:30 PM, informing them that the complainant, identified as Nazreena, was an illegal immigrant staying in Bengaluru and required detention for deportation.

“…At 11:30, the Investigating Officer did not find any wound. In 15 minutes, as a counter-blast to what the petitioner has informed to the FRRO about such illegal immigrants staying in the city, comes the impugned crime [upon a complaint made by the Bangladeshi national] …”, Justice Nagaprasanna observed in his order.

“...If police act like this in support of illegal immigrants of Bangladesh against the people of this city…This system should stop. Stop appeasing. How long?”, the court orally asked the state during the hearing. 

The FIR in question was registered at the Bellanduru Police Station under Sections 74(outraging modesty), 126(2)(wrongful restraint), 115(2)(voluntarily causing general hurt), 79(Word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 352(intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace), 351(2)(criminal intimidation), and 351(3) BNS. The petitioner was arrested and released on bail the following day.

While hearing the matter, the Court expressed its shock that complainant's address listed which denoted that she is from Bangladesh.

“…Bangladesh Rashtra, how did you even take this complaint?...” Justice Nagaprasanna orally remarked, questioning why the Station House Officer (SHO) did not conduct even a basic inquiry before effecting the arrest.

“…You have a complainant with a Bangladeshi address. This at least should have merited the SHO to enquire whether the incident happened and not arrest the petitioner immediately. Illegal immigrants are acting against the security of the nation, and the police register a crime against the person of this city who only showed such people staying here,” the Court orally remarked further

The Judge further observed that if the State machinery supports such complaints, it will send a dangerous message.

“..If the system supports anything like this, illegal immigrants will mushroom, which is dangerous to the system and the security of the nation”, the Court orally noted further.

The court also took strong exception to the police not booking the landlord who rented premises to the illegal immigrant. “…All these people are entertaining immigrants who have no visa to stay, only for the purpose that they are getting extra Rs. 1,000 rent”, the Court orally said. 

“…S.P.P. to secure instructions as to how crime is registered without any examination of any kind and petitioner taken into custody all on complaint apparently false albeit prima facie…”, the court concluded in its order.

The court also orally opined that FRRO must expedite the process of sending the illegal immigrants out of the country in accordance with the SOP.

On another FIR against the same doctor, the Court was informed that the petitioner had lodged his own complaint against the immigrant at 1:30 PM on 22.07.2026. However, in a fresh twist, at 3:30 PM, another FIR was registered against the petitioner based on a complaint from a different individual but again with an address from Bangladesh.

“…As a matter of fact, it is the State that has to tackle the mushrooming of illegal immigration and take action in accordance with law. Not doing that, when a citizen is showing illegal immigrants, and illegal immigrants are registering crimes against those persons identifying them, if this is to be permitted, this would become a classic illustration of abuse of process of law…”, the court noted in its order in the connected case.

While the State's Public Prosecutor, BN Jagadeesha, submitted that the illegal immigrant had been produced before the FRRO and placed in a detention centre, the court was not fully convinced. The court had directed that FRRO be impleaded in both matters to inform the court about the status of alleged illegal immigrants detained.

Accordingly, the court has ordered a stay on criminal proceedings initiated by the immigrants against the Doctor in both cases. The matters will be taken up again on 6^th August.

Case Title: Dr. Nagendra v. State of Karnataka & Anr.

Case No: CRL.P 11258/2026