HC stays probe, slams judicial officer’s conduct in road-rage row

The Karnataka High Court stayed further investigation into a criminal case against three members of a family in a road-rage incident in Kolar district.

Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that the episode appeared to be a "classic example of abuse of office of judicial officer."

The court directed the High Court Registry to place the interim order before the Chief Justice for action against Gayathri, the Principal Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class at Malur.

The petitioners, Vinay KM, V Kavitha, and P Venkatesh, alleged that the judicial officer's husband chased them after Vinay overtook the judge's car, leading to an altercation captured on CCTV.

The High Court questioned the arrests, noting that the complainants were taken into custody merely because the complainant was a judicial officer.