Court dismisses PFI activists' petitions

February 11, 2011

Bangalore, February 11: The Karnataka High Court has dismissed petitions by 165 members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) seeking compensation of Rs. 10 lakh each from the State Government for wrongful arrest and illegal confinement.

The court, however, levied costs of Rs. 50,000 on the State Government for arresting the PFI members without following the procedures set out under the law.

Justice B.S. Patil passed the order on petitions by Mohammad Waseem and 164 others.

According to the petitioners, they had decided to organise a jail bharo programme at Fountain Circle in Mysore on July 9, 2008, to protest against certain atrocities perpetuated by the Government.

They said the police and the district administration had acted in an arbitrary manner and arrested them. The petitioners said many of them were sent to the Central Jail in Belgaum. They said a habeas corpus petition seeking their release was filed before the Karnataka High Court. A Division Bench of Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Jawed Rahim had allowed the petitions and ordered their release. The Bench had also come down heavily on the authorities for not following the provisions of the law while carrying out arrests.

They said human rights had been violated and they demanded compensation of Rs. 10 lakh each.

On its part, the State opposed the petitions. It said the PFI had given a call its members to assemble and stage a protest when curfew was imposed. It said the members themselves had faced arrests.

Justice B.S. Patil observed that the State could hold an inquiry into the incident and pin responsibility on the police officer guilty of arresting people without following the law. The amount could be recovered from such an officer.

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Puttur's Healthcare Dream Cleared: State Finance Gives Nod for 300-Bed Hospital

News Network

December 2,2025

Puttur: The long-cherished dream of a government medical college in Puttur has moved a decisive step closer to reality, with the Karnataka State Finance Department granting its official approval for the construction of a new 300-bed hospital.

Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai announced the crucial development to reporters on Monday, confirming that the official communication from the finance department was issued on November 27. This 300-bed facility is intended to be the cornerstone for the establishment of the government medical college, a project announced in the state budget.

Fast-Track Implementation

The MLA outlined an aggressive timeline for the project:

• A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the hospital is expected to be ready within 45 days.

• The tender process for the construction will be completed within two months.

Following the completion of the tender process, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the project.

"Setting up a medical college in Puttur is a historical decision by the Congress government in Karnataka," Rai stated. The project has an estimated budget allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the medical college.

Focus on Medical Education Department

The MLA highlighted a key strategic move: requesting the government to implement the hospital construction through the Medical Education Department instead of the Health and Family Welfare Department. This is intended to streamline the entire process of establishing the full medical college, ensuring the facilities—including labs, operation theatres, and other necessary infrastructure—adhere to the strict guidelines set by the Medical Council of India (MCI). The proposed site for the project is in Bannur.

Rai also took the opportunity to address political criticism, stating that the government has fulfilled its promise despite "apprehensions" and "mocking and criticising" from opposition parties who had failed to take similar initiatives when they were in power. "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has kept his word," he added.

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