4 min readBengaluruJul 30, 2026 02:31 AM IST
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday came down heavily on a Principal Civil Judge who indulged in a squabble with two persons riding a two-wheeler and got the police to take criminal action against them. The High Court also stayed further investigation in the case.
Justice M Nagaprasanna saw the CCTV camera footage, showing Principal Civil Judge and JMFC, Gayatri, getting into a verbal spat with petitioners Vinya K M and V Kavita. “The video would clearly indicate that the judicial officer has behaved in a manner totally unbecoming of the office that she holds,” the court said.
The bench said: “Judicial office is a continuation of public trust, it is not only inside the courtroom, but it is behaviour outside the courtroom that would erode the confidence of the public or sustain the confidence. Every act of a judicial officer is discharge of official duties and is not confined to the four walls of the court hall but travels beyond the court hall when the interaction happens with the public.”
The petitioners approached the court seeking to quash the case against them, contending that they overtook the private vehicle of the complainant (Civil Judge) who was travelling with her husband. The petitioners alleged that the complainant chased down their two-wheeler, stopped them and got into a squabble. The judicial officer then informed the police and lodged a complaint against the petitioners under sections 126(2), 132, 3(5), 351(2), 352, 74 of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhitha. The offences alleged were wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation and others.
The bench in its order said: “It is surprising as to how, for the offences so laid against the petitioners, they were taken into custody. Merely because the complainant was a judicial officer, it would not mean that citizens are treated at the dictate of the judicial officer.”
Remarking about the incident, the court said, “If this has enraged or hurt the ego of the judicial officer, nothing more can become a classic illustration of abuse of the office of the judicial officer; therefore there shall be an interim order of stay of further investigation against the petitioners.”
The bench in its order also directed the Registrar to place the interim order passed before the Chief Justice of the High Court for further action against Gayatri.
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On the other hand, Bengaluru Advocates’ Association (ABB) has demanded action against the Civil Judge over allegations that she abused her official position and got a youth assaulted following a road rage incident.
In a letter to Karnataka High Court Justice S R Krishnakumar, the ABB has sought suspension of the judicial officer. The letter came after she allegedly summoned police to the spot and to detain a student following a road rage incident. The video of the incident went viral.
“The recent incident of a judge of Malur by name Gayatri who was involved in a road rage with a common man has shocked the legal fraternity and public. The behaviour of the judge towards the common man is absolutely inhuman, and the public is asking how such a lady can be a judge… she has got an FIR filed against an innocent student. She has got a case filed against the young boy and got a fine of Rs 17,000 against him levied. We request you to suspend the judge from service and take disciplinary action against her,” ABB president Vivek Subba Reddy said in the letter.
