Court orders defied in broad daylight: Karnataka High Court expresses shock after Lord Shiva statue unveiled in Begur Lake despite stay order

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday expressed it shock after a statue of Lord Shiva was unveiled in an artificially constructed island in Begur lake in violation of Court's stay order. .A Division Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that orders of the Court were flouted openly in daylight."Openly in daylight, orders of the court are defied," the Bench said. The Court proceeded to direct the Police Commissioner of Bengaluru to personally look into the matter and initiate action as per law. "A shocking incident of unveiling Shiva Idol installed by BBMP on Begur lake island has been brought to the notice of this court. Our attention is invited to the interim orders dated August 30, 2019, September 17, 2019 and 22 February 2021, which in no uncertain terms prohibit the said activity....We direct the AGA to forward a copy of the memo along with annexures to the Commissioner of Police Bengaluru, who will personally look into the matter and initiate action in accordance with the law," the Court ordered. .Advocate SH Prashant appearing for BBMP, informed the court that the statue had been covered by 11.45 am today.The Court, however, termed this incident as "sheer lawlessness". .The Court proceeded to record that anyone aggrieved by Court's orders must take recourse to legal remedies. "BBMP says status quo has been restored today by again covering the statue and by removing the flags on the island. If anyone is aggrieved by the orders passed by this court he has statutory remedies available. Those who are aggrieved by the interim orders of the court could have always challenged them or applied to the court for intervention to the court seeking to modify the orders." It urged the police to keep constant vigil near the island created in Begur lake where the statue was unveiled."If what is stated in the memo is correct, the practice of defying orders of the court in this fashion has to be deprecated by all concerned. We direct the state to ensure that police keep constant vigil near the island created in the Begur lake.".On August 30, 2019, the Court had stayed the construction of the statue on the lake island, by the BBMP..The Court was informed of the latest developments by way of a memo filed by Citizens Action Group, which said that on July 31, 2021, a video was published on the Facebook page of one Puneeth Kerehalli with the caption "Hindus Beware Of The Christian Missionary Conspiracy To Remove Shiva Statue – Hindu Organisations Must Come Together". .In the video, Kerehalli was seen pointing to the statue of Shiva stating that he has brought Hindu workers to the location to fight against the interruption against the installation of Shiva statue on Begur lake.The memo alleged that as per the video, if anyone came in the way of the inauguration of the statute or attempts to remove it or change its location, it will be met with violence..The memo further claimed that the persons featured in the videos referred to above including Puneeth Kerehalli and others have committed criminal contempt of Court and offences punishable under Sections 153A, 153B, 295A, 295B, 298, 505(2) read with Sections 34 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. .Taking serious note of the same, the Court directed the State government to file a report of compliance about the action taken by the commissioner of police, as well as action taken of posting requisite police force around the Begur lake. The report should be submitted by August 17 and the matter will be next heard on August 18..[Read memo]