Woman in Karnataka files case alleging neighbour stole her cat, High Court says...

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday quashed a criminal case filed against a man accused of stealing a cat named 'Daisy'. When the case came up for hearing before the Justice M Nagaprasanna post lunch, a seemingly amused judge remarked: "Cat named Daisy has driven everyone crazy". He then quashed the proceedings against Taha Husain, who claimed that his neighbour had filed a false police case against him alleging that he had taken her cat.

'Such frivolous cases'
The petitioner had moved the High Court seeking to quash the case from 2023, and the case came up for hearing July 23, 2024. Justice Nagaprasanna had then put a halt to all legal proceedings against Husain, by granting him interim relief. The court had then held: "Permitting further proceedings in such frivolous cases will clog the criminal justice system." 

Charges against Husain
In July 2024, following the FIR, the police had also submitted a chargesheet against Husain, who was booked under the charges of criminal intimidation, breach of peace, and insulting the modesty of woman under Sections 504, 506 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code. Police had claimed that CCTV footage from the area was reviewed and the cat was seen inside Husain's house at a specific time. Husain's counsel had then argued that cats tend to enter and exit other houses through windows and this cannot constitute a criminal offence.

(With inputs from news agency PTI).