A Bengaluru court has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against veteran actor Prakash Raj. The warrant comes in connection with a case alleging that the actor holds voter identity cards in more than one state, which is a violation of election rules in India.
Under Election Commission of India regulations, every citizen can be registered as a voter in only one place across the country. A person holding voter ID cards in multiple states simultaneously is in breach of these provisions.
The complaint against Prakash Raj alleges that he possesses voter identity cards in four states. The states named in the complaint include Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. If the allegations are proven in court, it would amount to a clear violation of election law.
Also Read: ‘Oye hoye kya scene hai’: How a desi chai song from ‘India’s Got Latent’ became the most viral thing online this week
How the case began
The matter traces back to 2019. An advocate named Dileep Kumar filed a complaint at the Halasuru Gate Police Station in Bengaluru. Kumar alleged in his complaint that Raj held voter ID cards across multiple states.
According to the complainant, the police did not act on the complaint after it was filed. Kumar then escalated the matter. He approached the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner with his grievance. He also reached out to the Election Commission of India directly.
Neither authority responded to his concerns. With no action from the police or the Election Commission, Kumar moved the matter to court.
Summons issued, actor did not appear
The case was taken up by the 48th ACJM Court, which stands for the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, in Bengaluru. The court issued summons to Prakash Raj on two separate occasions. Both summons directed the actor to appear before the court on specified dates.
Prakash Raj did not appear on either date. His absence on both occasions was noted by the court. The repeated failure to comply with the court summons prompted the next step.
Non-bailable warrant issued
Taking cognisance of the actor’s absence despite two sets of summons, the court issued a non-bailable warrant against Prakash Raj. An NBW is a more serious legal instrument compared to a bailable warrant. It authorises the police to arrest the individual named in the warrant. Unlike a bailable warrant, the accused cannot secure release simply by furnishing a personal bond at the time of arrest.