Police in Bengaluru have launched a full-scale criminal investigation into a residential complex after discovering an illegal parallel justice system operating within its premises. The system, which involved imposing hefty fines for serious offences like drug possession instead of reporting them to authorities, has sparked major legal action.
Illegal Penalty System Uncovered
The Kumbalgodu police have registered a suo motu criminal case against the Provident Sunworth Apartment Association and Tyko Security Pvt Ltd. This action followed preliminary findings that revealed the association allegedly collected penalties exceeding Rs 3.3 lakh between July and November this year. The fines were imposed on residents, primarily students, caught with drugs or partying late into the night within their flats.
The investigation was triggered by an anonymous complaint from a resident. It alleged that the apartment association had created its own bylaws to internally "investigate" and "settle" criminal matters. A preliminary police inquiry confirmed these allegations, leading to the formal case being registered on Tuesday.
Suppression of Serious Crimes
Investigators allege a disturbing pattern of collusion between the apartment association and the private security agency. They conducted unauthorized inquiries into a range of serious offences, including drug possession, theft, sexual harassment, and assault. For these crimes, they imposed fines ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000.
"This is a clear case of deliberate suppression of cognizable offences," stated a senior police officer. "By collecting fines and not reporting crimes, they denied justice to the victims and helped the accused persons evade legal actions." The accused were often allowed to either remain in the complex or vacate quietly, with no official police complaint ever filed.
Students Targeted, Justice Denied
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Anitha B Haddannavar confirmed that the apartment houses many students from nearby colleges, most of whom are tenants. "We verified that the association illegally collected penalties from residents, particularly students, for alleged misconduct," Haddannavar said. She emphasized that serious offences cannot be settled internally under any circumstance.
The police revealed that the offences allegedly covered up included possession of narcotics, sexual harassment of domestic workers, and thefts. The association is accused of using its basement office to collect these fines, accepting both cash and online transfers.
While the association, established in 2003, had legitimate bylaws for minor issues like parking violations, police noted that over the past few months, these rules were unlawfully extended to criminal matters. "Apartment associations have no legal authority to conduct investigations or impose penalties for criminal offences," Haddannavar asserted. "Such matters must be reported immediately to police."
Complicating the investigation, police found that several residents who were fined were allegedly forced to vacate, making it difficult to trace both victims and accused individuals. Authorities are now working to identify everyone who has paid penalties since 2023.
The case has been registered under sections 211, 238, and 239 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to failure to report offences, disappearance of evidence, and intentional omission of information, along with relevant provisions of the NDPS Act. The apartment association has not yet issued any statement regarding the police charges.
