On July 28, 2026, the Karnataka High Court stepped in to halt what it termed a glaring “abuse of process” by the Bengaluru Police. Justice M. Nagaprasanna ordered an immediate stay on two criminal cases registered against Dr. Nagendra, a doctor and social activist from Bellandur who had alerted law enforcement about undocumented Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in the city.
Instead of acting decisively on national security concerns, the local police machinery turned its full weight against the citizen who reported the infraction. Dr. Nagendra was booked on charges including assault and intimidation, arrested on July 23, and remanded to custody—all based on a complaint filed by one of the illegal foreign nationals he had flagged.
The High Court Calls Out State Appeasement
The High Court’s hearing exposed glaring inconsistencies in how the law was applied. Justice Nagaprasanna highlighted that at 11:30 PM on July 22, the Investigating Officer had officially documented that the complainant, Nasreena Bilal, was an undocumented Bangladeshi national subject to detention and deportation.
Yet, within fifteen minutes, the exact same police station accepted a counter-complaint accusing Dr Nagendra of assault, intimidation from her, using it to arrest the doctor-activist the very next day.
Key Points Raised in Court:
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Zero Medical Corroboration: The police rushed to arrest Dr. Nagendra without conducting a preliminary inquiry, presenting no wound certificate or medical evidence to substantiate the assault claim.
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Absurdity of Documented Address: The court questioned how police could blindly entertain and act on an FIR where the complainant’s address was explicitly listed as Bangladesh.
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Counter: The court observed that the speed and nature of the arrest indicated a clear “counterblast” designed to penalize a citizen for reporting undocumented foreign nationals.
Court Questions the State Government
The High Court did not limit its criticism to local officers; it directed sharp questions at the state administration and its Home Department regarding political priorities and national security.
Addressing the broader context of illegal immigration in Karnataka, Justice Nagaprasanna challenged the state government’s posture:
“Ask them to control this (illegal immigration), leave other talks. What is the (Home) Department doing? Busy with other speeches?”
— Justice M. Nagaprasanna, Karnataka High Court
The bench emphasized that prioritizing the protection or procedural facilitation of illegal foreign nationals over domestic security creates a dangerous precedent for the entire country.
“If the police act against the security of the nation, if police act like this in support of illegal immigrants of Bangladesh against the people of this city… it is dangerous to the system. The security of the nation is under threat. The system should not support such things.”
National Security vs. Local Greed
Beyond police conduct, the court highlighted two critical structural issues enabling the spread of undocumented foreign nationals in urban centers:
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Whistleblower Suppression: When citizens see that reporting illegal infiltrators leads to immediate police arrest and harassment, public participation in civil security collapses.
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Landlord Accountability: The court noted that property owners routinely ignore documentation checks for financial gain. “Many people give houses on rent for a few extra rupees. If greed overtakes the security of the nation, what else can be done?” the court remarked, demanding action against those harboring unverified foreign nationals.
The High Court has ordered the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to be made a party to the case and submit a full status report on the foreign nationals involved by August 6, 2026. Until then, the state’s attempt to prosecute the citizen reporter remains completely frozen.