CCB police arrested National Guard leader Puneeth Kerhalli under Goonda Act

Bengaluru: In a significant move, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) Police in Bengaluru have registered a case under the Karnataka State Goonda act against Puneeth Kerehalli, the leader of the Rashtra Rakshasa Pade organization. Having amassed a track record spanning a decade from 2013 to 2023, Puneeth Kerehalli (32), hailing from Hassan and currently residing in JP Nagar, Bangalore, has found himself embroiled in ten separate cases. These recurring instances have prompted the CCB Police to take action, invoking the Goondaa act, due to Kerehalli’s continued involvement in activities that undermine societal peace. Kerehalli involved in protecting cattles , since years and cattle traffickers filed cases against him. The application of the Goonda act in his case alleviates the need for a court appearance within the usual 24-hour period and restricts his eligibility for bail for a duration of one year. In anticipation of this course of action, the police had been meticulously gathering evidence for a month to prepare a comprehensive case against Kerehalli. Chamarajpet sub-divisional police had issued a prior notice to him in this regard last month. Across various police stations in Bengaluru, cases involving robbery, murder, assault, and death threats have been registered against Puneeth, spanning areas including Chamarajpet, DJ Halli, Begur, Kaggalipur, Halasuru Gate, Electronic City, Malavalli, and Sathanur. Law enforcement officials had previously indicated their intention to formalize a list categorizing him as a rowdy element. A particularly notable incident involved the alleged assault and killing of a Muslim individual during the assembly elections in Ramanagara district. For this incident, Puneeth was arrested but subsequently granted bail by the court. In a separate occurrence in July, Puneeth Kerehalli encountered legal trouble after the Bengaluru police issued a notice in response to his involvement in a puja ceremony near the Nagarkatte area adjacent to the Majestic bus stand. The notice stipulated the requirement for obtaining permission from relevant BBMP officials for conducting the puja. This situation triggered significant upheaval during proceedings in the Legislative assembly , leading to protests by the opposition BJP in the assembly.