'If You Chop A Leg Or Hand...': Karnataka HC Bats For Gulf-Style Punishment For Crimes

Last Updated:June 02, 2026, 00:38 IST

The judge said offenders are not being dealt with firmly enough under existing laws, which has weakened the deterrent effect of punishment.

The Karnataka High Court has advocated for stricter punishments on the lines of some Gulf nations, observing that people are increasingly taking advantage of the rights and freedoms available under a democratic system.

The remarks were made by Justice R Nataraj while rejecting the bail plea of a 23-year-old man accused of rape.

Observing that people are committing crimes casually and in a routine manner, the judge said offenders are not being dealt with firmly enough under existing laws, which has weakened the deterrent effect of punishment.

“Law has lost its teeth because we don’t deal with offenders firmly. That is why committing an offence has become so easy unlike in the middle-east. If you chop leg or hand, perhaps only then people will realise to comply with law. Because we have a democracy, everybody takes it (for granted)," the Court remarked, Bar & Bench reported.

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