Karnataka High Court Grants Bail to Mohammed Ilyas in Bhatkal MurinKatte Protest Case
In a significant development, the Dharwad Bench of the High Court has granted bail to Mohammed Ilyas, marking the first such relief for an accused in the Morin Katte protest case.
The Dharwad Bench of the Karnataka High Court has granted bail to Mohammed Ilyas, one of the accused in the Morin Katte protest case in Bhatkal, paving the way for his release from judicial custody.
This is the first instance in which an accused person in the case has secured bail from the High Court following the registration of the case after the controversial incident.Justice Anant Ramanath Hegde allowed the bail petition filed by Mohammed Ilyas under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). According to court records, the final order was passed on July 16.
Mohammed Ilyas was among the accused named in Crime No. 72/2026 registered at the Bhatkal Town Police Station and had been in judicial custody for nearly two months.
Police had booked him under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to unlawful assembly, rioting, and allegedly obstructing public servants from discharging their duties.
During the bail proceedings, senior advocates Arshad Balur and V.M. Bankar represented Mohammed Ilyas and argued his case before the High Court.
Following the court’s decision, Advocate Arshad Balur and social activist Qamaruddin Mashaikh, who has been coordinating the legal proceedings, expressed satisfaction over the order. They stated that the judgment has brought major relief to Mohammed Ilyas and his family.
They further maintained that Mohammed Ilyas had no direct involvement in the alleged protest related incidents and had been unnecessarily implicated in the case.
The Murinatte issue had earlier escalated after a structure erected under police protection was allegedly damaged, leading to tensions in the area and the registration of multiple cases. Subsequently, the district administration intervened and resolved the dispute by allocating a designated space for the structure within the road divider, a decision that was later implemented.