Karnataka High Court quashes FIR against co-founders of fantasy sports platform Dream11
The case dismissed because; the Court had earlier this year struck down several provisions of the Karnataka Police Amendment Act that prohibited online gaming.
The Karnataka High Court dismissed criminal charges against Bhavit Sheth and Harsh Jain, co-founders of the fantasy gaming platform Dream11. [Bhavit Sheth and Others v. Karnataka State]
Justice M Nagaprasanna quashed the criminal proceedings, noting that; nothing remained in the case following; the High Court’s February 14 order striking down the provisions of the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act that prohibited online gaming.
The petitioners charged; under Sections 79 (keeping a common gaming house) and 80 (gaming in a common gaming house) of the Karnataka Police Act.
“Amendment to the Karnataka Police Act; was the subject of several writ petitions… the Division Bench of this Court, by its order dated 14.02.2022, has struck down Sections 2, 3, 6, 8, and 9 of the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act 2021, in their entirety; as ultra vires the Constitution of India,” the Court stated.
The Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act of 2021; prohibited wagering or betting, virtual currency, and electronic fund transfers in connection with any game of chance. The maximum penalty for violating the Amendment Act was three years in prison and a fine of up to one lakh rupees.
On February 14, the Karnataka High Court ruled that; the relevant provisions of the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act, 2021, which prohibited and criminalized betting on and playing skill games, including online games, were unconstitutional.
In light of this, the High Court ruled that the current petition deserves to be granted.
As a result, the criminal proceedings were halted.
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