‘You live in Jayanagar…’: Karnataka HC to Bengaluru man who claimed that 27 kgs ganja grew on its own at his backyard

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dealt with an interesting case where a 67-year-old Bengaluru resident, Chandrashekar, denied knowing how over 27 kilograms of cannabis ended up growing in the backyard of his home.

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What Karnataka High Court said?

According to a report in Bar and Bench, Chandrashekar, booked by Bengaluru Police for cultivating a commercial quantity of ganja, requested the case be quashed. He claimed the plants might have grown naturally through pollination since the backyard was left unattended.

Justice M Nagaprasanna expressed scepticism over the claim, questioning how such a significant quantity of cannabis could grow without intervention in a dense urban area like Jayanagar. “27 kg 360 grams from your backyard? Were you growing trees or plants? You live in Jayanagar. You say pollen might have fallen, but Jayanagar is a concrete jungle. How could cross-pollination happen here?” the Court asked.

The state argued that Chandrashekar’s actions amounted to a ‘serious offence against society.’ However, Chandrasekhar’s lawyer countered that the charge was only for cultivation, not consumption or sale of ganja.

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The High Court, however, quipped, "Then why were you growing it? Was it out of passion?." The accused was granted more time to explain the case. The case has been adjourned to December 4, with the Court stating, "If there’s no evidence, we’ll quash the case. But first, you must explain how it started growing there."

Recently, Bengaluru’s Sadashivanagar police arrested a couple for growing ganja in flower pots at their residence in MSR Nagar.

The incident came to light after a woman posted videos and photos on Facebook showcasing the various plants she was growing, including ganja. Her followers, noticing the plants, alerted the police, prompting an investigation. However, when police arrived at their destination, they found traces of ganja leaves in the pot.