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The Bengaluru police have registered a criminal case against the Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) of Provident Sunworth Apartments in southwest Bengaluru and the private security agency employed by the complex, alleging that they illegally handled criminal offences internally instead of reporting them to the law enforcement authorities.
According to media reports, the apartment association, located in Doddabele under the Kumbalagodu police station limits, allegedly framed its own set of bylaws, imposed monetary penalties on residents accused of crimes, and conducted unauthorised inquiries with the assistance of Tyco Security Agency. These actions resulted in the suppression of serious criminal cases and allowed accused persons to evade legal consequences.
Preliminary findings indicate that multiple offences, including possession and consumption of narcotic substances, thefts, and sexual harassment of women, including domestic workers. Some of the alleged offences involved residents, including individuals from outside Karnataka, such as students residing in the complex.
The case came to light after an anonymous letter was sent to the Kumbalagodu police, prompting an internal inquiry. The RWA had allegedly “resolved” more than 10 criminal incidents internally over the past few years, without lodging formal complaints or informing law enforcement.
Instead of following legal procedures, the association is accused of questioning the accused persons within the complex, levying fines ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000, and either allowing them to continue living there or forcing them to vacate the premises. Fines were reportedly collected from the basement office of the apartment complex, both in cash and through online transfers.
Police are investigating the allegations and efforts are underway to identify residents who were fined or forced to vacate the premises since 2023. As some residents were fined and allegedly made to leave the complex, it has complicated efforts to trace both victims and accused persons.
Based on these findings, an FIR has been registered at the Kumbalagodu police station under Sections 211, 238 and 239 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deal with suppression of information, disappearance of evidence, and failure to report offences. Sections 3(5) and 3(6), along with provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, have also been invoked.
Authorities have reiterated that residential associations and private security agencies cannot act as parallel justice systems and that all criminal offences must be reported to the police without exception.