A man from Belagavi, Karnataka, has been mandated by a local court to plant 50 saplings and pay a fine of Rs 1,000 after he was found to be causing a disturbance while intoxicated.

On August 25, the court directed Anil Ningappa Pujari to plant 25 trees at the courthouse and another 25 at the Sadalaga police station as part of his community service. Although the court offered him access to free legal assistance, Pujari declined the opportunity to seek legal counsel or support.

The incident occurred on March 23, when Madhusudan GS, the head constable of Sadalaga police, was conducting patrol duties. He received a distress call from a woman reporting that her husband was assaulting her and causing a public disturbance.

“Upon arriving at the location, we discovered Pujari under the influence of alcohol. He was using foul language and making inappropriate gestures. We attempted to calm him down, but he was uncooperative. Initially, his wife expressed a desire to file a complaint, but later decided against it,” recounted Madhusudan.

Subsequently, the Sadalaga police charged Pujari with engaging in obscene behavior and public misconduct while intoxicated, as per the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Pujari appeared in court and admitted his guilt following the filing of a charge sheet by the police. While community service is not explicitly recognized as a punishment under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the introduction of community service under the BNS aims to foster reformative and restorative justice.

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