- Japanese student Hirotoshi Tanaka is awarded Rs 75,000 compensation.
- Illegally detained for 19 days in Bengaluru central jail.
- Won 7-year legal battle against Karnataka government.
After a wait of seven years, a Japanese student in Bengaluru received a sum of Rs 75,000 as compensation for being illegally detained in jail for 19 days. The man, identified as Hirotoshi Tanaka, said he won the legal battle even as he faced several constraints during the proceedings.
What’s the story?
The Japanese man arrived in India in 2019 and enrolled himself in an English academy. However, within a short period of time, he was dissatisfied with the academy’s faulty management system, which failed to offer regular classes.
Following this, he approached the administration to address the issue. However, his repeated attempts to seek clarification from the academy head remained unanswered, leading to tensions escalating. The dispute eventually escalated into an argument. He alleged he was provoked, which led him to become enraged and hit the academy head.
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The same day, the RT Nagar police registered a case against him for intentionally causing hurt and criminal intimidation. Even as the offence was bailable, Tanaka was arrested on November 23, 2019, and sent to Bengaluru Central Jail. He spent 19 days in jail before being released on December 11.
For seven long years, Tanaka kept fighting the case despite several difficulties. Despite an inability to understand the Indian legal system, language barriers, and a serious medical condition (ADHD), he managed to win the case against the police. After a 7-year-long legal battle, the Karnataka government has awarded Japanese student Tanaka a compensation of Rs 75,000 for illegal detention.
The Human Rights Commission had held that he was unnecessarily kept in judicial custody for 19 days.
Why Did He Steal A Chair?
The most bizarre part of this long legal battle came on the morning of February 28, 2021, when Tanaka, facing financial hardship and facing a deportation order, entered the JC Nagar ACP office in RT Nagar, picked up a white plastic chair, took a selfie with it, and brought it to his home in BTM Layout.
His intent was not stealing but staying back in India to continue the legal battle in Karnataka. Tanaka wanted to expose the "corrupt" police officer who had framed him in a false case. However, the Karnataka High Court dismissed the case, after which authorities ordered him to leave India by February 28th. He wanted to remain in India and prove his innocence. Therefore, he wanted to get himself arrested.