After nearly seven years, Japanese national gets ₹75,000 compensation for 19-day jail term in Bengaluru

The payment follows an order of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission, which held that Mr Tanaka had been unnecessarily kept in judicial custody for 19 days in 2019

Updated - August 10, 2026 06:16 pm IST - Bengaluru

Japanese national Hirotoshi Tanaka outside the R.T. Nagar Police Station when he was in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Nearly seven years after arriving in Bengaluru to study English but instead finding himself entangled in a criminal case, an alleged police bribery and a prolonged legal battle, Japanese national Hirotoshi Tanaka has finally received ₹75,000 in compensation from the Karnataka government.

The payment follows an order of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC), which held that Mr. Tanaka had been unnecessarily kept in judicial custody for 19 days in 2019.

Speaking to The Hindu over a phone call from his hometown of Yaizu in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture, he recalled the ordeal that began shortly after he arrived in Bengaluru in October 2019.

A 36-year-old psychology graduate, Mr. Tanaka had enrolled at a private English academy in R.T. Nagar to improve his language skills. However, within weeks, he said he became dissatisfied with the institute after classes were allegedly cancelled frequently and conducted irregularly. According to him, repeated attempts to seek an explanation from the academy’s head went unanswered, leading to growing tensions.

The dispute escalated during an argument when Mr. Tanaka admitted that he grabbed the principal’s arm to stop him from walking away. He alleged that he was then provoked, lost his temper and punched the academy head.

Following the altercation, the R.T. Nagar police registered a case against him under charges of voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation. Although the offences were bailable, Mr. Tanaka was arrested on November 23, 2019, and remained in the Bengaluru Central Prison for 19 days before being released on December 11.

Mr. Tanaka said that the troubles did not end after his release. When he returned to the police station the following day to collect his belongings, he was left with very little money. He recalled that a constable, Raghavendra, lent him ₹1,500 after noticing his financial condition. However, he alleged that another officer, then sub-inspector B. Hanumantharayappa, demanded a bribe.

According to Mr. Tanaka, after negotiations he paid ₹5,500, which also covered the amount he had borrowed. Days later, when he appeared before the court, he alleged that the officer again demanded ₹3,000 to settle the case.

Determined not to give in to what he described as repeated demands for illegal payments, Mr. Tanaka decided to challenge the alleged misconduct of the police in December 2020. Before he could pursue the matter, however, the COVID-19 pandemic brought life to a standstill.

With little money and nowhere to stay, Mr. Tanaka claimed he spent nights in R.T. Nagar Park before being robbed of his belongings. Fearing for his safety, he began sleeping inside the premises of the R.T. Nagar Police Station. One night, he lost consciousness and later woke up in the intensive care unit of Bowring Hospital.

After being discharged in March 2020, a friend helped him find accommodation in BTM Layout. The pandemic also complicated his immigration status. His visa expired while the criminal case remained pending. Mr Tanaka said officials from the Consulate-General of Japan in Bengaluru approached the police on his behalf but were informed that the matter was before the court.

“I was granted a new visa in September 2020, which was valid until March. After my criminal case was closed in November, I received an exit permit that effectively served as my visa until the end of December. But I chose not to return to Japan because I wanted to pursue my complaint. The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) then filed a complaint with the local police, and after some negotiations, my exit permit was extended until February 2021,” Mr. Tanaka said.

Seeking an end to the legal proceedings, Mr. Tanaka approached the Karnataka High Court. After the coaching centre’s head agreed to settle the dispute, the High Court, on November 2, 2020, quashed the FIR and all criminal proceedings against him.

Although he was then free to leave India, Mr. Tanaka said he could not forget what had happened. In December 2020, he filed a complaint before the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) alleging harassment and bribery by Mr. Hanumantharayappa.