Woman held for trying to influence judge through black magic

Can black magic influence a court verdict? That's the question at the centre of a rather unusual case from Karnataka's Chikkaballapur, where a 65-year-old woman has been arrested after she allegedly performed a black magic ritual inside a courtroom in an apparent attempt to sway the outcome of a family civil dispute.

Karnataka Police arrested the accused, identified as Manjula. According to reports, she entered the courtroom of the First Additional Senior Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class and allegedly scattered white mustard seeds on the judge's dais to influence the proceedings.

The act reportedly came to light after CCTV cameras inside the courtroom captured the incident. Court officials reportedly reviewed the footage and alerted the police.

Police have registered a case in the matter under the Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Act, 2017. A court has remanded Manjula to 14 days of judicial custody while investigators examine the motive and whether anyone else was involved.