Supreme Court Stays Criminal Proceedings Against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Supreme Court on Monday stayed the criminal proceedings against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others for a protest march organised on February 14, 2022 in Bengaluru.

Supreme Court Stays Criminal Proceedings Against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Source : pti

Supreme Court on Monday stayed the criminal proceedings against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others for a protest march organised on February 14, 2022 in Bengaluru.

The top court also issued notice returnable in six weeks in petition filed by the Karnataka CM's seeking quashing of the criminal case and stayed further proceedings.

The bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra heard the matter.

Counsel appearing for the Karnataka CM told the top court that in a democracy, the right of freedom of speech and protest is paramount.

The apex court also stayed proceedings against Karnataka Ministers Ramalinga Reddy, MB Patil, and Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala over the protest in 2022. 

The Karnatak CM had filed a special leave petition before the top court challenging the decision of the Karnataka High Court to dismiss the petition filed by CM Siddaramaiah and others seeking quashing of trial proceedings in the Special Court.

The High Court imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on petitioners and ordered CM Siddaramaiah to remain present before the MPs/MLAs Court on February 26.

The high court observed that blocking the road because one is a representative of the people cannot be accepted.

In 2022, the Congress had organised a protest over a suicide case of a contractor Santhosh Patil and had demanded the resignation of the then BJP Minister K.S. Eshwarappa.

Due to the protest the Bangaluru's Race Course Road saw a traffic spanning several kilometres causing major inconvenience to the public.

The Karnataka police then filed an FIR against the Congress leaders for blocking roads causing traffic jams and affecting the law and order system.