New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stayed proceedings in a criminal case in which Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah is named as an accused. The 2022 case pertains to a protest march held by Siddaramaih and other Congress leaders demanding the resignation of K.S. Eshwarappa, the then minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state.
A division Bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice P.K. Mishra, however, refused to quash the criminal case against Siddaramaiah and Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, state ministers M.B. Patil and Ramalinga Reddy.
The apex court, however, stayed a Karnataka high court order, which had imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each on the accused and had directed them to appear before a special court on March 6. The top court, however, issued notices to the Karnataka government and the complainant in the case.
The case dates back to February 2022, when Siddaramaiah and others were detained for holding a protest to demand the resignation and arrest of Eshwarappa, following the death by suicide of contractor Santosh.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Devadatt Kamat, and Siddharth Luthra appeared for Siddaramaiah and others.
According to Singhvi, the criminal case was registered for exercising the right to protest and is totally against the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 (1) of the constitution.