Karnataka HC stays Congress's case against Amit Malviya, Arnab Goswami
The Karnataka High Court on Thursday stayed criminal proceedings against BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya and Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami in a case related to allegedly spreading misinformation about the Indian National Congress operating an office in Turkey.
The interim order in this case was passed by a single-judge vacation bench of Justice S Rachaiah. The matter is set to be heard again on June 20.
Swaroop B N, the head of the Indian Youth Congress's legal cell, had filed a complaint in this case at Bengaluru's High Ground police station. The FIR under sections 192 and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, under charges related to provocation to cause riot and insult to provoke breach of the peace, had alleged that Malviya and Goswami had made an attempt to malign the Congress by circulating the claim that the Istanbul Congress Center building was the party's office.
In his petition before the high court, Malviya urged that the case be quashed and the investigation be stayed in the interim. His counsel argued that the opinions expressed on the issue of the Congress having an office in Turkey during a programme were unrelated to the Istanbul Congress Center issue, with the image of the same having been inadvertently posted.
In a corrigendum published on Tuesday evening on X, Republic TV said that 'an incorrect image was inadvertently used, erroneously depicting a building as the Congress office in Turkey by a video editor on the digital desk due to a technical error…The image had no connection to the content or context of the said video. This clip was not broadcast on Arnab Goswami's debate show on 15th May 2025 or thereafter, and was not taken on-air, nor was the said erroneous image in any way related to the subject matter being discussed.'
Congress general secretary in charge of communication, Jairam Ramesh, had stated on social media that he hoped that the court would consider the damage caused by 'repeated and deliberate malicious acts of these habitual offenders'.
The controversy broke out amid heightened tensions between India and Turkey, sparked by the latter's support for Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and India's military response, Operation Sindoor.
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