Defamation case: Karnataka HC stays trial proceedings against Shivakumar
Karnataka High Court
on Friday granted interim relief to Deputy Chief Minister
D K Shivakumar
by staying the trial court proceedings in a criminal
defamation case
filed against him by the State
BJP
unit over "
corruption rate card
" ads.
The court also extended similar relief to the
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee
(KPCC), which is a co-accused in the matter.
Justice S R Krishna Kumar, who presided over the matter, issued notice to the respondent and made it returnable on July 29, effectively pausing the ongoing proceedings until further directions.
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The defamation case arose after a series of controversial advertisements titled "Corruption Rate Card" were issued by the
Congress
party in the run-up to the 2023
Karnataka Assembly elections
.
The BJP has alleged that these advertisements falsely accused it of institutionalising corruption while in power, claiming that appointments and transfers in government departments came with fixed "rates" and "commissions."
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According to the BJP, the advertisements--published in local newspapers and promoted online--damaged the party's public image. The BJP has termed the Congress's claims as entirely fabricated and "born out of fanciful imagination."
Of particular contention is the Congress party's reference to the then BJP-led state government as a "trouble engine Sarkar", a wordplay on the BJP or NDA's self-description as a "double engine Sarkar." The BJP has argued that this was a deliberate attempt to ridicule and tarnish the party's image ahead of crucial polls.
The complaint specifically names D K Shivakumar, in his capacity as KPCC President, and
Siddaramaiah
, then the Leader of Opposition, as the individuals responsible for commissioning and approving the advertisements.
It also claims that
Rahul Gandhi
amplified the alleged defamatory content by posting it on his 'X' (formerly Twitter) account.
Earlier this year, in January, the High Court had granted a similar interim stay on the trial proceedings against Rahul Gandhi in connection with the same case.
Senior Advocate K Shashi Kiran Shetty and Advocate Surya Mukundaraj appeared on behalf of Shivakumar. The KPCC was represented by Advocates S A Ahamed and Sanjay B Yadav.
The matter is expected to come up next on July 29, when the High Court will further examine the validity of the defamation proceedings initiated by the BJP.
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