Karnataka High Court has rejected the defamation petition of former Congress MLA Sowmya Reddy against Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje. The court said that prima facie a case of defamation is not made out and continuing the proceedings would be an abuse of law.
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [भारत]July 18 (ANI): The Karnataka High Court has quashed the criminal defamation case filed by former Congress MLA Soumya Reddy against Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje. The single bench allowed the petition and quashed the proceedings pending in the lower court.
The defamation complaint was filed by former Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy, who alleged that Karandlaje had made defamatory statements against her in public forums during and after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Reddy had argued that these comments damaged his reputation and were made with the intention of maligning his image. The case was registered in a magistrate court in Bengaluru.
Karandlaje, minister of state for MSME and labor and employment and BJP MP from Bengaluru North, had moved the high court seeking quashing of the proceedings.
What did the High Court say?
Quashing the case, the High Court said that the ingredients necessary to constitute the offense of defamation under Section 499/500 of the IPC were not prima facie found. The court also held that political statements made during public debate that do not contain specific allegations of damage to reputation do not automatically give rise to criminal liability. The court further said that continuing the proceedings in this case would be an abuse of the process of law.
Political reaction to the decision
Following the order, BJP leaders welcomed the decision and called it a victory for Karandlaje’s right to freedom of expression in political debate. However, Congress leaders said they would study the detailed order before deciding on further legal options.
The quashing of the case brings to an end one of the many defamation and political cases between BJP and Congress leaders in Karnataka in the last one year. (ANI)
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