K'taka CM Siddaramaiah moves SC seeking quashing of FIR filed for blocking traffic

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has filed a plea before the Supreme Court seeking quashing of an FIR lodged against him and other Congress leaders in connection with blocking a road during a protest in 2022.

The special leave petition challenges the decision of the Karnataka High Court dismissing the petition filed by CM Siddaramaiah and others seeking quashing of trial proceedings in the Special Court.

Imposing a cost of Rs 10,000 on each of the petitioners, a bench of Justice Krishna S. Dixit of the Karnataka High Court last week ordered CM Siddaramaiah to remain present before the Special Court for MPs/MLAs on February 26.

The High Court also asked the AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala to be present before the Special Court on March 7, Minister for Large and Medium M.B. Patil on March 11 and Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy on March 15.

Rapping the Congress leaders, the High Court said that blocking the road because one is a representative of the people cannot be accepted.

The FIR was booked against CM Siddaramaiah and other Congress leaders with Bengaluru's High Grounds police station on April 14, 2022.

The Congress party had organised a protest over a suicide case of a contractor Santhosh Patil and had demanded the resignation of then Minister K.S. Eshwarappa. During the protest traffic was thrown out of gear on the busy Race Course Road. The traffic had come to halt for several kilometres causing severe inconvenience to the public.

The police had lodged an FIR on charges of blocking roads causing traffic jams, affecting the law and order system. The CM and others had approached the High Court seeking quashing of the NBW issued by the Special Court and proceedings against them in the trial court.

(With inputs from IANS)