Bengaluru: A city court on Wednesday ordered issuing of summons to Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a defamation case filed by BJP.
The complaint also has been filed against Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court here.
The complaint was filed by Karnataka BJP Secretary S Keshavprasad on May 9, alleging false claims by the respondents in advertisements, tarnishing BJP’s image.
Keshavaprasad alleged that the claims made by the KCC that the then incumbent BJP government indulged in “40 per cent corruption” and looted Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the previous four years was “baseless, prejudiced and defamatory”.
The claim was made by the KPCC by releasing the advertisement in major newspapers on May 5 in the run up to the assembly election.
The special court took cognisance of offences of respondents under Sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.
