New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court over the High Court’s refusal to quash criminal proceedings against him for a protest march organised in Bengaluru on February 14, 2022.
He has challenged the order of the Karnataka High Court passed on February 6 last dismissing his plea to quash the criminal proceedings against him and for imposing a cost of Rs 10,000.
On February 6, The Karnataka High Court dismissed the petition filed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress’ State in charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, and legislators Ramalinga Reddy and MB Patil, seeking to quash a criminal case registered against them in 2022 for alleged illegal march towards the residence of then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, shouting slogans and demanding the resignation.
The High Court, however, failed to ascertain whether the prosecution of the petitioner would be legitimate in the given facts and circumstances, it contended. The plea also said the HC lost sight of the fact that the assembly did not lead to any violence or use of criminal force to present an imminent threat to the public at large or to the members of the then ruling dispensation or any public servant.
The protest march was organized to demand the resignation of then Minister K S Eshwarappa following the death of a civil contractor alleging demand of commission.
Siddaramaiah in his petition before the Supreme Court has also questioned the validity of criminal proceedings initiated against him and other leaders for a protest march organised in Bengaluru on February 14, 2022.
The matter is likely to be heard by the Apex Court on Thursday.
