New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has moved the Supreme Court, challenging the validity of criminal proceedings initiated against him and other leaders for a protest march organised on February 14, 2022 in Bengaluru.
Karnataka CM's plea submitted that none of the quintessential ingredients of the offences alleged were made out, and stressed that the present proceedings are nothing but an abuse of the process of law.
The plea stressed that the continuation of proceedings, based on vague allegations, would lead to undue harassment. The plea said the incident lasted for almost an hour and no violent action or use of criminal force had been alleged against any of the members of the procession.
The protest march was organised demanding the resignation of then Minister K S Eshwarappa following the death of a civil contractor alleging demand of commission.
The plea stressed that the prosecution cannot be allowed to continue on such frivolous incidents where no allegation of criminality has been attributed to any of the members of the assembly.
Siddaramaiah moved the top court challenging the Karnataka High Court order, passed on February 6, 2024. The High Court dismissed the plea to quash the criminal proceedings and also imposed a cost of Rs 10,000, on the petitioners. The plea, filed in the apex court, contended that the High Court 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.
