Sonu Nigam Moves Court To Quash FIR Filed Over Kannada Row

Hyderabad: Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam filed a writ petition in the Karnataka High Court to quash a First Information Report (FIR) lodged against him for allegedly making objectionable and derogatory remarks in a concert in Bengaluru. The FIR lodged at Avalahalli Police Station alleged that Nigam hurt the sentiments of the Kannadiga community at his concert at East Point College of Engineering and Technology on April 25 and 26. The singer aims to the seek the intervention of the court following the FIR lodged against him for allegedly making objectionable remarks during the music event when the audience forced him to sing Kannada songs.

On May 13, a vacation bench of Justice Shivashankar Amarannavar took up the petition and heard preliminary arguments, and adjourned hearing to May 15. The FIR was registered on May 3, 2023 after a complaint was lodged on May 2, 2023 by Dharma Raj Ananthaiha, a member of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a pro-Kannada organisation. The complaint mentioned that Sonu Nigam made remarks equating a fan request for a Kannada song, to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, implying that Kannadigas were terrorists.

Nigam has been accused of violating sections 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352(1) (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach) and 353 (public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). In his petition, the singer seeks the dismissal of both the FIR and the initial complaint.

The issue began when a group of audience members attending the event were reported to have insisted that Nigam sing in Kannada, and he asserted these demands were aggressive and schooled him. In a subsequent video uploaded to social media, Nigam clarified he had no ulterior motive, but was rudely threatened during the performance. He also stressed his respect and love for Karnataka and the people, clarifying the comments made were taken out of context.

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