The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday quashed criminal defamation proceedings against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a case filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party regarding allegations that the Hindutva party’s government in the state had taken bribes from contractors, Bar and Bench reported.
Allowing Gandhi’s petition, Justice Sunil Dutt Yadav held that permitting the case to continue would amount to an abuse of law.
The complaint in the matter was filed by BJP leader S Keshava Prasad against Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in May 2023. Prasad objected to campaign advertisements and slogans used by the Congress during the Assembly elections that year.
Prasad objected to the Congress’ allegations that the BJP government, which was in power from 2019 to 2023, was charging a 40% commission or bribes from contractors for undertaking public works.
The BJP had alleged that the Congress was spreading false claims against its members, including the then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
The Congress was elected to power in the state in 2023, replacing the BJP government.
A magistrate court granted bail in the case to Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar on June 1, 2024 and to Gandhi on June 7, 2024.
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