On Monday, the Supreme Court assured an early hearing for a PIL filed by social activist Binay Kumar Singh, who has sought a CBI investigation into “troubling allegations” raised in the Karnataka Assembly. The petitioner has claimed that a CM-aspirant from the state was involved in honeytrapping several individuals, including judges. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, informed the petitioner’s counsel, Barun Sinha, that the case would be listed for an appropriate hearing soon.
Singh, a Jharkhand-based activist, author, and columnist, argued that the allegations made on the floor of the Karnataka Assembly were credible because they were voiced by a sitting minister, who also claimed to be a victim of the honeytrapping scheme. “These allegations have gained credibility, especially since another minister has echoed them, claiming that the scale of the scandal is at least 10 times greater than what is currently known,” said Singh.
The petitioner expressed deep concerns about the impact of such honeytrapping allegations, particularly regarding judges. He warned that these could threaten the independence of the judiciary and erode public confidence in the justice delivery system. Singh emphasized that the Supreme Court should investigate the matter thoroughly to uncover the truth.
Although the petitioner did not name the CM-aspirant, speculations have been rife in political circles in both Bengaluru and Delhi regarding intense infighting within the Congress over the future of Siddaramaiah as the Karnataka Chief Minister.