Bengaluru: The High Court has extended the interim stay on the case registered against Belthangadi MLA Harish Poonja, related to obstructing police duty during a protest. Justice Nagaprasanna’s single-judge bench heard the petition seeking to quash the case against Poonja.
Senior advocate Prabhulinga K. Navadgi argued that Poonja, as a local elected representative, had visited the police station to question the police action but did not interfere with their duty or take the law into his hands.
Additional Public Prosecutor B.N. Jagadish countered that Poonja had obstructed police duty and that the case should be investigated, requesting that the FIR not be quashed.
After hearing the arguments, the bench adjourned the case to 5 September and extended the interim order exempting Poonja from personal attendance.
The case against Poonja was registered for protesting against the arrest of a person involved in illegal mining and stockpiling explosives without a licence. Poonja had filed a petition seeking to quash the case, leading to the current proceedings.