The Karnataka High Court declined to dismiss a case against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other Congress leaders stemming from a 2022 incident when they led a march demanding the resignation of then-minister K S Eshwarappa. Justice Krishna Dixit, presiding over a single-judge bench, issued this decision in response to petitions filed by Siddaramaiah, Minister of Large and Medium Industries M B Patil, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, and others.
The counsel representing the Congress leaders argued that the march did not disrupt traffic or pose a threat to law and order, asserting that citizens have the right to express their opinions, including calling for the removal of elected officials.
In opposition, the opposing counsel contended that the march disregarded police warnings, obstructed traffic, and violated a government order from 2021. They also highlighted that a police officer was directly implicated in the case, which could undermine the morale of public servants.
The bench concurred with the latter argument, stating, “Allowing their prosecution in this manner would adversely affect the morale of law enforcement. Public servants must be able to fulfill their duties without intimidation. It appears that the police officer acted in accordance with her official responsibilities when filing the complaint. While there may be room for debate regarding her actions, she should not be held personally accountable. Such actions should not be tolerated without consequence. Therefore, the petitioners must bear the costs for this unwarranted action.”
The bench emphasized, “Even though the petitioners hold positions as Ministers or elected representatives, they are not exempt from accountability under constitutional or inherent jurisdiction. There are no exceptional circumstances warranting deviation from standard legal proceedings. They are free to seek discharge before the Magistrate. Regardless of their status, the law applies equally to all.”
The court dismissed the petitions and ordered each petitioner to contribute Rs 10,000 to the Chief Minister’s fund due to the personal naming of a police officer in the case. Additionally, they were instructed to appear before the Special MP/MLA court on specified dates: CM Siddaramaiah on February 26, Randeep Singh Surjewala on March 7, M B Patil on March 11, and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on March 15.
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