The Karnataka High Court on Thursday granted an interim stay on the investigation against BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, accused of sharing misinformation about a farmer suicide in Haveri district.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna, heading a single-judge bench, issued the stay following Surya’s plea to quash the FIR. The case stems from a deleted tweet by Surya, posted on November 7, which claimed a farmer, Rudrappa Balikai, ended his life after his land was acquired by the Waqf Board. Haveri police later clarified the suicide was linked to financial distress from crop losses and debt, not a land dispute.
Surya’s counsel argued the tweet did not violate Section 505(2) of the IPC, which addresses statements inciting hostility. The court noted that the tweet, though critical of government policy, lacked elements to constitute an offense under this section. The prosecutor opposed the stay, claiming the post could hurt sentiments and promote discord, but the court disagreed, stating the content did not meet the threshold for such charges.
The interim order pauses the investigation, with December 4 set for the next hearing. Surya deleted the post after the police clarification. The court highlighted that criticism of government policies does not inherently violate the law.
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