Gourishankar R. 8th September, 2020
B.S. Yeddiyurappa (Source: News18.com)
The Karnataka government, led by B.S. Yeddiyurappa, has decided to withdraw 62 criminal cases involving various Bharatiya Janata Party ministers and other officials, according to Times of India. The decision to withdraw cases against BJP leaders—including sitting MPs and MLAs—was based on the recommendations of a subcommittee headed by home minister Basavaraj Bommai, according to reports by Times of India and ANI.
Law minister J. C. Madhuswamy said that in spite of objections from law and home departments, subsequent governments have withdrawn cases. “Cases against Congress and JD(S) leaders, too, were withdrawn by the previous coalition government,” he said, according to Times of India. These remarks were in defence of the recommendation of the Bommai subcommittee. He added that it would help reduce the burdens on courts.
One of the cases withdrawn had been filed against law minister J. C. Madhuswamy and tourism minister C. T. Ravi. The ministers were charged under IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting with dangerous weapons), and 339 (wrongful restraint). The case involves a fight between the youth of two communities that occurred in Hunsur, in the Mysuru district. The incident had happened in November of 2015, according to Times of India.
Hospete turncoat MLA Anand Singh also found that his case was withdrawn. About 300 people blocked the Hospete Taluk office after pelting stones and vandalising property. The value of the damage caused by the mob added up to about Rs. 3 lakhs. The charges against Anand Singh involved offences like criminal intimidation, assault on a government official to dissuade him from performing his duties, along with damage to public property, as reported by ANI.
Charges of speeding, destruction of property (barricades), and injuring a superintendent of police were filed against the MP, Pratap Simha. The assault of the superintendent of police came in December of 2017 when the officer attempted to stop Simha during a Hanuman Jayanthi procession.
Other cases that have been dropped were those which were against independent MP Sumalatha Ambarish, Yalburga MLA Hallapa Achar, and former Kagwad legislator K. P. Megannavar.
Kannada and Culture minister C. T. Ravi marked political motivation and had said that the withdrawn cases were false. “The Congress has no right to question us since the Siddaramaiah government had withdrawn cases against SDPI and PFI activists involved in anti-national activities and communal rioting,” he remarked, according to Times of India.
(Sources: Times of India, The Wire, The News Minute, ANI)
Edited by Varun Vyas Hebbalalu