BENGALURU: A private defamation complaint against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on his comment about a Lingayat chief minister during the recent Assembly election has been dismissed by an Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
The Special Court formed to deal with criminal cases related to elected former and sitting MPs/MLAs on Tuesday dismissed the complaint filed for the alleged offenses under Sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.
The private complaint lodged by Shankar Shet and Mallaiah Hiremath alleged Siddaramaiah had defamed the Lingayat community with his answer to a question by a journalist during the Assembly election.
The Congress leader was asked if his party would make someone from the Lingayat community the Chief Minister if it came to power.
Siddaramaiah allegedly replied that the then CM Basavaraj Bommai was a Lingayat who had indulged in corruption and spoiled the state.