BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court quashed criminal proceedings initiated against two Congress leaders, who are advocates, for allegedly instructing a few persons over phone to paste ‘PayCM’ posters in Nelamangala town, saying that the allegations will not attract any punishment under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and Karnataka Open Place Disfigurement Act.
Justice M Nagaprasanna passed the order while allowing the petition filed by JS Narayana Gowda, president, Indian Youth Congress unit of Nelamangala Assembly constituency and V Ramakrishna, president, Congress Legal Cell, Nelamangala Assembly constituency, questioning the proceedings initiated against them under the provisions of the aforementioned Acts and IPC.
The court noted that the allegation against the petitioners would not attract the provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Also provisions of the Karnataka Open Place Disfigurement Act also cannot be laid against them as the allegation against the petitioners admittedly is that they have telephonically instructed the accused to lay the posters, said the court.