Special court issues notice to Karnataka CM in defamation case
BENGALURU: A special court in the city issued a notice to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday on a private complaint filed by an activist on charges of defamatory statements against him.
The special court for the trial of criminal cases against sitting and former MPs/MLAs (triable by magistrate) issued the notice after hearing the complaint filed by TJ Abraham. “As per the proviso to Section 223 of BNSS, 2023, before taking cognisance, it is necessary to hear the accused. Hence, issue notice to the accused,” the court said, while adjourning the hearing to February 3.
Abraham filed the complaint for the offence punishable under Section 356(1)(2) of BNSS, 2023, against Siddaramaiah, who allegedly made a defamatory statement against him after the Governor Thawaarchand Gehlot issued a notice to Siddaramaiah on Abraham’s petition seeking consent to probe alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 compensatory sites to BM Parvathy, Siddaramaiah’s wife.
HC adjourns hearing
On Saturday, the Karnataka High Court adjourned to March 22 the hearing of appeals filed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Devaraju, who sold the land to the brother-in-law of Siddaramaiah, against the order passed by the single judge upholding the consent given by Governor Thawaarchand Gehlot to probe alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 compensatory sites to BM Parvathy, wife of Siddaramaiah.
Considering the request made by the counsel of Siddaramaiah for adjournment and subsequently agreed by the counsel of other parties for adjournment, the division bench of Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice MI Arun adjourned the hearing.
Plea seeking CBI probe to be heard tomorrow
The single judge of the high court will further hear the petition filed by activist Snehamayi Krishna seeking a CBI probe into the MUDA case on Monday.