The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the Karnataka government’s plea, in which the High Court order was challenged to cancel the FIR against BJP’s Lok Sabha member Tejashwi Surya for his post on social media platform ‘X’ regarding the death of a farmer in Haweri district.
A bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice of Justice refused to consider the Karnataka government’s plea, saying, “Do not politicize the matter, fight their fight before voters.”
The Karnataka High Court had quashed the case against Surya for allegedly spreading ‘fake news’ in connection with the suicide of a farmer in Haweri district. The Karnataka government had knocked on the Supreme Court by challenging the order of the High Court.
On November 7, 2024, Surya shared an article of the Kannada News portal claiming that a farmer named Rudrapa Channappa Balikai committed suicide after his land was captured by his land Waqf Board. Later, the post was removed when the claims were baseless when these claims were baseless.
The Superintendent of Police of Haveri district clarified that the farmer’s suicide took place on 6 January 2022. Suicide was not related to any Waqf Board land dispute, but due to crop loss and financial pressure from outstanding loans.
On 7 November, the police registered a case under Section 353 (2) of the Indian Justice (BNS) to publish or broadcast statements with the aim of promoting hatred, maliciousness or enmity among various groups.
In December, the High Court commented that there is no element of implementing punitive provision against Surya on social media, said that in such a situation it would allow criminal proceedings against him “would be misused by the law process when there is nothing to investigate.”
