In a breather to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the 2022 criminal case relating to a protest seeking the resignation of then Minister KS Eshwarappa, the Supreme Court on Monday by an interim order put on hold further proceedings in the case including the State High court’s order refusing to quash the criminal proceedings against the incumbent Chief Minister and other Congress’s leaders and imposing a fine on him.
The matter relates to the protest that was organised to demand the resignation of then Minister KS Eshwarappa following a suicide case.
Staying proceedings before the trial court and the High Court’s order, a bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, issued notice to the State of Karnataka and the police officer Kumari Jahida Wpsi.
The Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has moved the top court against the state High court order rejecting his plea seeking quashing of criminal proceedings against him in the 2022 protest matter.
During the course of the hearing, Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra observed that the judgements cited by the petitioner Siddaramaiah were matters involving politicians and further remarked that if politicians do the protest, the criminal case has to be quashed but what about the normal citizen who are protesting.
Appearing for Siddaramaiah, senior advocate Kapil Sibal told the bench that his client has a fundamental right to protest. He also said that the case involves a law-and-order situation but not a public order allegation.