Special Court Dismisses Complaint Against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Over Lingayat CM Remark

GG News Bureau

Bengaluru, 14th June. An Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court dismissed a private defamation complaint filed against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah based on his remark regarding a Lingayat chief minister during the last Assembly election.

The Special Court exclusively to deal with criminal cases related to elected former and sitting MPs/MLAs on Tuesday dismissed the complaint filed for the alleged offences under Sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.

Shankar Shet and Mallaiah Hiremath filed a private case alleging that Siddaramaiah defamed the Lingayat community in response to a journalist’s question during the Assembly election. The Congress leader was questioned if his party would make Lingayat the Chief Minister if it came to power.

Siddaramaiah allegedly responded that then-CM Basavaraj Bommai was a Lingayat who had indulged in corruption and spoiled the state.