The Karnataka High Court on Friday refused to quash the First Information Report (FIR) registered against two office bearers of the Karnataka State Bar Council (KSBC) accused of allegedly misappropriating official funds for an event.

Justice M Nagaprasanna rejected the petition filed by KSBC Chairperson Vishalaraghu HL and Vice-Chairperson Vinay B Mangalekar seeking to quash the case against them.

A detailed order of the Court is awaited.

The FIR was registered against the accused on April 17 following a complaint filed by KSBC and Senior Advocate Basavaraj S.

As per the complaint, KSBC had organised an advocates’ convention in August last year at Mysuru. ₹3.3 crore was collected for the convention from different sources, including ₹1.16 crore collected as donations from advocates and others, ₹1 crore as contribution from the State government, and ₹75 lakh from the KSBC’s own funds.

The accused showed that ₹3.12 crore was spent on the convention, by using forged documents and falsified accounts, and misappropriated the fund collected for their personal use, Basavraj alleged in the complaint.

The Bar Council of India (BCI) on April 12 formed a three-member committee to look into the matter.

On April 19, the High Court stayed the FIR and further legal proceedings against the KSBC members.

Senior Advocate Udaya Holla appeared for the KSBC Chairman while Basavaraj appeared in person.