Karnataka High Court quashes FIR against BJP's Shobha Karandlaje for remarks about TN people

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday quashed the criminal case registered by the Bengaluru police against BJP Member of Parliament Shobha Karandlaje who was booked for comment she had made against the people of Tamil Nadu during a press conference.

Justice M Nagaprasanna took note of the submission made by Karandlaje’s counsel, advocate Venkatesh Dalwai, that the Madras High Court had on September 5 quashed a first information report (FIR) registered against her by the Madurai City Cybercrime Police following the same comment.

“Since, the offences are identical and have sprung out of the same incident. I am in respectful agreement of what the High Court of Madras has so held. Quashed,” Justice Nagaprasanna said.

As per the FIR, following the blasts in Rameshwaram Café in Bengaluru on March 1 this year, Karandlaje had allegedly said at a press conference,

“People trained in Tamil Nadu plant bombs here. Bomb was planted at the hotel.” 

The Madras High Court had quashed the FIR registered against Karandlaje after after the Tamil Nadu government told the Court it was ready to accept the BJP MP’s apology and that it did not wish to pursue the matter further.

The Karnataka High Court today took note of the same and proceeded to quash the case registered in Bengaluru.