Karnataka High Court stays FIR against Ashwath Narayan

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has granted relief to former minister and BJP MLA Ashwath Narayan in connection with the allegation of threatening Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The High Court has issued an order staying the FIR against Ashwath Narayan in Devaraja Police Station, Mysore. BJP MLA Ashwath Narayana had filed a petition in the High Court seeking quashing of the FIR. On Tuesday the High Court heard this petition and the bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna issued a stay order on the FIR against Aswath Narayana.

On February 15 in a meeting of BJP workers in Satanur, Mandya, Ashwath Narayan, who was then a minister, said that Siddaramaiah should be killed like Urigowda- Nanje Gowda had killed Tipu. Mysore KPCC spokesperson Laxman filed a complaint in this regard on February 17. Based on that complaint on May 24, Mysore’s Devaraja station police had registered an FIR related to criminal threats and incitement to riot. After that the case was transferred to Mandya police station.

Senior counsel Prabhu Linga Navadagi argued on behalf of Aswath Narayana said that the statement was made during election campaigning. NCR was registered in relation to the complaint in the month of February. A new complaint has been filed after the change of government with malicious intent. Apparently, as there are no elements that constitute a crime under IPC Section 153, and requested for stay . The lawyer for the government objected to this and argued that there should be no stay as it is a bailable case. After hearing this argument, the bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna issued a restraining order to the FIR.