Karnataka HC quashes FIR against BJP MP Tejasvi Surya over farmer suicide post
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka High Court has set aside an FIR filed against BJP Yuva Morcha president and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya.
The FIR, registered by the Haveri police under 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), was based on a social media post Surya made concerning a farmer's suicide, which he linked to alleged Waqf Board land claims.
The petition, filed by Surya, argued that the FIR was baseless and politically motivated.
Following detailed hearings, Justice M Nagaprasanna's bench quashed the case after earlier granting an interim stay on proceedings.
Senior advocate Aruna Shyam, representing Surya, informed the court that the MP's post on the social media platform 'X' (formerly Twitter) was made after the deceased farmer's father highlighted grievances related to land disputes involving the Karnataka Waqf Board.
Surya's post alleged that the suicide was connected to the board's land claims. However, Haveri Superintendent of Police Anshu Kumar later clarified that the farmer, Rudrappa, who died by suicide in January 2022, had done so due to crop losses and loans, not due to Waqf-related issues.
Following this clarification, Surya deleted the post.
Shyam also pointed to concerns over amendments made to land records by the Karnataka Revenue Department, which allegedly replaced farmers' ownership details with the Waqf Board's name across various districts. These changes sparked anxiety among farmers, leading to protests and the state government's subsequent withdrawal of the amendments, he explained.
The counsel noted that Surya, as a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, had visited farmers in Vijayapura alongside JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal.
The visit brought attention to issues faced by farmers in Karnataka due to Waqf-related land claims, which Surya highlighted in his now-deleted post, Surya's advocate said.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
