Karnataka HC stays second FIR against actor-politician Upendra
Bengaluru, Aug 17: The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday granted an interim stay on the second FIR lodged against Kannada actor-director B M Upendrakumar, popularly known as Upendra, at Ulsoor Gate police station.
The high court had earlier granted a stay on the first FIR against Upendra at the Chennammanakere Achchukattu police station.
Justice Hemanth Chandanagoudar who heard the petition filed by Upendra said that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has been invoked against the petitioner though the charges under the Act have not been made against any specific person.
The court also considered the argument that the actor had only uttered a saying during the course of a talk.
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Upendra is facing criticism for his utterance "Oorendare Holageri Irutte," ("Where there is a village, there will be a colony of Holeyas" -- a Dalit community).
Upendra was interacting with fans to celebrate the sixth anniversary of his political party Uttama Prajaakeeya Party on Facebook on August 12 when he made the statement.
The first complaint against him was filed at Chennammanakere Achchukattu police station by Madhusudan K N, an Assistant Director at the Social Welfare Department.
The FIR was lodged under Section 3(1)(r)(s) of the Act. A second FIR was registered at the Halasuru Gate Police station on August 13, following a complaint by one Bharat Harishkumar, president of the Karnataka Ranadheera Pade.
While granting the interim stay, the HC said that both petitions filed by Upendra in respect of the two FIRs will be heard together. The court then adjourned the hearing.
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Informing Pakistan ahead of Operation Sindoor was a crime: Rahul Gandhi on Jaishankar's 'admission'
New Delhi, May 17 (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at the government for "informing" Pakistan about targeting terror infrastructure as part of Operation Sindoor, saying it was a crime and asking who had authorised it.
In a post on X, Gandhi questioned External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar for publicly admitting that the government of India (GOI) had informed Pakistan of the action and asked how many aircraft the Indian Air Force lost as a result.
"Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that GOI did it. Who authorised it? How many aircraft did our air force lose as a result?" said Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha.
He also shared an undated video of Jaishankar saying India had informed Pakistan of the action against terror infrastructure on its soil.
Jaishankar can be heard saying in the video, "At the start of the operation, we had sent a message to Pakistan, saying, 'We are striking at terrorist infrastructure and we are not striking at the military.'"
"So the military has the option of standing out and not interfering in this process. They chose not to take that good advice," the minister can be heard saying in the clip.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB), however, has debunked claims that Jaishankar had said India informed Pakistan ahead of Operation Sindoor. In a post on X, the PIB's Fact Check Unit said the minister had not made any such statement and that he was being misquoted.
Operation Sindoor was the Indian offensive against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 17, 2025
EAM has publicly admitted that GOI did it.
1. Who authorised it?
2. How many aircraft did our airforce lose as a result? pic.twitter.com/KmawLLf4yW
