K'taka HC reserves verdict on Tejasvi Surya's plea to quash case for allegedly spreading fake news
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has reserved its verdict on a petition filed by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya seeking to quash a case registered against him for allegedly spreading fake news about a farmer’s suicide in Haveri district.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna, presiding over the matter, stated, “Heard, reserved,” after listening to arguments from both sides.
Surya’s senior counsel argued that the case lacked merit, stating, “The tweet in question was based on a news report. Even if taken at face value, no ingredients of s.353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) are made out. The tweet was deleted, and the father of the deceased gave an interview to the media the following day.”
However, the state’s counsel opposed the plea, contending that the tweet portrayed the current administration in a negative light. The court expressed disapproval of political exploitation of such incidents, stating, “A farmer’s son commits suicide due to debts or other reasons, and politics is being played over it.”
The controversy arose after Surya tweeted on November 7, claiming that farmer Rudrappa Channappa Balikai died by suicide because his land was allegedly taken over by the Waqf Board. The tweet was deleted after the Haveri district SP clarified that the suicide occurred in January 2022 and was unrelated to any Waqf Board dispute, attributing it instead to financial difficulties stemming from crop loss and loans.
Subsequently, a suo motu case was registered under s.353(2) of the BNS for publishing or circulating statements intended to promote enmity between groups. On November 14, the High Court granted interim relief to Surya by staying the investigation.
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Three of family drown in river in Kerala
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Kozhikode (PTI): Three members of a family, including a girl, drowned in a river at Nadapuram in this district on Saturday, police said.
The tragic incident occurred when the family had gone to Puliyavu river near Nadapuram, to wash their clothes.
The deceased were identified as Ansar (43), his wife Suhada (39), and Isa Mariyam (8), daughter of Ansar's brother--all residents of Puliyavu here.
According to preliminary information, the child accidentally slipped into deep waters and Ansar and his wife attempted to rescue her.
But all three were also pulled in by the current and drowned.
The couple's children alerted the locals, who initiated rescue efforts.
Though they were pulled out of the water, their lives could not be saved, police said.
The bodies were shifted to the nearby state-run hospital and further procedures are underway, they added.
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