The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Karnataka government's appeal against the quashing of a criminal case filed against Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejasvi Surya for his tweet on a farmer's suicide. The court also slapped a cost of ₹25 lakh on the state for approaching the top court with this matter.
A bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinodchandran was considering the state government's appeal against the Karnataka High Court ruling which had cancelled the FIR filed against Surya for spreading false news about a farmer in Haveri district.
"Which is this? Don't politicise the issue. Contend your fights in front of the electorate. Dismissed with costs," the CJI said rejecting the petition, according to reports.
On 7 November 2024, Surya had put up a news article from Kannada news sites, stating that farmer Rudrappa Channappa Balikai took his own life after the Waqf Board seized his land. The post was removed when it came out that the report was false.
The Haveri Superintendent of Police had clarified that Balikai’s suicide on January 6, 2022, was due to financial stress from crop losses and debts, and was unrelated to any Waqf Board dispute.
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A suo-motu case was registered against Surya under Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on November 7 for allegedly publishing statements which promote hatred, ill-will, or enmity between groups.
The Supreme Court did, however, affirm the quashing of the case by the High Court and warned courts against being used for political wars.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, Tejasvi Surya tweeted on X: "For long, Congress has run a calculated misinformation campaign against me, even abusing police & judiciary to settle political scores. This judgement should serve as a lesson."
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