The Karnataka High Court on Thursday quashed an FIR against BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, accused of disseminating fake news concerning the suicide of a farmer in Haveri district. Justice M Nagaprasanna delivered the verdict, responding to Surya’s request to nullify the criminal charges brought against him.
The FIR, filed under Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), centered on a tweet from Surya which claimed that a Karnataka farmer had taken his own life after his land was allegedly seized by the Waqf board, implicating the Congress government and specific officials in the tragedy. This statement was based on a local news report, which Surya cited in his tweet.
During the proceedings, Surya’s defense, led by Senior Advocate Aruna Shyam, contended that the tweet, though later deleted, was a reaction to a news article and did not constitute a legal offense under the cited section. Shyam emphasized that the allegations, even if taken as true, did not support the continuation of criminal proceedings, especially since the tweet had been promptly removed following police clarification that the farmer’s death was due to financial debt rather than a land dispute.
On the other side, the State’s counsel argued that the tweet had misleadingly attributed the farmer’s death to the actions of the current administration, thereby politicizing a personal tragedy. In response, Justice Nagaprasanna noted the unfortunate nature of the incident and expressed concern over the political exploitation of such a sensitive issue. “It is a very unfortunate situation. A life was lost—a farmer’s son took his own life due to debts or other reasons. Yet, all of you are politicizing the tragedy,” he remarked during the hearing.
The court had previously granted interim relief to Surya by staying the investigation on November 14, following his application which highlighted the subsequent removal of the tweet and the lack of intent to incite unrest.
