The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the Karnataka government’s appeal challenging a High Court order that had quashed criminal proceedings against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Tejasvi Surya in connection with an alleged fake news post about a farmer’s suicide in Haveri district.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran came down firmly on the state government, cautioning it against turning legal issues into political battles. “What is this? Don’t politicise the matter. Fight your battles before the electorate,” the bench observed.
The case dates back to a November 7, 2024 social media post by Surya, in which he cited a report from Kannada news portals claiming that a farmer named Rudrappa Channappa Balikai had died by suicide after learning that his land had been taken over by the Waqf Board. The post was later deleted after the claim was found to be unsubstantiated.
The High Court had previously quashed the case, and the Karnataka government had approached the apex court seeking to revive the criminal proceedings. However, the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the appeal brings the matter to a close and sends a clear message against the misuse of legal mechanisms for political ends.
