The Supreme Court on Monday, February 19, stayed proceedings against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others in connection with a protest march held in the state in 2022 in connection with a suicide case in Udupi.
A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and P K Mishra issued notice to the Karnataka government and the complainant in the case.
The top court also stayed the high court order, which had imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on him as well as Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, state ministers M B Patil and Ramalinga Reddy, and directed him to appear before a special court on March 6.
The case was registered against the Congress leaders after they took out a march to lay siege to the then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai's residence in Bengaluru, demanding the resignation of K S Eshwarappa, who was then the rural development and panchayat raj minister in the southern state.
The agitation was staged after a contractor, Santosh Patil, died by suicide accusing Eshwarappa of demanding 40 per cent commission for a public work in his village. According to police, the case pertained to blocking roads and causing trouble to commuters.
The 37-year-old contractor died by suicide in a lodge in Udupi in 2022. At the time of his death, the contractor left behind a WhatsApp message alleging that Eshwarappa demanded a commission for the release of funds for civil works undertaken by the contractor at Belagavi.
Last year, Karnataka HC granted an interim stay on the proceedings in the case against CM Siddaramaiah for holding the protest march in 2022.
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