Karnataka High Court Slams BJP MLC N Ravikumar For Communal Comment Against Muslim IAS Officer, Asks Him To Apologise To Her

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday orally asked the BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar who has been booked by police for his controversial remark against Kalaburagi District Collector, Fauzia Tarannum to tender an apology to her.

A vacation bench of Justice Suraj Govindaraj observed thus while hearing the petition filed by Kumar seeking to quash the FIR registered against him by the station bazar police station, Gulbarga, for the offences punishable under section 197, 224, 299, 302, 351, 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and section 3(1)(r) of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities ) Act.

The court orally said “These are not the statements to be made. You have seen what happened in Madhya Pradesh and the Supreme Court, with a sitting minister, you are no different, you cannot be making such kind of statements.”

Advocate Vinod Kumar M appearing for the petitioner contended that an apology has been made. To which the court said “After making the statement the apology has to be accepted by the person. You make your apologies to the lady in question and let her accept it and you place it on record, and then we will consider this not until then.”

Further it said “This is completely unnecessary. Please apologise to her and let her accept it and place it on record and then we can consider it, until then difficult.”

The petitioner also argued that there is no word which is uttered to have insulted them by taking the name of their community. There is no word at all that I have insulted them based on their caste. There is no mention then how the prevention of Atrocities Act can be attracted.

Additional State Public Prosecutor B N Jagadeesha opposed the petition saying “What is written in the complaint is half of what is said in the video.” He sought time to file his objections.

The court in its order said “ASPP accepts notice for R1. Issue notice to respondent no 2, returnable by June 19. HCGP is directed to place on record the subject videos in a pen drive after furnishing a copy to counsel for the petitioner.”

It added “Submission of ASPP that they would not take any coercive steps against the petitioner so long as the petitioner cooperates with the investigation is placed on record. Submission of the counsel for petitioner that the petitioner has apologised to the persons in question is placed on record and an affidavit to that effect should be filed by the next date of hearing.”

Before parting it orally said “Please speak to her also and if she is acceptable to it then place it on record.” It also told the counsel for the petitioner "Advise your client properly and bring a closure to the matter, don't escalate it. It should not have happened in the first place, now that it has happened, mitigate it.”

Case Title: RAVI KUMAR N AND State of Karnataka

Case No: WP 15442/2025