Karnataka High Court Stays Trial Against CM Siddaramaiah In BJP's Criminal Defamation Complaint Over 'Corruption Rate Card' Ads

The Karnataka High Court on Friday by way of interim order stayed the trial court proceedings against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a criminal defamation case filed by the State unit of Bharatiya Janata Party.

A single judge Justice S R Krishna Kumar issued notice to the respondent and stayed the proceedings pending before the trial court.

Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty appeared for the petitioner and informed the court that it is the same offence. On July 4, the court stayed the trial court proceedings against Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in a criminal defamation case filed by the State BJP unit. The same relief was also extended to the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). In the same case, the High Court stayed the trial against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in January this year.

The complaint by the state BJP Unit is primarily against “Corruption Rate card” advertisements issued by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee in local newspapers and 'false campaigning' by Congress ahead of the 2023 state assembly elections. The trial court had in 2023 take cognizance of the matter. 

It is the case of the State BJP Unit that the advertisements damaged the BJP's image, as they claimed certain 'rates' and 'commissions' are charged by the BJP for appointment and transfer to various positions in government departments. BJP claims it to be false and based on the "fanciful imagination" of the accused.

BJP claims that the use of the word “trouble engine Sarkar” in the alleged advertisements by the accused in the place of the widely popular usage “double engine Sarkar” showed an intention to malign the name and reputation of the BJP and to affect its chances in the elections.

Case Title: Siddaramaiah AND State of Karnataka & ANR

Case No: Criminal Petition No 9760/2025.

Appearance: Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty and Advocate Surya Mukundaraj for Petitioner.