The case stemmed from a post shared by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on November 7, 2024, in which he cited a report from Kannada news portals
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Supreme Court on Monday (July 21, 2025) dismissed the Karnataka government’s plea against a high court order quashing the criminal case against BJP MP Tejasvi Surya.
“What is this? Don’t politicise the matter. Fight your battles before the electorate,” a bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and K. Vinod Chandran said.
Mr. Surya was alleged to have disseminated fake news on a farmer’s suicide in the state’s Haveri district. The bench dismissed the appeal of the state government and cautioned it against the politicisation of legal proceedings.
The case stemmed from a post shared by Mr. Surya on November 7, 2024, in which he cited a report from Kannada news portals claiming that a farmer, Rudrappa Channappa Balikai, was found dead after discovering that his land had been taken over by the Waqf Board.
The post was subsequently deleted after it emerged that the claim was unfounded.
Published – July 21, 2025 03:01 pm IST