K'taka govt files criminal defamation case against BJP MLC

Bangalore, July 28 (UNI) The Karnataka Government today filed a criminal defamation case against suspended Bharatiya Janata Party member G Janardhana Reddy, MLC, for making derogatory remarks against Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy while making bribery allegation against him.

Special Public Prosecutor C H Hanumantharaya, counsel for the government, filed the case before Principal City Civil and Sessions Judge K N Keshava Murthy under section 199 (2) (3) (4) and (5) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

In its complaint, the government alleged that Mr Reddy had made un-warranted, un-founded, baseless and reckless defamatory statements against Mr Kumaraswamy which were carried by leading English and Kannada dailies.

It said the accused had made the imputations with an intention to create a negative impression and portray a corrupt image about the the Chief Minister and his family members and bring disrespect to them.

The counsel, in the list of documents furnished with the complaint, included the notification appointing him as Special PP, the original gazette notification for having obtaining the sanction to prosecute Mr Reddy and names of editors and publishers of ten English and Kannada dailies which had published the statement of the accused.

Mr Reddy had alleged that Mr Kumaraswamy had received a bribe of Rs 150 crore from the mining lobby in Bellary district.

The Judge after hearing the preliminary pleading, posted the case to August one to take cognisance of it.

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