Protest march case: SC stays proceedings against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, others

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed proceedings against Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and others in connection with a protest march held in the state in 2022.

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 a high court order, which had imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the CM 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 6 March.

The case was registered against the Congress leaders after they took out a march to lay siege to then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai's residence in Bengaluru, demanding the resignation of K.S. Eshwarappa, then the state's rural development and panchayat raj minister.

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.