The Karnataka High Court on Friday stayed further proceedings against five persons accused of creating law and order problems besides allegedly damaging public property during the funeral procession of RSS activist Sharath Madiwala, in Bantwal, Dakshina Kannada district, on July 8.
Justice Aravind Kumar passed the interim order on the petitions filed by Sathyajeeth Surathkal, Harish Poonja, Murali Krishna Hasanthadka, Sharan Pumpwell, and Pradeep Kumar, who are social workers associated with various organisations.
The judge passed the interim order after viewing a video of the incident and the procession produced by the police during in-camera proceedings. The court also directed the State Public Prosecutor to produce all the original records related to the case registered against the petitioners.
The petitioners claimed they were implicated falsely due to political pressure and also pointed out discrepancies in the date of registration of the First Information Report against them. They also said they were shown as accused number 1 to 5 in the FIR, but in the remand application filed before the magistrate, they were arrayed as accused number 14 to 18.
“There is no specific allegation made against the petitioners in the said remand application or in the complaint. The entire case has been foisted against the petitioner in order to harass and humiliate them with an oblique motive to curtail their freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India,” it has been contended in the petition.