Criminal cases being dropped by the Karnataka government include those against sitting state ministers for Law, Tourism and Agriculture.
Karnataka government will withdraw 62 criminal complaints against Members of Parliaments (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) belonging to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), News18 reported.
This is based on a recommendation from a sub-committee headed by state Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Cases against several sitting ministers, including those for Law, Tourism and Agriculture, will be dropped as part of this initiative.
One of the cases being dropped involves Law Minister JC Madhuswamy and Tourism Minister CT Ravi, who were accused and charged under IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly) 147 (Rioting with dangerous weapons) and 339 (wrongful restraint). The case pertains to a fight that had broken out between students of two communities at Hunsur in Mysuru district in November 2015.
News18 quoted Madhuswamy as saying that this was a routine procedure conducted by the Cabinet, which at various instances in the past has withdrawn such cases in 'public interest'.
"Decision on these 62 cases was taken earlier, we have withdrawn cases in the past as well in which Congress and JD(S) leaders were involved. But this cannot mean that those involved in cases like the Bengaluru riots and loot will be spared," Madhuswamy said.
Madhuswamy added that the sub-committee conducts routine evaluation of such cases and that it was being done to reduce the burden on the courts, as many of these cases involve a lot of people and would have led to minor punishments.