The High Court of Karnataka has put a stay on the ongoing investigation into allegations that BJP national president JP Nadda violated the model code of conduct during a recent election speech in the Karnataka Assembly polls.
Justice M Nagaprasanna of the single-judge bench heard the criminal petition filed by Nadda on Friday. The petition sought the cancellation of the case launched against him by the Harappanahalli police. The court issued an interim order to halt the investigation and scheduled the next hearing for July 21.
During the Assembly elections campaign on May 7, 2023, Nadda held a BJP rally at the IB Circle of Harappanahalli town in Vijayanagara district. The BJP leader allegedly told attendees that a BJP loss in the elections would mean that voters would miss out on the benefits of schemes introduced by the central government.
He reportedly warned that several central government projects, including the Kisan Samman Nidhi, would be discontinued if the Congress party assumed power in the state.
Following the speech, officials from the Election Vigilance Division filed a complaint with the Harappanahalli Police Station, alleging that Nadda’s statements contravened the Model Code of Conduct. The police subsequently initiated an investigation, leading to Nadda’s petition to the High Court for the dismissal of the case.
