FIR Over Tweet On Fund Allocation To Religious Minorities: Karnataka HC Issues Notice To Complainant On Journalist Rahul Sivasankar's Quashing Plea

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday continued the temporary relief earlier granted to journalist Rahul Sivasankar who has approached the court seeking to quash an FIR registered against him for his tweet about the State government's allocation of funds for welfare of religious minorities.

A single judge bench of Justice S Vishwajith Shetty said till the next date of hearing, respondent shall not precipitate the matter as against the petitioner.

Further it issued an emergent notice to the complainant N Ambaresh. The public prosecutor produced the copy of the information lodged in the present case which has resulted in registering F.I.R, by the Criminal Investigation Department, Police Station as was directed on the previous hearing.

The journalist is booked under Sections 153A and 505 of IPC on a complaint by Kolar councillor N Ambaresh who opposed Sivasankar's "sarcastic" tweet about fund allocation for development of Waqf properties, Haj Bhavan in Mangalore and development of Christian places of worship. Such statements of the petitioner (Sivasankar) have a tendency to incite hatred/disharmony between religious groups, the councillor alleged.

Sivasankar had claimed the tweet was published after due verification of the facts therein from various newspaper reports as well as the budget speech published by the state government itself.

He submitted the impugned tweet merely states three factual points and entire premise of the FIR that he is propagating false information is incorrect He added that as a journalist, he often shares factual tweets in this manner to increase public awareness on issues of importance but the same cannot be used to impute any criminality on his part.

Further, it has been said that he merely sought an explanation as to why the temples, which generate large revenue for the State Government, have not been allocated any funds in the budget whereas other religious places of worship have been allocated large sums of funds. "Such a question, cannot in any manner be construed to be an attempt to create hatred/animosity between religious groups. If such questions are termed as an attempt to create hatred/animosity between religious groups then no journalist or person would ever be able to ask any questions in this country with respect to issues pertaining to religion,” stated the quashing plea.

Case Title: RAHUL SIVASANKAR AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT & ANR

Case No: CRL.P 2457/2024