CM Siddaramaiah, deputy Shivakumar get bail in BJP defamation case over ad alleging corruption

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar were on Saturday granted bail by a special court in a defamation case filed by BJP general secretary Keshav Prasad. The case pertains to advertisements published by the Congress alleging corruption by the previous BJP government ahead of the Assembly election last year.

The advertisement targeted the BJP over alleged 40 per cent commission and had mentioned a rate card for different posts. The special court for elected representatives had issued summons to the CM and his deputy based on the BJP leader’s petition.

The Congress had carried out a campaign alleging corruption by the previous BJP government.

Later, speaking to the media, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “During the previous Assembly election, we had published an advertisement on behalf of the Congress which mentioned the rate card for each post. This doesn’t come under defamation, but BJP had filed a defamation case though we did not defame anyone. This is a private complaint by a BJP leader, but honouring the court order, we have presented ourselves. This is a simple, bailable offence”, he said.

Deputy CM Shivakumar holds up a copy of a news report, outside the court complex.

Deputy CM D K Shivakumar said, “Rahul Gandhi could not come due to the INDIA Alliance meeting. The BJP in Karnataka is the most corrupt, we all know. We thought we’d let it go, but they are insisting that we reveal about their corruption. Our charges were based on BJP leader Basavaraj Patil Yatnal’s allegations of corruption. They simply dragged in Rahul Gandhi to make a big show of it”.

While the Congress party was named the main accused in the case, Deputy CM Shivakumar was named second accused and CM Siddaramaiah as third accused. Advocate General Ahmed sought exemption for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the grounds of the INDI Alliance meeting today in New Delhi. He said the Congress leader will present himself on June 7.