'No Evidence': Karnataka High Court Quashes FIR Against BJP MLA Yashpal Suvarna, Others Accused Of Burning Ex-CM's Effigy During Protest

The Karnataka High Court on Monday (June 8) quashed an FIR against BJP MLA Yashpal Suvarna and others booked in connection with an alleged illegal protest and burning of an effigy of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Manipal in 2024, holding that there was no direct evidence linking the petitioners to the incident.

According to the complaint it has been alleged that last year, the petitioners had allegedly organized an illegal protest at Syndicate Circle in Manipal against the withholding of a state award to the principal of a Kundapura school. During the protest, volunteers allegedly burned an effigy of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna allowed the plea for quashing FIR, observing that permitting further investigation 'without an iota of evidence' would constitute an 'abuse of the process of law'.

“…Without an iota of evidence, further investigation to be permitted will be an abuse of process of law. It is apposite to refer to State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal and others. In that light, Allowed. Quashed…, the court accordingly noted in the order.

However, the Court noted that the facts narrated were all on record, and even what happened on September 6, 2024, as per the prosecution, was that a crowd is stated to have gathered voluntarily protesting against the withholding of an award to a school teacher.

It did not directly link the petitioners to the burning of the effigy, the court opined.

NSUI leader Sourabh Ballal had made the complaint to the police, as a result of which, an FIR came to be registered at Manipal Police Station against 11 persons including the MLA for offences under S. 192 BNS (Unlawful assembly), S. 196(1) BNS (Rioting), S. 352 BNS (Obstructing public servant in discharge of duty) and S. 353(1)(c) BNS (Giving false information to public servant). The matter is currently pending on the file of II Addl. Senior Civil Judge and ACJM, Udupi.

Appearing for the petitioners, Advocate Nishith Kumar Shetty submitted that the protest was voluntary and there was no organized protest to do any act. He argued that the petitioners were not involved in the protest, and there was evidence against them to drive home the allegations levelled by the prosecution

The Additional Special Public Prosecutor refuted the petitioners' submissions, contending that the interim order staying investigation itself had stalled the probe.

Case Title: Girish M Anchan & Ors. v. State of Karnataka

Case No: Crl P. 635/2025