Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has moved the Karnataka High Court seeking quashing of criminal defamation proceedings pending against him over alleged remarks concerning the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Kharge has challenged the June 27, 2026 order passed by the Bengaluru Special Court dealing with criminal cases involving sitting and former MPs and MLAs, whereby the court took cognisance of an offence under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Kharge and Congress leader Mohammed Haris Nalapad.
Through the petition, Kharge has sought setting aside of the cognisance order as well as all consequential proceedings arising from the private complaint filed against him. The matter is titled Sri Priyank M. Kharge v. Sri Tejas A. and is registered as Criminal Petition No. 13980 of 2026 before the High Court.
The complaint was instituted by RSS member A. Tejas, who alleged that Kharge had made defamatory statements against the RSS and its members through social media posts and other public statements in October 2025. Allegations were also raised against Nalapad in relation to statements concerning the organisation.
The Special Court, after considering the material placed before it, proceeded against Kharge and Nalapad but declined to continue the proceedings against former Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. The court found prima facie material warranting cognisance against Kharge and Nalapad under Section 356 BNS.
The proceedings subsequently continued before the trial court. On August 29, Kharge and Nalapad were granted bail after the court noted that the offence under Section 356 BNS is bailable. Both accused have disputed the allegations and sought to contest the proceedings.
On September 19, the Special Court further permitted Kharge and Nalapad to remain personally absent from the proceedings by granting them exemption under Section 317 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The complainant was granted a final opportunity to lead evidence, and the matter has been listed for October 7.
In his plea before the High Court, Kharge has sought termination of the proceedings, including the cognisance order. Among the grounds cited is the difficulty associated with his repeated personal appearance before the trial court, with the petition noting that he ordinarily resides in Kerala.
The High Court is now seized of Kharge’s challenge to the continuation of the criminal case. The filing, at this stage, raises a challenge to the cognisance and consequential proceedings and does not constitute any adjudication on whether the alleged statements are ultimately defamatory or whether they attract criminal liability.
The petition is before Justice Ananth Ramanath Hegde.
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