SC dismisses Karnataka plea against Tejasvi Surya, imposes ₹25 lakh cost

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the Karnataka government’s plea challenging the quashing of a criminal case against BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, imposing a cost of ₹25 lakh on the state for approaching the top court. The case stemmed from Surya’s now-deleted social media post from November 2024, which claimed that a farmer had died by suicide after his land was taken over by the Waqf Board. The Karnataka High Court had earlier quashed the FIR against him, stating there was no sufficient basis for the allegations.

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The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinodchandran, strongly criticized the state government’s decision to escalate the matter, remarking that political issues should be contested electorally, not through judicial forums. The court emphasized that legal institutions must not be misused for political purposes.

The original post by Surya, based on local news reports, was shared on X (formerly Twitter) but was retracted after local police confirmed that the farmer’s suicide was due to financial hardship and not linked to any land dispute involving the Waqf Board. A suo-motu case under Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered against Surya shortly after the post.

With the Supreme Court’s verdict, the case is now closed, signaling a strong message on judicial restraint in political matters.