'40% corruption' ad: Bengaluru court issues summons to Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah

The BJP has filed a defamation complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Bengaluru.

Also read: Karnataka polls | ‘CM post for ₹2500 cr’: Cong steps up attack with BJP ‘rate card’

The special court exclusively to deal with criminal cases related to elected former and sitting MPs/MLAs has taken cognisance of the offences under Sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code and posted the case for recording the sworn statement on July 27.

Also read: 40 per cent commission in Karnataka? It is 80 per cent in Kerala: Congress

Summons were ordered to be issued on Tuesday (June 13) to all the respondents in this regard.

The private complaint alleging false claims in advertisements tarnishing the image of the BJP was filed by the party’s state secretary S Keshavaprasad on May 9.

Also read: ‘They robbed your savings’: Congress targets BJP with another ad

According to the complaint, the advertisement released by the KPCC in major newspapers on May 5, 2023, in the run-up to the Assembly election claiming that the then incumbent BJP government indulged in “40 per cent corruption” and had looted Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the previous four years was “baseless, prejudiced and defamatory”.

Also read: 40% commission row: Karnataka contractors admit to paying bribes, says report

Also read: MLA Virupakshappa hands Karnataka Cong ‘proof’ of 40% commission charge