Karnataka HC Stays Proceedings Against BJP's Malviya and Republic TV's Goswami

The Karnataka High Court has issued a temporary stay on the criminal proceedings against BJP leader Amit Malviya and Republic TV's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami. The proceedings were initiated following allegations of propagating false claims about the Indian National Congress (INC) establishing an office in Istanbul, Turkiye.

Justice S Rachiah granted the stay while hearing petitions by Malviya and Goswami, who sought to quash the cases. The move comes amid Malviya facing separate charges for a social media post that controversially merged images of Gandhi and Pakistan's Army Chief, alleging alignment with Pakistan's narrative.

The Congress, accusing the duo of a harmful misinformation campaign, also filed multiple complaints nationwide. Meanwhile, Republic TV issued a public apology for an erroneously used image in its digital content. The legal proceedings have been criticized as politically driven, with Malviya's counsel questioning the legal basis for upgraded charges.

(With inputs from agencies.)