Patna High Court Quashes Case Against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Over Anthem Incident

The Patna High Court has dismissed a legal case against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who faced allegations of showing disrespect to the national anthem. The incident occurred during the inauguration of an international sporting event held in Patna.

Justice Chandra Shekhar Jha, presiding over the case, sided with the defense, which argued that the complaint in Begusarai district was politically motivated. Advocate General P K Shahi, representing Kumar, emphasized that the case aimed to tarnish the reputation of Kumar, who has held office since 2005.

The court labeled the accusations against Kumar as "completely baseless and frivolous," dismissing them as an attempt to gain "cheap popularity." This arose after Kumar was seen interacting with bystanders while the anthem played, sparking backlash from opposition parties and demands for an apology.

(With inputs from agencies.)