Bengaluru, Jun 27 A court here on Saturday took cognizance of a private complaint alleging defamatory remarks against the RSS by Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge and former state Youth Congress President Mohammed Haris Nalapad and summoned them to appear before it on July 21.
An Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court directed that a criminal case, based on the private complaint lodged in November 2025 by Tejas A, an RSS member and Bengaluru resident, be registered.
Kharge and Nalapad are arraigned as Accused No 1 and No 3 in the case.
However, the court dropped the proceedings against accused number two, former minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.
"Cognizance is taken of the offence P/U/Sec.356 of BNS (Criminal defamation), 2023 against the accused Nos. 1 and 3. The proceedings against accused No.2 are dropped. Office is directed to register this case as C.C (Criminal Case) in Register No.III and issue summons to the Accused Nos. 1 and 3 returnable by 21/07/2026," the court said.
The complainant submitted that Kharge had written a letter to the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in October last year, requesting a ban on RSS activities on government premises, including schools and grounds.
He further said that the minister subsequently posted on social media alleged derogatory comments against the RSS.
Dinesh Gundu Rao, who was then a minister, was also accused of making similar remarks on social media and in interactions with television media.
Nalapad is alleged to have made derogatory comments against RSS and its members on a social media channel.
