'PayCM campaign': HC quashes cases against 2 Cong leaders

Bengaluru, Oct 21 The Karnataka High Court on Friday quashed cases against two Congress leaders in connection with the 'PayCM campaign' launched by the grand old party to target the BJP-led government in the state.

J.S. Narayana Gowda, a youth Congress leader in Nelamangala assembly constituency near Bengaluru, and V. Ramakrishna, Congress Legal Cell president had filed a petition at the court to quash cases against them lodged in connection with PayCM campaign against the ruling BJP.

Narayana Gowda and Ramakrishna were booked by the police for giving a call to take up PayCM campaign. The single bench headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna has quashed the criminal case filed against them in this regard.

It was further alleged that the accused persons called up the people on mobile phones and gave them instructions to put up posters.

The bench opined that it cannot be assumed that the petitioners have committed crime under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and the Prevention of Defacement of Property Act.

They have not committed any offence which are punishable under these acts, the bench added.

The bench also stated that the order is limited to the proceedings against the petitioners only and it will not apply to other accused persons.

The Nelamangala police had booked a FIR against the petitioners that they got the posters containing the photograph of the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and QR code.

The campaign has been launched by the Congress party to attack the ruling BJP over "40 per cent commission" allegations.

However, ruling BJP took drastic measures in connection with the campaign. It maintained that it is an insult to the state that a CM's photo is used for political gains.

Many arrests were made across the state during the Bharat Jodo Yatra for wearing T Shirts having the posters of the PayCM Campaign.

Slamming the BJP, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and Congress' Karnataka unit president D.K. Shivakumar have participated in the campaign and pasted the posters.

Currently, the Congress has taken up a new "SayCM Campaign" against BJP in Karnataka, through which attacks are launched against the saffron party.