Karnataka High Court orders no coercive action against Sonu Nigam in case for insulting Kannadigas

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday ordered that no coercive action should be taken against singer Sonu Nigam in connection with the criminal case filed on allegations that he insulted the Kannadiga community during a music concert, provided that he cooperates with the ongoing police investigation in the matter. .Justice Shivashankar Amarannavar passed the interim order on a plea filed by Nigam to quash the case against him. The order was passed after the State assured that it has no intention of taking any coercive action against the singer for now, provided that he cooperates with the investigation. "Till next date of hearing, filing of final report is stayed. There shall not be any coercive steps (provided Nigam cooperates with the investigation)," the Court ordered. .The Court also directed that Nigam need not go physically to Karnataka to record statements, if any are required by the police. The judge permitted Nigam to record his statement through video conference. The Court added that if Nigam's physical presence to record such statements, the police can visit Nigam's residence instead of summoning him to Karnataka. If this is required, Nigam shall bear the expenses for the police visit to his residence, the Court said. The Court added this in its interim order after Nigam's counsel, Advocate Dhananjay Vidyapati urged the Court to exempt the singer from having to physically come to Karnataka. "Since he is a celebrity, let him send statement by post. If he has to appear physically, again it will lead to more tamasha," Vidyapati said. The State's counsel opposed the request."We will protect him. It will be giving too much convenience, it cannot be that some people are given a premium," the State's counsel argued. The Court replied that Sonu Nigam is not an ordinary person, as pointed out by his counsel. The State replied that this was all the more reason for Nigam to have refrained from making any controversial remarks. The Court, however, eventually acceded to the request to exempt Nigam from physically appearing in Karnataka for recording his statement, if any required, to the police. "Petitioner is permitted to appear through videoconferencing for the purpose of recording his statement, if so required. If IO wants to record statement of petitioner physically, the petitioner shall bear the expenses of IO to record the statement at his place," the Court ordered. .The case against Nigam is tied to an incident that took place during a concert at the East Point College of Engineering and Technology in April. During the concert, some audience members asked Nigam to sing in Kannada. Nigam allegedly declined to do so and criticised those who made the request for being rude. He said that he loved Kannadigas and had a lot of respect for them. However, he took offence to the tone in which the request to sing Kannada songs was made and drew links between such behaviour and the Pahalgam terror attack, by saying,"This is the reason Pahalgam happened."Nigam's counsel today argued that it was an isolated incident and that the concert proceeded smoothly afterwards. He added that the complaint was filed by a third party for publicity. The State countered that Nigam should not have compared requests by fans to sing in Kannada to the Pahalgam terror attack. The State's counsel added that Nigam has not been cooperating with the police. "A person who does not respect due process of law cannot be given benefit of (Section) 482 (provision empowering High Courts to quash criminal cases before a trial in the interest of justice) ... We will not take any coercive steps, let him cooperate with investigation," the State's counsel added. .The complaint against Nigam was filed on May 2 by TA Dharmaraj, the Bangalore City District Unit President of a pro-Kannada organisation named Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayana Gowda faction).A case was registered by the Avalahalli police station on May 3 for the offences under Sections 351(2) (criminal intimidation) , 352(1) (insult to provoke a breach of peace), and 353 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).Meanwhile, Nigam has issued statements apologising for his remarks..[Read Live Coverage]