Karnataka High Court stays case against BJP MLC Ravikumar for insulting Chief Secretary

The Karnataka High Court on Friday stayed a criminal case filed against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) and Opposition Whip SN Ravikumar over allegations that he made insulting and vulgar remarks about Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh.

Justice SR Krishna Kumar passed the interim order today after hearing submissions by Senior Advocate Aruna Shyam briefed by Advocate Suyog Herele and Special Public Prosecutor BA Belliappa.

On July 4, the Court had granted Ravikumar limited interim relief by ordering the State not to take any coercive action against him till the matter was heard next, provided Ravikumar cooperates with the investigation.

Ravikumar later urged the Court to stay the case against him, considering that he needs to travel abroad. He said that a pending case may affect his travel plans.

The State had opposed any such stay, arguing that there was no impediment imposed on any travel that Ravikumar may propose to take.

The Court, however, today allowed Ravikumar's plea for an interim stay on the criminal proceedings against him.

Ravikumar was booked after he allegedly made certain derogatory remarks aimed at Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh during a protest meeting near the Vidhan Soudha.

He is alleged to have said that “The Chief Secretary works at night for the State government and all day for the Chief Minister."

The comment drew backlash from various quarters, including the Karnataka IAS Officers’ Association.

Ravikumar later issued a statement, denying any vulgar intent in his remarks, adding that he only meant that the Chief Secretary was so busy that it was difficult for others to meet her.

His counsel, Senior Advocate Aruna Shyam decried the criminal proceedings initiated against the BJP leader as being politically motivated. He said that there was a context to Ravikumar's remarks and that the State-regime was twisting the statement to suit their own purposes.

Ravikumar's petition, filed through advocate Suyog Herele of Aruna Shyam Associates, said,

"This is nothing but a politically motivated move in order to humiliate and tarnish the image of the petitioner in the society. The said incident took place on 30-06-2025 and a Complaint was made 2 days later by the General Secretary of the KPCC to the Respondent police as well as the Hon'ble speaker of the Legislative Council ... Later as an afterthought the Respondent No.2 complainant has been setup by the political party in power and the impugned FIR in Crime No.66/2025 came to be registered ... Respondent no.2 (complainant) is neither a victim nor an aggrieved person; only to please their political masters, this complaint has been lodged by projecting (Ravikumar's comment) in a different context altogether."