Karnataka HC refuses to quash case against BJP’s CT Ravi for making allegedly obscene remarks
The Karnataka High Court on Friday refused to quash a criminal case against Bharatiya Janata Party MLC CT Ravi for making allegedly derogatory remarks about Congress minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, Live Law reported.
Justice M Nagaprasanna noted that the comments would not be covered under the immunity granted to legislators as they had nothing to do with his official duties.
Hebbalkar filed the first information report against Ravi in December. He was booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to sexual harassment and outraging the modesty of a woman through words, gestures or actions.
On December 19, Hebbalkar accused Ravi of repeatedly calling Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a “drug addict” amid ruckus in the Karnataka Assembly.
In response, Hebbalkar called Ravi a “murderer”, referring to his alleged involvement in a 2019 road rage incident. This led the BJP leader to use an alleged sexually derogatory slur against her, escalating the chaos on the floor of the House.
Ravi was arrested in Belagavi on the evening of December 19 and granted bail two days later.
In January, the High Court also stayed any coercive action against Ravi until it decided on his plea to quash the complaint altogether, Bar and Bench reported.
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