The Karnataka High Court on Thursday quashed the criminal case filed against Republic TV's editor-in-chief, Arnab Goswami, by Bengaluru police over allegations of airing fake news about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna ruled that the case was a clear abuse of legal process and allowed Goswami's plea to quash the FIR. The judge, who had earlier granted interim relief to Goswami, remarked, “Court wants to know what is the offence? Absolutely nothing, abuse (of process of law) on its face.”

The case was based on a private complaint by Karnataka Congress member Ravindra MV, who alleged that Republic TV Kannada, on March 27 last year, falsely reported that traffic on MG Road in Bengaluru was halted for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, delaying an ambulance. However, Siddaramaiah was in Mysuru at the time.

Following the complaint, Goswami was booked under Section 505(2) of the IPC for allegedly making statements that promote enmity or ill-will between classes.

During the hearings, Senior Advocate Aruna Shyam, representing Goswami, argued that the news report was promptly deleted once the channel realized the error. The Court also noted that the complainant appeared overenthusiastic, even suggesting which IPC provision should be applied.

Observing that Section 505 was not applicable "even in its remotest form," the Court criticized the reckless registration of such cases, stating that allowing such complaints would amount to an abuse of the legal process.