Janata Dal (Secular) leader BB Patil was asked by the Supreme Court to respond on Friday to the Karnataka government's argument against the dismissal of a criminal complaint against him for allegedly causing damage to electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Satish Chandra Sharma issued a notice to Patil.

The State filed an appeal challenging a July 2023 order from the Kalaburagi Bench of the Karnataka High Court. The contention was that the complaint against the accused, a retired police officer who subsequently joined the JD(S), BB Patil, was incorrectly quashed.

"(This was) without appreciating that there are overwhelming material against him which was placed on record in the form of video recordings and photographs showing him to be part of the mob that attacked and abused the government officials on election duty and damaged the EVM machines," it was submitted.

In its plea, the State emphasized that the accused had actively participated and led the mob responsible for attacking poll officials, resulting in damage to vehicles and destruction of election materials, including EVMs, during last year's assembly polls.

"Video recording which are part of the charge sheet reveal that the respondent was part of the unlawful assembly and led the unlawful assembly and committed the offences," it was added.