High Court stays sanction to prosecute Prabhakar Bhat

The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday granted stay on the sanction granted by the state government to prosecute senior RSS leader from Dakshina Kannada district Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, in a petition seeking quashing of the FIR filed against him 2015.

Justice Aravind Kumar granted stay on the sanction order granted by the state government as required for cases booked under Section 153A and 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth etc and statements given to conduct public mischief).

Bhat moved the court challenging the sanction order and the FIR filed by Ashraf, Member of District Committee, Popular Front of India, Puttur. The FIR has said that Bhat had delivered speeches in a programme organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishat. The speeches were of the nature which created communal disturbance and disharmony hurting the sentiments of the Muslim community.

Bhat has contended that the state government has granted the sanction order against him only with an intention to take political revenge. The Forensic Science Laboratory report clearly shows that the material collected by the investigating agency was tampered with and the CD was an edited one. Bhat has contended that there is absolutely no material in support of the allegation and, the action of the police and the state government is without application of mind.  Bhat has sought quashing of the grant of sanction by the state government and the FIR filed against him.