FIR against Laxmi Hebbalkar quashed

The Karnataka High Court has quashed the FIR registered against Congress MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar distributing money to voters during the campaigning for Gundlupet byelections.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Hebbalkar challenging the FIR registered against her.

According to the petition, Hebbalkar had distributed Rs 2,000 notes among women voters in Annukeri under Kabballi Panchayat, Gundlupet.

Justice Aravind Kumar quashed the FIR filed by the Election Commission on the ground that the police have not obtained permission from magistrate before they could register the FIR. As it is a non-cognisable offence, it is mandatory on the part of police to obtain permission from the magistrate to register an FIR and proceed with the investigation.

The court allowed the petition.