A view of High Court of Karnataka.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
The High Court of Karnataka has quashed the criminal proceedings initiated against BJP Lok Sabha member K. Sudhakar in connection with a case of seizure of ₹4.8 crore in cash from a premises belonging to a voter residing in the Nelamangala police station limits a day before the elections held to the Chickballapur Lok Sabha constituency on April 26, 2024.
Justice M.I. Arun passed the order while allowing the petition filed by Dr. Sudhakar, who had questioned the chargesheet filed by the police as well as the cognisance of the alleged offence taken by a special court of magistrates for criminal cases against present and former MPs and MLAs.
The High Court stated that the offences under sections 171E and 171F of the Indian Penal Code, for allegedly bribing and influencing voters, are not made out against the petitioner based on the materials in the charge sheet.
Dr Sudhakar had claimed that he was falsely implicated solely based on a statement by the election nodal officer, who alleged that the money was kept in the house of one Govindappa of Madavara for its alleged distribution to voters of the constituency as a bribe on his behalf.
It was also contended in the petition that there was no material in the chargesheet to link the seized cash to him as he was arraigned as an accused only based on the statement made by the nodal officer, who had alleged that he received a WhatsApp call and two messages with regard to seized cash from a mobile number, which allegedly belonged to Dr. Sudhakar.
Published – September 17, 2025 08:07 pm IST
