A Bengaluru court has summoned Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge and Karnataka Youth Congress president Mohammad Haris Nalapad in connection with a defamation case. The summons were issued on Saturday (27th June) by the XLII Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru City, in a private complaint filed in November 2025.
The case arises from a private complaint filed by Tejas A against the Congress leaders for their defamatory remarks against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The complaint also named Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. However, the court dropped charges against him.
“Cognisance is taken of the offence under Sec. 356 of BNS (Criminal defamation), 2023, against the accused Nos. 1 and 3 (Kharge and Nalapad). The proceedings against accused No.2 (Dinesh Gundu Rao) are dropped. Office is directed to register this case as C.C (Criminal Case) and issue summons to the Accused Nos. 1 and 3 returnable by 21/07/2026,” the court said.
The complaint states Kharge had shared a post on his official X account on August 14, 2025, containing derogatory remarks about Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh members. It further stated that Nalapad made defamatory statements against the RSS during an interview with a YouTube channel.
The complainant said that Kharge and Nalapad made the defamatory remarks with the intention of tarnishing the image and reputation of the organisation. Both Kharge and Nalapad are now required to appear before the court.
