Bengaluru court orders FIR against K’taka Home Minister over Kabaddi betting allegation
Bengaluru: In a major development, a Special Court in Bengaluru on Tuesday ordered the registration of a First Information Report against Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara over an allegation that he placed a Rs 500 bet during a Kabaddi sports tournament.
Taking serious note of the development and the message it would send to society, the court directed the Kodigehalli police in Tumakuru to register a First Information Report and carry out a comprehensive probe into the matter.
The directive follows a private complaint filed by H.R. Nagabhushan, who argued that even a small bet made or publicly acknowledged by a person holding a constitutional position amounts to promoting an illegal activity.
Acting on the complaint, the Special Court for Members of Legislative Assembly/Members of Parliament, presided over by Judge K.N. Shivakumar, instructed the police to initiate a case and conduct a detailed investigation.
The incident occurred at a state-level pre-university college Kabaddi tournament held in Tumakuru recently.
During the event, Parameshwara reportedly made a casual bet of Rs 500 with District Collector Shubha Kalyan, predicting that the Vijayapura team would win. However, the Mangaluru team defeated Vijayapura 36-26.
While distributing prizes to the winning team, the Minister himself publicly disclosed that he had lost the bet. This statement later became the basis of the complaint.
Although the amount involved was minimal and the remark was allegedly made in a light-hearted manner, the complainant contended that betting is illegal under the law and that public figures must refrain from endorsing or engaging in such activities.
Authorities are expected to proceed with the investigation as per the court’s directive.