Karnataka HC restrains police action against Sonu Nigam over concert remarks FIR

An FIR was registered on May 3 accusing Sonu Nigam of hurting sentiments of Kannadiga community during his April 25–26 performance at East Point College in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court on Thursday restrained the Bengaluru police from taking any coercive action against singer Sonu Nigam in connection with the First Information Report (FIR) registered against him for allegedly making objectionable remarks during a music concert in the city last month.

The singer had approached the high court on Tuesday seeking to quash the FIR registered against him on May 3

An FIR was registered on May 3 following a complaint by the pro-Kannada organisation Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and its member Dharma Raj Ananthaiha, accusing Sonu Nigam of hurting the sentiments of the Kannadiga community during his April 25–26 performance at East Point College in Bengaluru.

Justice Shivashankar Amarannavar directed Nigam to cooperate with the police investigation. He said that Nigam’s physical presence was not required for recording his statement, directing the investigating officer to either record statement via videoconferencing or visit Nigam’s place of residence if his physical presence was necessary. Nigam will have to bear the IO’s travel costs, he added.

The state’s counsel, however, assured the court it had no intention of taking any coercive action against the singer for now, provided that he cooperated with the investigation.

“Till next date of hearing, filing of final report is stayed. There shall not be any coercive steps,” the Court said.

When the state insisted that Nigam be asked to come to Bengaluru for recording his statement, the Court said the singer was “not an ordinary person but a celebrity,” and his presence here would lead to further chaos.

The state replied that this was all the more reason for Nigam to have refrained from making any controversial remarks.

The court, however, said Nigam will be permitted to use videoconferencing. “Petitioner (Nigam) is permitted to appear through videoconferencing for the purpose of recording his statement, if so required. If IO wants to record statement of petitioner physically, the petitioner shall bear the expenses of IO to record the statement at his place,” the Court said.

The singer had approached the high court on Tuesday seeking to quash the FIR registered against him on May 3. The complaint alleges that Nigam’s comments during the event equated an audience request to sing a Kannada song with the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, thereby portraying Kannadigas as intolerant or violent. Ananthaiha, claimed in his complaint that such statements had caused severe distress to the community.

Nigam has been charged under Sections 351, 352, and 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for the offences of criminal intimidation, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, and making statements that can to public mischief, respectively.

In his petition, Nigam has sought to quash both the complaint dated May 2 and the FIR dated May 3. As interim relief, he has requested a stay on further investigation into the case.

The controversy began when Nigam, during the concert, reportedly declined demands from a group of audience members to sing in Kannada, leading to a confrontation.

In a video message later posted on social media, the singer clarified his stance and defended himself, saying that a group of boys at the event had rudely threatened him to sing in Kannada while he was performing Hindi songs.

Nigam eventually made a public statement claiming he has deep love for Karnataka and Kannadigas, and that his words were misrepresented.