K’taka HC stays action against Sonu Nigam until next hearing

In a significant development, the

Karnataka High Court

has ordered that no coercive action be taken against singer Sonu Nigam until the next hearing in the case. The court also put a hold on the submission of the final report.During the proceedings, Additional State Public Prosecutor B.N. Jagadeesha informed the court that authorities would refrain from taking any strict measures against Nigam as long as he continues to cooperate with the ongoing police investigation. Sonu Nigam Seeks Quashing of FIREarlier, Sonu Nigam had approached the Karnataka High Court requesting the quashing of an FIR filed against him by the state police. According to news agency IANS, the petition was admitted on Tuesday by a bench led by Justice Shivashankar Amarannavar.

FIR Filed Over Controversial RemarksAn FIR was registered against Sonu Nigam on May 3 in Bengaluru over a controversial remark he made during a concert held on April 27, 2025. The complaint was lodged by the pro-Kannada group

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike

at the Avalahalli Police Station.The FIR invokes Sections 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352 (statements inciting public mischief), and 352(1) (intentional insult intended to provoke a breach of peace or incite an offence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).Incident at East Point College EventAt an event held at East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Bengaluru, Sonu Nigam criticized a fan for allegedly making a rude demand for a Kannada song. In his response, the singer drew a controversial comparison, likening the fan's mindset to that of the terrorists behind the

Pahalgam attack

.Sonu Nigam’s Statement on the IncidentSonu Nigam addressed the incident during his performance at East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Bengaluru, where he expressed displeasure over a fan’s aggressive demand for a Kannada song. He described the behavior as “rudely threatening” and made a controversial comparison, saying:“Mujhe accha nahi laga ki waha ek ladka jiski umar, jitni uske umar nahi hogi... use pehle toh main Kannada gaane gaa raha hoon. He was so rudely threatening me, ‘Kannada, Kannada’. Yahi kaaran hai, Pahalgam mein jo hua hai na? Yahi kaaran hai jo kar rahe ho, jo kiya tha na abhi? Dekho toh kaun saamne khada hai.I love Kannadigas, I love you guys. Main puri duniya mein jaha bhi jata hoon, main humesha bolta hoon… 14,000 ki audience hogi usme ek awaaz aati hai, ‘Kannada’. Toh main unke liye, us ek Kannadiga ke liye main kuch line Kannada mein gaata hoon. Main itni izzat karta hoon aapki, itna pyaar karta hoon. So thoda sa rehna chahiye, aesa nahi karna chahiye aapko.”His comments sparked backlash from local groups, ultimately leading to the FIR and legal proceedings.