K'taka HC dismisses artist Krishna Nayak's plea to quash FIR in Karkala statue case

The Karnataka High Court has rejected a petition filed by Krishna Nayak, an artist and head of Krish Art World, seeking the dismissal of an FIR registered against him. The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the construction of a bronze statue of Parashurama on Umikal Hill in Karkala taluk, Udupi district.

Krishna Shetty had lodged a complaint at the Karkala Town Police Station, leading to the FIR. Nayak requested the court to quash both the FIR and the ongoing trial in the Karkala JMFC court. However, a single-judge bench led by Justice M. Nagaprasanna dismissed the petition, delivering the verdict on Monday.

The state government has formed a commission headed by a retired High Court judge to investigate the case. Additionally, the matter has been transferred to the CID, though there is a stay order regarding certain aspects of the investigation. Meanwhile, a private complaint has also been filed, leading to multiple proceedings.

Nayak alleged that Karkala police, acting under pressure from a defeated Congress candidate, seized materials and the statue from his residence in Bengaluru. He maintained that he was working on the project as per official directives and claimed that legal hurdles were being created to obstruct the completion of the statue. In his plea, Nayak requested the dismissal of the case and permission to resume the construction work, but the court rejected his petition.