Sullia: Man found guilty of defaming DK Shivakumar

Sullia: A court here held a man guilty of defaming the then-energy minister DK Shivakumar and sentenced him to jail on Monday.

Bellare-based Sai Giridhara Rai was found guilty on four counts of offenses and received 2 years imprisonment for the same (to be served concurrently) and a fine of Rs 5,000. The court also gave the defendant one month’s time for appealing against the judgment.

The case pertains to the events of February 28, 2016, when DK Shivakumar served as the energy minister for Karnataka. It was argued that the defendant, Giridhar Rai had called up the minister over the phone regarding unscheduled power cuts in Sullia.

MESCOM officials had filed a complaint alleging that Rai had used derogatory language against Shivakumar and threatened the minister during the phone call.

Rai was later arrested and was charge-sheeted for using derogatory language, issuing death threats, defamation, and stopping the government servant from discharging his duties.

The whole incident had hogged the limelight in the state.