Be Courageous And Face The Trial: Supreme Court Refuses To Grant Anticipatory Bail To Karnataka BJP MLA BA Basavaraja

The Supreme Court refused to grant anticipatory bail to Karnataka BJP MLA BA Basavaraja in the Bikla Shiva Murder Case.

The Court heard a plea by Basavaraja challenging a Karnataka High Court order that denied him anticipatory bail in the murder case of Shivaprakash, also known as Bikla Shiva.

The Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi ordered, "Learned Senior Counsel seeks and is given permission to withdraw this petition. However, the Petitioner is granted liberty to apply for regular bail on being arrested. The Trial Court may consider the bail plea. It is clarified that we are not expressing anything on merits."

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for Basavaraja, while Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra appeared for the State.

During the hearing, the Court noted that the victim was gunned down in the presence of his mother. While Rohatgi claimed that the MLA did not know the accused Jagdish, the Bench pointed out that call records showed the MLA was in touch with Jagdish, who allegedly used the gun and then fled to Sri Lanka.

Chief Justice remarked, "All these landgrabbers have political protection...unfortunately, the public perception is that they get some protection from all this...Since you are a public servant you should be courageous enough and face the trial."

Justice Bagchi remarked, "We would have granted you anticipatory bail, but see, you have taken an evasive stand that you don't know him at all. Your Call Records shows otherwise."

The Supreme Court did not entertain the plea. The petitioner was given permission to withdraw the petition with the liberty to apply for regular bail upon being arrested.

Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing the State, requested that the MLA be in police custody, to which Justice Bagchi responded that the State could apply for that. The court expressed no opinion on the merits of the case.

Cause Title: BA Bsavaraja vs State of Karnataka [SLP(Crl) No. 2619/2026]