Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has landed in a controversy after a social activist lodged a complaint against him at Banashankari police station, accusing him of spreading misleading information linking the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to the seizure of 44,250 live cartridges in Bihar and Haryana.
The complaint, submitted on Tuesday, alleged that Kharge used his official X account to create an impression that the RSS had links with an interstate ammunition trafficking network. The complainant claimed that the minister’s statements and indirect references were capable of misleading the public, despite the absence of established evidence connecting the organisation with the seizures.
The activist has urged the police to register an FIR under Sections 192, 196 and 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, dealing with provocation intended to cause rioting, promoting enmity between groups and statements contributing to public mischief.
The complaint also sought preservation of electronic evidence, including the minister’s social media posts, and an independent investigation. It argued that a ministerial position should not provide immunity from criminal proceedings if the allegations disclose an offence.
Kharge had earlier posted on X that the ammunition seizures exposed an interstate trafficking network. Referring to reports and photographs allegedly showing some accused wearing RSS uniforms, he raised five questions directed at the RSS and BJP and reiterated his demand that the organisation be registered.
The seizures involved approximately 19,250 cartridges in Bihar’s Bhojpur district and another 25,000 recovered by Haryana STF near Rohad toll plaza in Jhajjar.
The investigation into the alleged trafficking network is continuing. Police have not established the involvement of any organisation in the cases. The allegations against Kharge are yet to be investigated, and the complaint does not establish criminal wrongdoing.
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