YouTuber Sameer MD Gets Interim Relief as Karnataka HC Stays Criminal Case

The Karnataka High Court has granted interim relief to Kannada YouTuber Sameer MD, staying criminal proceedings against him in a case where he was accused of hurting religious sentiments through a video discussing the 2012 Dharmasthala Soujanya rape and murder case.

Justice Hemant Chandangoudar passed the interim stay order on Tuesday after hearing a petition filed by Sameer, seeking to quash the First Information Report (FIR) registered against him.

Allegations Against Sameer MD

Sameer MD had uploaded a YouTube video titled “Dharmasthala Soujanya Case”, in which he discussed the rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in 2012 and the subsequent acquittal of the accused Santosh Rao. The video also examined alleged police lapses and an ongoing movement seeking justice for the victim.

Reports suggest that the video contained veiled references to D Veerendra Heggade, the head of Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala, implying that he protected the real culprits behind the crime. Based on this, the Bellary police registered an FIR against Sameer under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which penalises acts that insult religious beliefs.

High Court’s Interim Stay Order

During the hearing, Sameer’s legal counsel Pawan Shyam, A Velan, and Ojaswi argued that:

• Sameer had not insulted any religion or religious belief in the video.
• The content was based on publicly available facts about the case.
• The FIR lacked territorial jurisdiction, as Sameer resides in Bengaluru while the case was filed in Bellary.
• There was a risk of arrest, seizure of equipment, and deletion of videos without due process.

After considering these arguments, Justice Chandangoudar stayed the criminal proceedings until the next hearing on March 19, 2025.

Previous Relief from Karnataka HC

This is the second relief granted to Sameer MD in connection with the case. On March 6, Justice M Nagaprasanna had stayed a police notice issued to him after the YouTuber alleged that police attempted to arrest him at night without providing a copy of the FIR.

What’s Next?

Sameer’s petition to quash the FIR is still pending, and the next hearing is scheduled for March 19, 2025. The Karnataka HC’s final ruling will determine whether the charges will be dropped or if Sameer MD will face legal proceedings.