Bengaluru, June 20 -- The Karnataka High Court has quashed four criminal cases registered against Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal over his alleged objectionable and provocative statements, including the remark about Dinesh Gundu Rao's personal life.

The cases were registered at Gandhi Chowk police station in Vijayapura, Sanjay Nagar police station in Bengaluru, Bailhongal police station in Belagavi district, and Mudhol police station in Bagalkot district.

A single-judge bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna allowed the criminal petitions filed by Yatnal seeking to quash the FIRs and related proceedings.

Referring to various Supreme Court judgments, the bench observed that the petitioner's speech did not amount to provocation and ord...