India, July 19 -- The Karnataka High Court has quashed a criminal defamation case filed by former Congress MLA Sowmya Reddy against Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje.

The Single Bench allowed the petition and set aside the proceedings pending before the lower court.

The defamation complaint was filed by Sowmya Reddy, former MLA from Jayanagar, alleging that Karandlaje had made defamatory statements against her during the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and in public forums thereafter.

Reddy had contended that the remarks damaged her reputation and were made with the intent to malign her image. The case was registered in a Bengaluru magistrate's court.

Karandlaje, who is the Union Minister of State for MSME and Labour & ...