Karnataka High Court Declines To Quash Case Against Congress Leader Mukarram Khan Over 2022 Hijab Row Speech
Karnataka High Court has refused to dismiss criminal proceedings against Congress leader Mukram Khan, stemming from a controversial public speech made during the height of the state’s hijab row in 2022. While the court maintained the charges against Khan, it opted to quash the case against his son, who had been accused of harboring his father while he was allegedly in hiding.
Bengaluru, February 12: The Karnataka High Court has declined to quash criminal proceedings against Congress leader Mukram Khan, who is accused of making inflammatory remarks during the 2022 hijab controversy. In an order passed earlier this month, the court ruled that there is sufficient prima facie evidence to proceed with the case regarding allegations that Khan’s speech intended to outrage religious feelings.
Presiding over the Kalaburagi bench, Justice Rajesh Rai K observed that statements from multiple witnesses supported the charges filed by the police. The prosecution alleges that during a public gathering in Sedam in February 2022, Khan stated that those opposing the wearing of the hijab would be "cut into pieces." Nitish Kumar Hijab Row: Shashi Tharoor Slams Bihar CM Over Pulling Down Muslim Woman’s Hijab; Governor Arif Mohammad Khan Calls It ‘Unfortunate Controversy’.
The court noted that the material presented in the chargesheet suggested a deliberate and malicious intent to wound religious sentiments. Consequently, Khan will continue to face trial under Sections 295A (deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings) and 298 (uttering words with intent to wound religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Relief for Co-Accused Son
While the case against the Congress leader moves forward, the High Court provided relief to his son, Soyab Khan. The police had booked the younger Khan under Section 212 of the IPC for allegedly "harbouring an offender" by providing shelter to his father in Hyderabad while he was evading arrest. Kerala School Hijab Row: Child's Rights Cannot Be Denied, Says State Education Minister V Sivankutty.
The court quashed the proceedings against Soyab Khan, citing a lack of documentary evidence or witness testimony to support the claim. Justice Rai further clarified that "harbouring" is a distinct offence that typically requires a separate investigation and permission from a magistrate, ruling that the son’s inclusion in the principal chargesheet was an "abuse of the process of court."
Context of the 2022 Controversy
The legal battle stems from the heightened tensions in early 2022 following a Karnataka government order that enforced strict uniform codes in educational institutions, effectively banning the hijab in classrooms. The remarks attributed to Mukram Khan were made on February 8, 2022, as protests and counter-protests spread across the state.
The hijab ban was upheld by a full bench of the Karnataka High Court in March 2022, which ruled that the headscarf is not an "essential religious practice" in Islam. That decision was later challenged in the Supreme Court, which delivered a split verdict in October 2022. The matter remains pending before a larger bench of the apex court.
Next Steps
With the High Court’s refusal to dismiss the FIR, the criminal case against Mukram Khan will proceed in the Civil Judge and JMFC court in Sedam. The leader’s legal counsel had argued for the quashing of the FIR on the grounds of lack of evidence, but the court’s latest ruling ensures the matter will be decided through a full trial.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 12, 2026 12:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).