The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the proceedings in the criminal case against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other congress leaders over a protest march conducted against the previous BJP goverment, demanding the resignation of the former Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa.

The top court also stayed the against present State Ministers Ramalinga Reddy and MB Patil, and All-India Congress Committee (AICC) leader Randeep Singh Surjewala over the same protest.

The Bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Prashant Kumar Mishra was hearing petitions challenging the Karnataka High Court order which refused to quash the criminal case against Siddaramaiah and others.

The case was registered against the Congress leaders after they took out a march to lay siege to the then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s residence in Bengaluru, demanding the resignation of K S Eshwarappa, who was then the rural development and panchayat raj minister in the southern state.

The agitation was staged after a contractor, Santosh Patil, died by suicide accusing Eshwarappa of demanding 40 per cent commission for a public work in his village.

According to police, the case pertained to blocking roads and causing trouble to commuters.

(With inputs from PTI)