Rameshwaram Cafe blast remarks: HC quashes case against Shobha Karandlaje following apology

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Thursday quashed a criminal case registered against Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje in Tamil Nadu for her remarks linking the state to the Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru, days after she tendered apology over the matter.

Justice G Jayachandran passed the order after the Tamil Nadu government informed the bench that it has taken a policy decision to accept Karandlaje's apology affidavit.

The government submitted that it does not want to pursue the matter any further.

Post the March 1 low intensity blast at the popular eatery in Bengaluru that left about 10 persons injured, Karandlaje had linked the people of Tamil Nadu to the incident and she was later booked by the Madurai police over the matter.

The Union Minister had moved the court seeking to quash the criminal proceedings against her.

In her affidavit filed before the bench of Justice Jayachandran on Tuesday, Karandlaje stated that the remarks made about the people of TN was "without any intention" to hurt their sentiments and feelings.

She said she has already retracted her previous comments and tendered "my profound apologies through social media platforms." "I state that I have the highest respect and regard to the history, rich culture, tradition, and to the people of Tamil Nadu and I had or have no intention whatsoever to hurt the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu by any conduct of mine."

"Hence, I hereby once again tender my apology to the people of Tamil Nadu for having caused any hurt from my comments. The same may kindly be taken on record in the interest of justice," the Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour & Employment, had said.