Singer Sonu Nigam has approached the Karnataka High Court seeking to quash a criminal case filed against him for allegedly making offensive remarks about the Kannadiga community during a recent music concert.

The petition was listed before a vacation bench of Justice Shivashankar Amarannavar, who adjourned the matter for hearing on a later date.

The controversy stems from an incident at a concert held in April at East Point College of Engineering and Technology, Bengaluru. During the performance, members of the audience requested Nigam to sing in Kannada. He allegedly declined and criticised the manner in which the request was made, calling it rude.

While asserting his love and respect for Kannadigas, Nigam reportedly remarked on the tone of the request and controversially linked it to the Pahalgam terror attack, saying:

"This is the reason Pahalgam happened."

The comment quickly went viral, prompting a complaint from TA Dharmaraj, president of the Bangalore City District Unit of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayana Gowda faction), a pro-Kannada organisation. The complaint was filed on May 2.

On May 3, Avalahalli police registered a case against Nigam under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, invoking sections:

• 351(2): Criminal intimidation,

• 352(1): Insult intended to provoke breach of peace,

• 353: Statements conducing to public mischief.

Following the backlash, Nigam issued public statements apologising for his remarks.