Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Karnataka Today newsletter: SC stays criminal proceedings against CM Siddaramaiah, and more

The Supreme Court on February 19 stayed criminal proceedings against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after he argued that peaceful protest against the ruling dispensation was a fundamental right of every citizen.

Mr. Siddaramaiah and 35 others were chargesheeted for assembling unlawfully with an intent to use criminal force to intimidate the then BJP government during a protest march held in 2022. The march had been held demanding the resignation of then Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa.

Continuing its investigation into the PSI recruitment scam, the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Karnataka CID arrested three persons, for allegedly colluding with the prime accused R.D. Patil and helping two candidates with answers using Bluetooth devices.

The accused trio were invigilators at exam centres. In collusion with the prime accused, they are suspected of sharing key answers with candidates Siddugowda and Paramesh to help improve their scores. These two candidates had topped the exams.

The Government of Karnataka and Tata Group companies Air India and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for an investment of ₹2,300 crore, which is expected to create 1,650 direct jobs in the State.

As per the MoU, signed on February 19 in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Large and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, Tata Group will be setting up various manufacturing and R&D facilities in Karnataka.

Ringing in the summer, the Grapes and Watermelon Mela was inaugurated at a Horticultural Producer’s Co-operative Marketing and Processing Society (HOPCOMS) outlet near Hudson Circle in Bengaluru on February 19.