Bangalore: Karnataka High Court on Friday reserved orders on a writ appeal by Infosys mentor N R Narayana Murthy praying for quashing of proceedings initiated against him by a court in Mysore on a petition alleging that he has insulted the national anthem.

Justice Ananda Byrareddy, after hearing arguments by senior counsel K K Venugopal appearing for Murthy, reserved orders on the appeal. The Mysore Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in last year had issued summons to Murthy on a petition by former minister H N Nanjegowda.

He had alleged that during a function held at the Infosys campus in Mysore and attended by then President A P J Abdul Kalam, the gathering was not allowed to sing the national anthem and only the instrumental version of it was played.

The Infosys chairman, filed a writ appeal before the High Court, praying for staying the proceedings in the Mysore court and also seeking to quash the petition contending that no incident that amounted to insulting national anthem took place at the function held during last August.

The controversy arose when Murthy defended the playing of instrumental version of the national anthem saying it was done not to embarass foreigners present at the function. He defended that playing of instrumental versions was also permissible.

Source : PTI