Founder of the fringe outfit infamous for moral policing, Sri Rama Sene's Pramod Muthalik may get reprieve from the Congress government in Karnataka.

An India Today report says that the Siddaramaiah government, in the coming days, is set to drop 13 cases against the leader, who is known for his vitriolic speeches.

Ever since the BJP and the Sangh Parivar abandoned Muthalik during the parliamentary polls in 2014, strangely, the Congress in Karnataka has developed a soft corner for him.

Though several cases were registered against him and his followers for his infamous "hate speeches" in the last one year, Muthalik, in particular seems to enjoy a free run in Karnataka.

Now, there are strong indications that 13 cases against him could be withdrawn. But the Karnataka Cabinet has to approve the withdrawal of the cases.

"The issue figured in the previous Cabinet meeting with several leaders informally calling for pardoning Muthalik. Now that he is no more with the BJP or the Sangh Parivar, they don't see him as a major threat. But the home ministry is yet to respond to this proposal," sources in the government said.

The government had written a letter to the director of prosecution on December 14 seeking its opinion on withdrawing the cases, which are pending in various courts. Some of the cases referred are as old as those registered in 2002. The cases were registered in Uttara Kannada, Dharwad, Mysuru, Vijayapura, Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts between 2002 and 2014.

However, it is not known whether the case pertaining to the infamous attack on girls partying in Mangaluru in a pub in 2009 is being withdrawn.