- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21176 CRL.P No. 250 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 19TH DAY OF JUNE, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 250 OF 2025 BETWEEN: 1. PRABHAKAR B.M. S/O MUTHAIAH AGED ABOUT 64 YEAR R/AT NO.2102, SAINT JOSEPH WOMEN COLLEGE OPP. B ZONE, SATHAGALLI LAYOUT, MYSURU CITY-570019 2. LAKSHMAMMA W/O PRABHAKAR B.M AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS R/AT NO.2102, SAINT JOSEPH WOMEN COLLEGE OPP. B ZONE, SATHAGALLI LAYOUT, MYSURU CITY-570019 3. ARPITHA D/O PRABHAKAR B.M. AGED ABOUT 27 YEARS R/AT NO.2102, SAINT JOSEPH WOMEN COLLEGE OPP. B ZONE, SATHAGALLI LAYOUT, MYSURU CITY-570019 …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. SHARATH J.M., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE BY MYSURU CITY WOMEN POLICE STATION REP BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU-560 001. Digitally signed by SUMA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21176 CRL.P No. 250 of 2025 2. USHA M W/O ASHOK KUMAR P AGED ABOUT 23 YEARS R/AT NO.844, INDIRAGANDHI ROAD, K.N. PURA, MYSURU NAGARA PIN-570019 …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. SOWMYA R, HIGH COURT GOVERNMENT PLEADER FOR RESPONDENT NO.1; SRI. NAGENDRA B, ADVOCATE FOR RESPONDENT NO.2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED UNDER SECTION 482 OF THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, 1973 (FILED UNDER SECTION 528 OF THE BHARATIYA NAGARIK SURAKSHA SANHITA, 2023) PRAYING TO CALL FOR THE RELEVANT RECORDS AND QUASH THE ENTIRE CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS IN C.C NO.335/2024 FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 498A, 506, READ WITH SECTION 34 OF IPC AND SECTIONS 3, 4 OF THE DOWRY PROHIBITION ACT, 1961 NOW PENDING ON THE FILE OF VII ADDL. SENIOR CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC COURT, MYSURU, IN RESPECT OF PETITIONERS / ACCUSED NOS.2 TO 4. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR ORAL ORDER In this petition, the petitioners seek the following reliefs: "a) call for the relevant records; QUASH the entire criminal proceeding in C.C No.335/2024 for the offence punishable under section 498A, 506, R/W 34 of IPC and 3, 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 now pending on the file of - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21176 CRL.P No. 250 of 2025 VII Addl. senior civil judge and JMFC Court, Mysuru, In respect of petitioner / accused no.2 to 4. b) Grant such other relief or reliefs as this Hon'ble Court deems fit in the facts and circumstances of the case, in the interest of justice and equity." 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned High Court Government Pleader for respondent No.1 and the learned counsel for respondent No.2. Perused the material on record. 3. The complaint reads as under: "UÉ: DgÀPÀëPÀ ¤jÃPÀëPÀgÀÄ C±ÉÆÃPï S/o Prabhakar ªÀÄ»¼Á ¥ÉÇðøï oÁuÉ #2102, B Zone ªÉÄʸÀÆgÀÄ £ÀUÀgÀ. ¸ËvÀUÀ½î, ªÉÄʸÀÆgÀÄ EAzÀ GµÁ JA w/o C±ÉÆÃPï PÀĪÀiÁgï. P #844, EA¢gÁUÁA¢ü gÀ¸ÉÛ PÉ.J£ï. ¥ÀÅgÀ §qÁªÀuÉ ªÉÄʸÀÆgÀÄ-19 ªÀiÁ£ÀågÉÃ: «µÀAiÀÄ: ªÀgÀzÀQëuÉAiÀÄ §UÉÎ ªÀiÁ£À¹PÀªÁV ºÁUÀÆ zÉÊ»PÀªÁV »A¸É ¤ÃqÀÄwÛgÀĪÀ §UÉÎ. F ªÉÄîÌAqÀ «µÀAiÀÄPÉÌ ¸ÀA§A¢ü¹zÀAvÉ £Á£ÀÄ ¢£ÁAPÀ- 12/05/2023 gÀAzÀÄ £À£Àß UÀAqÀ£À ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀĪÀgÀÄ ºÁUÀÆ ¸ÀA§A¢üPÀgÀÄ - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21176 CRL.P No. 250 of 2025 ªÀÄvÀÄÛ £ÀªÀÄä ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀĪÀgÀÄ ºÁUÀÆ ¸ÀA§A¢üPÀgÀ ªÀÄÄAzÉ ªÀÄzÀĪÉAiÀiÁVzÀÄÝ, £À£Àß ªÀÄzÀÄªÉ DV 10 wAUÀ¼ÁVzÉ. EªÀgÀ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀĪÀgÀÄ £À£ÀߣÀÄß EµÀÖ¥ÀlÄÖ ªÀÄzÀÄªÉ ªÀiÁrPÉÆAqÀgÀÄ. (EzÀÄ Love comes arranges marriage) DzÀgÉ £À£Àß UÀAqÀ = C±ÉÆÃPï PÀĪÀiÁgï ¦, CvÉÛ = ®PÀëöäªÀÄä, ªÀiÁªÀ= ¥Àæ¨sÁPÀgï ºÁUÀÆ £Á¢¤ = C¦ðvÀ EªÀgÀÄUÀ¼ÀÄ ªÀģɬÄAzÀ ºÀt vÉUÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ ¨Á JAzÀÄ »A¸É ¤ÃrzÀÝgÀÄ. FUÁUÀ¯Éà 1 ®PÀë gÀÆ¥Á¬Ä ºÁUÀÆ 25 UÁæA a£ÀߪÀ£ÀÄß £À£Àß UÀAqÀ ºÁUÀÆ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀĪÀjUÉ PÉÆnÖzÉÝêÉ. ºÁUÀÆ 4 ®PÀë gÀÆ RZÀÄð ªÀiÁr ªÀÄzÀÄªÉ ªÀiÁrzÁÝgÉ. £À£ÀUÉ vÀAzÉ E®è wÃjPÉÆArzÁÝgÉ. £À£Àß CtÚ ºÁUÀÆ vÁ¬Ä E§âgÉà EgÀĪÀÅzÀÄ. FUÁUÀ¯Éà ¸Á® ªÀiÁr ªÀÄzÀÄªÉ ªÀiÁr PÉÆnÖzÁÝgÉ. £Á£ÀÄ ºÀt vÉUÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ §gÀĪÀÅzÀPÉÌ DUÀ®è CAvÀ ºÉýzÁUÀ £À£ÀUÉ ºÉÆqÉzÀÄ »A¸É ªÀiÁrzÀgÀÄ. ªÉÄrPÀ¯ï ZÉPÀ¥ï ªÀiÁr¸À®Ä £À£ÀUÉ ©qÀ°®è, ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ°èAiÉÄà PÀÆr ºÁQzÀgÀÄ. £Á£ÀÄ 3 ¢£ÀUÀ¼ÁzÀ ªÉÄÃ¯É HospitalUÉ ºÉÆÃzÁUÀ qÁPÀÖgï = NON MLC JAzÀÄ ZÉPï ªÀiÁr PÉÆlÖgÀÄ. EzÁzÀ ªÉÄÃ¯É £Á£ÀÄ ªÀÄ£ÉUÉ ºÉÆÃzÁUÀ Muchual devorce UÉ ¸À» ºÁPÀÄ JAzÀÄ MvÁ۬ĹzÀgÀÄ. CzÀgÀ §UÉÎ £À£ÀUÉ UÉÆwÛgÀĪÀªÀgÀ §UÉÎ PÉý w½zÁUÀ £À£ÀUÉ UÉÆvÁÛ¬ÄvÀÄ. CzÀPÉÌ £Á£ÀÄ M¥ÀàzÉà EzÁÝUÀ ªÀģɬÄAzÀ DZÉ ºÁQÛë JAzÀÄ ºÉzÀj¹zÀgÀÄ. CzÀPÉÌ £Á£ÀÄ «gÉÆâü¹zÁUÀ ¨ÉÃgÉ ªÀÄ£É ªÀiÁr Ej¹ CªÀ½UÉ ¸Á¬Ä¸ÀÄvÉÛÃ£É JAzÀÄ ºÉýgÀĪÀÅzÀÄ £Á£ÀÄ PÉý¹PÉÆArzÉÝãÉ. EzÀgÀ §UÉÎ ªÀÄ»¼Á ¥ÉÇðøï oÁuÉAiÀÄ°è zÀÆgÀÄ ¤ÃrzÉÝ. zÀÆgÀÄ ¤Ãr 1 ªÀgÉ wAUÀ¼Á¬ÄvÀÄ. CªÀgÀÄ CAzÀgÉ £À£Àß UÀAqÀ ºÁUÀÆ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀĪÀgÀÄ £ÀªÀÄä ªÀÄ£ÉUÉ §gÀĪÀÅzÀÄ ¨ÉÃqÀ JAzÀÄ ºÉüÀÄwÛzÁÝgÉ. ºÁUÀÆ ªÀiÁ£À¹PÀªÁV ¨ÉzÀjPÉAiÀÄ£É߯Áè ºÁPÀÄwÛzÁÝgÉ. EªÀgÀÄ ªÀgÀzÀQëuÉUÁV £À£ÀUÉ EµÉÖ¯Áè vÉÆAzÀgÉ ¤ÃrzÁÝgÉ ºÁUÀÆ £À£ÀUÉ C£ÀĪÀiÁ£À ¥ÀqÀĪÀÅzÀÄ ºÉÆqÉzÀÄ - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21176 CRL.P No. 250 of 2025 §qÉzÀÄ »A¸É ¤ÃqÀĪÀÅzɯÁè ªÀiÁrzÁÝgÉ. zÀAiÀÄ«lÄÖ £À£ÀUÉ £ÁåAiÀÄ zÉÆgÀQ¹ PÀÆr. zsÀ£ÀåªÁzÀUÀ¼ÉÆA¢UÉ, EAw, ¸À»/-" 4. A perusal of the material on record will indicate that the respondent No.2, who is the de facto complainant is the wife of one of the power of attorneys who is none other than the son of the petitioner Nos.1 and 2 and the brother of petitioner No.3. The respondent No.2 / de facto complainant filed the instant complaint dated 25.03.2024 against her husband / accused No.1 as well as the petitioners / accused Nos.2 to 4 for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 498A, 506 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. The said FIR was registered as Crime No.35/2024 and culminated in a charge sheet which is currently pending in C.C. No.335/2024 before the Trial Court. 5. It is undisputed that the accused No.1 - husband is not before this Court by way of the present petition which is restricted only to accused Nos.2 to 4. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21176 CRL.P No. 250 of 2025 6. A perusal of the material on record comprising of the complaint, First Information Report (FIR), charge sheet material, statements of witnesses, documents etc. will lead to the inescapable conclusion that the petitioners being in-laws / family members of the accused No.1 / husband have been unnecessarily dragged into the impugned proceedings without there being valid allegations made against them in the complaint which disclose only vague / bald, omnibus and general allegations made against the petitioners / accused Nos.2 to 4 without revealing the specific instances of commission of the offence by them. Under these circumstances, in the light of the principles laid down by the Hon’ble Apex Court in the case/s of: Kahkashan Kausar alias Sonam And Others v. State of Bihar and Others [ (2022) 6 SCC 599]; Abhishek v. State of Madhya Pradesh [AIR 2023 SC 4209]; Kailashben Mahendrabhai Patel and Others v. State of Maharashtra and Another [2024 SCC OnLine SC 2621] and Digambar and Another v. State of Maharashtra and Another [2024 SCC OnLine SC 3836], I am of the considered opinion that continuation of the impugned proceedings against the present - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21176 CRL.P No. 250 of 2025 petitioners would amount to abuse of the process of law warranting interference in the present petition. 7. 7. In the result, I pass the following: ORDER (i) The Petition is hereby allowed. (ii) The impugned proceedings in C.C. No.335/2024 arising out of Crime No.35/2024 registered by the respondent No.1 – Police for the offences punishable under Sections 498A, 506 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 and pending on the file of the VII Additional Senior Civil Judge and JMFC., Mysuru, insofar as the petitioners / accused Nos.2 to 4 are concerned, are hereby quashed. Sd/- (S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE SMA/List No.: 1 Sl No.: 29