- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:23677 CRL.P No. 985 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 2ND DAY OF JULY, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 985 OF 2025 (482(Cr.PC) / 528(BNSS) BETWEEN: 1. ROHAN CARIAPPA, S/O D.M. CARIAPPA AGED ABOUT 30 YEAR MOKSHA VILLA, 6TH BLOCK, VISHWSHIAH LAYOUT, NEAR ULLAL UPANAGAR POST OFFICE, ULLALU UPANAGAR, BENGALURU – 560 056. #703, KRSHNA HERITAGE, 2. SHAYAN BHATTACHARYA S/O. BISWAJIT BHATTACHARJEE, AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, FLAT NO.203, VENKATESHWARA ENCLAVE, 5TH MAIN ROAD (MARKET ROAD,) NEAR RAMA TEMPLE, NEW THIPPASANDRA, BENGALURU – 560 075. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. PRATEEK G. & SRI. KARTHIK V., ADVOCATES) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA THROUGH CYBER CRIME POLICE STATION, BENGALURU – 560 042 REPRESENTED BY ITS PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU – 560 001 Digitally signed by CHANDANA B M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:23677 CRL.P No. 985 of 2025 2. SHANKAR K. H., AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS, RESIDING AT WARD NO.12, IN FRONT OF TALUK OFFICE, TB ROAD, KADURU, CHIKKAMAGALURU – 577 548 KARNATAKA …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. SOWMYA R., HCGP FOR R1; R2 – SERVED & UNREPRESENTED) THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED U/S 482 CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNNS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE COMPLAINT DATED 22.07.2024 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE 45TH ADDL. CHIEF METROPOLITAN MAGISTRATE COURT, AT BENGALURU AND ETC. 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: “i. Quash the Complaint dated 22.07.2024 pending on the file of the 45th Addl. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, at Bengaluru. ii. Quash the FIR in Crime No.32/2024 dated 22.07.2024 registered by the Respondent – Cyber Crime Police, Bengaluru for the offences under Section 67 and 67(a) of the Information and Technology Act pending on the file of the 45th Addl. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Bengaluru. iii. Quash the entire charge-sheet in C.C.No.3650/2025 for offences under Sections 67 and 67(a) of the I.T. Act, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:23677 CRL.P No. 985 of 2025 1860 pending on the file of the XXXV Addl. Chief Metropolitan Judicial Magistrate Court, at Bengaluru. iv. Quash the order of taking cognizance and issuance of summons dated 31.01.2025 in C.C.NO.3650/2025 by the XXXXV Addl. Chief Metropolitan Judicial Magistrate Court, at Bengaluru. v. Consequently, quash the entire proceedings in C.C.No.3650/2025 pending on the file of 45th Addl. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, at Bengaluru; and vi. Pass such other Order which is deemed fit in the circumstances of the case in the interest of justice.” 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned HCGP for respondent No.1 and perused the material on record. 3. Though respondent No.2 was served with notice of this petition, he has not chosen to contest the petition and has remained unrepresented. 4. A perusal of the material on record will indicate that respondent No.2 filed the instant complaint against the petitioner on 22.07.2024, which is registered as FIR in Crime No.32/2024 for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 67 and 67(a) of the Information Technology Act. In pursuance of the same, charge sheet was filed, which is currently pending in C.C.No.3650/2025. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:23677 CRL.P No. 985 of 2025 According to respondent No.2, the petitioners are alleged to have posted the content on their Instagram channel showing the persons who are impaired with hearing and speech in a comical way, thereby hurting the sentiments of such people. 5. The complaint which led to registration of FIR in Crime No.32/2024 by respondent No.1-Police is as under: “gÀªÀjUÉ, ¥Éưøï E£ïì ¥ÉPÀÖgï ¸Éʧgï PÉæöÊA ¥Éưøï oÁuÉ, ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ £ÀUÀgÀ. EAzÀ, ±ÀAPÀgï PÉ.ºÉZï.©£ï PÉ.ºÉZï.ºÉÆ£ÀߥÀà, ªÀAiÀĸÀÄì 58 ªÀµÀð, ªÁqÀð £ÀA.12 vÁ®ÆèPÀÄ D¦üÃ¸ï ªÀÄÄA¨sÁUÀ, n.©.gÀ¸ÉÛ, PÀqÀÆgÀÄ, aPÀ̪ÀÄUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ f¯Éè, ªÉÆ.¸ÀA.9448007004 ªÀiÁ£ÀågÉà «µÀAiÀÄ: Instragram s¸ÁªÀiÁfPÀ eÁ®vÁtzÀ°è gÉÆúÀ£ï PÁjAiÀÄ¥Àà ªÀÄvÀÄÛ E£ÉÆߧ⠪ÀåQÛ «rAiÉÆÃUÀ¼À ªÀÄÆ®PÀ QªÀÅqÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ªÀÄÆPÀgÀ CAUÀ«PÀ®vÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß D£ï ¯ÉÊ£ï ªÀÄÆ®PÀ C²èîªÁV ©A©¹ C¥ÀºÁ¸Àå ªÀiÁqÀĪÀ jÃwAiÀÄ°è PÀÈvÀåªÉ¸ÀVgÀĪÀ §UÉÎ zÀÆgÀÄ. ***** £Á£ÀÄ F ªÉÄîÌAqÀ «¼Á¸ÀzÀ°è ªÁ¸ÀªÁVzÀÄÝPÉÆAqÀÄ ªÀåªÀ¸ÁAiÀÄ ªÀiÁrPÉÆArgÀÄvÉÛÃ£É ªÀÄvÀÄÛ PÀ£ÁðlPÀ gÁdåzÀ QªÀÅqÀgÀ PÉëêÀiÁ©üªÀÈ¢Þ ¸ÀAWÀzÀ UËgÀªÁzsÀåPÀë£ÁVgÀÄvÉÛãÉ. ¢£ÁAPÀ 16/07/2024 gÀAzÀÄ ¸ÀAeÉ 4.00 UÀAqÉAiÀÄ°è £Á£ÀÄ UÁA¢üãÀUÀgÀzÀ ªÉÆÃw ªÀĺÀ¯ï ºÉÆmÉÃ¯ï £À°ègÀĪÁUÀ £À£Àß ªÉƨÉʯï - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:23677 CRL.P No. 985 of 2025 ¥sÉÆÃ£ï £À°è Instragram £À°è «rAiÉÆÃUÀ¼À£ÀÄß £ÉÆÃqÀÄwÛgÀ¨ÉÃPÁzÀgÉ CzÀgÀ°è gÉÆúÀ£ï PÁjAiÀÄ¥Àà (ID-@rohancariyappa) ªÀÄvÀÄÛ E£ÉÆߧâ (ºÉ¸ÀgÀÄ «¼Á¸À UÉÆwÛ®è) F E§âgÀÄ ªÀåQÛºÀ¼ÀÄ QªÀÅqÀgÀ §UÉÎ ¸À£Éß ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ¸ÀAeÁå ¨sÁµÉAiÀÄ ªÀÄÆ®PÀ QªÀÅqÀgÀ §UÉÎ ¸ÀªÀiÁdzÀ°è PÉlÖ ¨sÁªÀ£É §gÀĪÀ jÃwAiÀÄ°è C²èîªÁV «rAiÉÆà vÀAiÀiÁgÀÄ ªÀiÁr F »AzÉ D£ï ¯ÉÊ£ï ªÀÄÆ®PÀ E£ï¸ÁÖUÁæA ¸ÁªÀiÁfPÀ eÁ®vÁtzÀ°è C¥ï¯ÉÆÃqï ªÀiÁr zÉñÁzÀåAvÀ EgÀĪÀ QªÀÅqÀgÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ªÀÄÆPÀgÀ ¸ÁévÀAvÀæöåPÉÌ zsÀPÉÌ §gÀĪÀ jÃwAiÀÄ°è PÀÈvÀåªÉ¸ÀVgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. F £ÀqÀĪÀ½PɬÄAzÀ QªÀÅqÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ªÀÄÆPÀgÀ WÀ£ÀvÉUÉ zsÀPÉÌ §gÀĪÀ jÃwAiÀÄ°è ©A©¹gÀÄvÁÛgÉ. F PÀÈvÀåzÀ §UÉÎ ¥Àj²Ã®£É ªÀiÁqÀ¯ÁV http://www.instragram.com/reel/C9bsp9bN2pN/?igsh=MTlhZnJ3bX V4Y2VkMQ== F °APï£À°è PÀÈvÀåªÉ¸ÀVgÀĪÀÅzÀÄ PÀAqÀÄ §A¢gÀÄvÀÛzÉ. «rAiÉÆÃzÀ°è EgÀĪÀ ªÀåQÛAiÀÄ §UÉÎ ¥Àj²Ã®£É ªÀiÁqÀ¯ÁV DvÀ£À ºÉ¸ÀgÀÄ gÉÆúÀ£ï PÁjAiÀÄ¥Àà ©£ï PÁjAiÀÄ¥Àà r.JA. ªÁ¸À: £ÀA.2248, 6£Éà ¨ÁèPï, J¸ï.JA.«. ¯ÉÃOmï, G¯Áè¼À G¥À £ÀUÀgÀ, ¥ÉÆøïÖ D¦üÃ¸ï ºÀwÛgÀ, ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ – 560056 JA§ÄzÁV w½zÀħA¢gÀÄvÀÛzÉ. £ÀªÀÄä C¸ÉÆùAiÉÄõÀ£ï ªÀw¬ÄAzÀ zɺÀ° ¥Éưøï C¢üPÁjUÀ½UÉ D£ï ¯ÉÊ£ï ªÀÄÆ®PÀ zÀÆgÀ£ÀÄß ¤ÃrgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. DzÀÝjAzÀ zÉñÀzÁzÀåAvÀ EgÀĪÀ QªÀÅqÀgÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ªÀÄÆPÀgÀ ªÀvÀð£ÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß C²èîªÁV ©A©¹ zsÀPÉÌ GAlĪÀiÁrgÀĪÀ gÉÆúÀ£ï PÁjAiÀÄ¥Àà ªÀÄvÀÄÛ E£ÉÆߧ⠪ÀåQÛAiÀÄ «gÀÄzÀÞ ¸ÀÆPÀÛ PÁ£ÀÆ£ÀÄ jÃw PÀæªÀÄ dgÀÄV¸À¨ÉÃPÉAzÀÄ PÉÆÃgÀÄvÉÛãÉ. £À£Àß ªÀÄ£À«AiÉÆA¢UÉ F »AzÉ ¤ÃrgÀĪÀ zÀÆj£À £ÀPÀ®Ä, gÉÆúÀ£ï PÁjAiÀÄ¥Àà FvÀ£À r.J¯ï. eÉgÁPïì ªÀÄvÀÄÛ D¥Á¢vÀgÀÄUÀ½gÀĪÀ ¨sÁªÀavÀæªÀ£ÀÄß ®UÀwÛ¹gÀÄvÉÛãÉ. ªÀAzÀ£ÉUÀ¼ÉÆA¢UÉ, vÀªÀÄä «±Áé¹, (±ÀAPÀgÀ K. H.)” 6. A perusal of the entire material on record will indicate that the allegations made in the complaint are reiterated in the - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:23677 CRL.P No. 985 of 2025 Statement of Witnesses and charge sheet, all of which do not attract the ingredients for the offences punishable under Sections 67 and 67(a) of the Information Technology Act. It is also pertinent to note that except making bald, vague, general and omnibus allegations, specific incidents and allegations as against petitioners-accused are conspicuously absent in the impugned complaint, FIR and charge sheet, which is sufficient to come to the conclusion that the impugned proceedings against the petitioner deserves to be quashed. 7. In the result, I pass the following: ORDER i) The petition is allowed. ii) The impugned proceedings in C.C.No.3650/2025 (arising out of Crime No.32/2024 registered by respondent No.2 – Police) pending on the file of the 45th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Bengaluru, insofar as the petitioners are concerned, are hereby quashed. Sd/- (S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE BMC: List No.: 2 Sl No.: 22