- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:655 CRL.P No. 3486 of 2023 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 9TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 3486 OF 2023 (482(Cr.PC) / 528(BNSS)) BETWEEN: SRI. RAMESH H.R. S/O RAMANJANAPPA AGED 35 YEARS, R/AT NO. 303/44 APPANNA BUILDING, 1ST MAIN ROAD, BYATARAYANAPURA, BENGALURU - 560092 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. GOVINDARAJU K., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE REGISTRAR KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA, M.S.BUILDING, BENGALURU - 560001. 2. N.R. BYREGOWDA, S/O P RAMACHADNRAPPA, AGED 51 YEARS, R/AT NO. 20/9, NAGADASANA HALLI VILLAE, RAJANAKUNTE POST, YALAHANKA TALUK AND HOBLI, BENGALURU - 560046. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. LETHIF, ADVOCATE FOR R1; SRI. VENUGOPAL M.S., ADVOCATE FOR R2) Digitally signed by VANAMALA N Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:655 CRL.P No. 3486 of 2023 THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.482 CR.P.C PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR IN CR.NO.24/2021 AGAINST THE PETITIONER (ACCUSED NO.3) FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 7(a) AND 8 OF PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION ACT INITIATED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT PENDING ON THE FILE OF XXIII ADDITIONAL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGALURU VIDE ANNEXURE-A. 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 petitioner seeks quashing of the impugned proceedings in Crime No.24/2021 qua the petitioner - accused No.3 for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 7(a) and 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. 2. Heard the learned counsels for the parties and perused the material on record. 3. A perusal of the material on record will indicate that in the aforesaid proceedings in Crime No.24/2021, the petitioner is arrayed as accused No.3. The accused Nos.1, 2 and 4 had approached this Court in W.P.No.17006/2021 C/w. Crl.P.No.7663/2021, W.P.No.17789/2021, W.P.No.7112/2022 in which, this Court vide order dated 20.12.2023, has quashed the proceedings qua accused Nos.1, 2 and 4 by holding as under: - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:655 CRL.P No. 3486 of 2023 "ORDER (i) All the writ petitions are allowed. (ii) The crime registered in Crime No.24 of 2021 by then Anti Corruption Bureau and pending before the 23rdAdditional City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru stands quashed. (iii) Liberty is reserved in the 1st respondent/Lokayukta to initiate proceedings in accordance with law, bearing in mind the observations made in the course of the order, in the event it finds such initiation is necessary at this juncture." 4. In view of quashment of the proceedings insofar as accused Nos.1, 2 and 4 are concerned in W.P.No.17006/2021 C/w. Crl.P.No.7663/2021, W.P.No.17789/2021, W.P.No.7112/2022, by applying/invoking the Doctrine of Parity, I am of the opinion that the present petition filed by the petitioner - accused No.3 also deserves to be quashed. 5. In the result, I pass the following: ORDER (i) The petition is hereby allowed. - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:655 CRL.P No. 3486 of 2023 (ii) The impugned FIR in Crime No.24/2021 against the petitioner - accused No.3 for the offences punishable under Sections 7(a) and 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 is hereby quashed. Sd/- (S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE RB