- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:11920 CRL.P No. 6239 of 2022 C/W CRL.P No. 6419 of 2022 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 21ST DAY OF MARCH, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE MOHAMMAD NAWAZ CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 6239 OF 2022 (482(Cr.PC) / 528(BNSS)) C/W CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 6419 OF 2022 (482(Cr.PC) / 528(BNSS)) IN CRL.P No. 6239/2022 BETWEEN: 1. SRI SHIVARAMU (A4) S/O LATE SIDDARAMEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, R/AT KUNTHURU VILLAGE MALAVALLI TALUK MANDYA DISTRICT-571430 2. SRI BASAVARAJU (A6) S/O LATE BASAVEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/AT HAROHALLI VILLAGE VIRUPAKSHAPURA HOBLI CHANNAPATTANA TALUK RAMANAGAA DISTRICT-562160 3. SRI KARIYAPPA @ KARIGOWDA (A7) S/O LATE CHANNEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS, R/AT KADAMBAHALLI VILLAGE VIRUPAKSHAPURA HOBLI CHANNAPATTANA TALUK RAMANAGARA DISTRICT-562160 4. SMT BHAGYAMMA S (A8) C/O CHANNEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, Digitally signed by LAKSHMI T Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:11920 CRL.P No. 6239 of 2022 C/W CRL.P No. 6419 of 2022 R/AT KADAMBAHALLI VILLAGE VIRUPAKSHAPURA HOBLI CHANNAPATTANA TALUK RAMANAGARA DISTRICT-562160 5. SRI CNANNAPPA @ CHANNEGOWDA (A9) S/O CHANNEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, R/AT KADAMBAHALLI VILLAGE VIRUPAKSHAPURA HOBLI CHANNAPATTANA TALUK RAMANAGARA DISTRICT-562160 6. SRI CHANNEGOWDA K (A10) S/O KARIYAPPA AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, R/AT KADAMBAHALLI VILLAGE VIRUPAKSHAPURA HOBLI CHANNAPATTANA TALUK RAMANAGARA DISTRICT-562160 7. SRI CHANDRU (A11) S/O KRISHNEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, R/AT KADAMBAHALLI VILLAGE VIRUPAKSHAPURA HOBLI CHANNAPATTANA TALUK RAMANAGARA DISTRICT-562160 …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. MANJUNATH M.R.,ADVOCATE FOR SRI. PRADEEP KUMAR, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA RAMANAGARA WOMEN POLICE STATION REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU -560 001 2. SMT. MAMATHA @ DEEPA D. S. - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:11920 CRL.P No. 6239 of 2022 C/W CRL.P No. 6419 of 2022 AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, W/O SOMALINGU K. L. C/O LILLY D' SOUZA CHIKKAPETE, VIRAJPET TALUK MADAKERI KODAGU-571218 AND ALSO AT DODDAKALABALU VILLAGE KOTTAGALU POST, HARAHALLI HOBLI KANAKAPURA TALUK RAMANAGARA DISTRICT-562 117 …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI PATEL HCGP FOR R-1, SRI. SACHIN.B.S., ADVOCATE FOR R-2) THIS CRL.P FILED U/S.482 OF CR.P.C PRAYING TO QUASH THE ENTIRE FIR IN CR.NO.62/2022 PENDING ON THE FILE OF PRINCIPAL CIVIL JUDGE AND J.M.F.C., KANAKAPURA, RAMANAGARA DISTRICT, REGISTERED BY THE RAMANAGARA WOMEN POLICE STATION, FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 498A, 504, 506, 114, 149 OF IPC AND SECTION 3 AND 4 OF DOWRY PROHIBITION ACT AGAINST THE PETITIONERS HEREIN. IN CRL.P NO. 6419/2022 BETWEEN: 1. SRI GIRISH (A2) S/O LATE LINGEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS R/AT KODAMBAHALLI VILALGE VIRUPAKSHAPURA HOBLI CHANNAPATTANA TALUK RAMANAGARA DISTRICT-562160 2. SMT. CHIKKATHAYAMMA (A3) W/O LATE LINGEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS R/AT KODAMBAHALLI VILALGE VIRUPAKSHAPURA HOBLI CHANNAPATTANA TALUK RAMANAGARA DISTRICT-562160 - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:11920 CRL.P No. 6239 of 2022 C/W CRL.P No. 6419 of 2022 3. SRI. UMESH (A5) S/O NANJAPPA AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS R/AT KODAMBAHALLI VILALGE VIRUPAKSHAPURA HOBLI CHANNAPATTANA TALUK RAMANAGARA, KARNATAKA-562109 ...PETITIONERS (BY SRI.MANJUNATH M.R., ADVOCATE FOR SRI. PRADEEP KUMAR S.P.,ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA RAMANAGARA WOMEN POLICE STATION REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU - 560001 2. SMT. MAMATHA @ DEEPA D. S. AGED 32 YEARS W/O SOMALINGU K. L. C/O LILLY D' SOUZA CHIKKAPETE VIRAJPETE TALUK MADIKERI, KODAGU - 571218 AND ALSO AT DODDAKALABALU VILLAGE KOTTAGALU POST HARAHALLI HOBLI KANAKPAURA TALUK RAMANAGARA DISTRICT- 562117 ...RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI PATEL, HCGP FOR R-1 AND SRI. SACHIN B.S., ADVOCATE FOR R-2) THIS CRL.P FILED U/S.482 OF CR.P.C PRAYING TO QUASH THE ENTIRE FIR IN CR.NO.62/2022 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE PRINCIPAL CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC KANAKAPURA, RAMANAGARA DISTRICT, REGISTERED BY - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC:11920 CRL.P No. 6239 of 2022 C/W CRL.P No. 6419 of 2022 THE RAMANAGARA WOMEN POLICE STATION FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S.498-A, 504, 506, 114, 149 OF IPC AND SEC.3 AND 4 OF DP ACT 1961 AGAINST THE PETITIONER HEREIN. THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE MOHAMMAD NAWAZ ORAL ORDER Petitioners are before this Court seeking to quash the entire FIR in Crime.No.62/2022 registered at Ramanagara Women Police Station for offences punishable under Section 498A, 504, 506, 114 read with 149 of IPC and Section 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. 2. The aforementioned crime was registered on a complaint lodged by Smt.Deepa D.S/respondent No.2, wife of accused No.1 against 11 accused persons. 3. Petitioners in Crl.P.No.6239/2022 are accused Nos.4, 6 to 11 and petitioners in Crl.P.No.6419/2022 are accused Nos.2, 3 and 5. - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC:11920 CRL.P No. 6239 of 2022 C/W CRL.P No. 6419 of 2022 4. In the complaint, respondent No.2 has alleged that, she was subjected to physical and mental harassment by the accused persons i.e., her husband, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and a person by name Shivaram K.S. Insofar as other accused are concerned, it is alleged that a panchayat was held on 28.02.2021, wherein accused Nos.1 to 4 along with those accused and about 20 goonda elements, quarrelled and insulted the family members of the complainant etc., and showed some false certificate stating that the complainant has become pregnant through some other person. 5. In the complaint, it is stated that after the marriage, the complainant lived with her husband for about two weeks. On a careful perusal of the entire averments at this stage, prime facie shows that there are certain allegations made against accused Nos.1 to 4 namely the husband, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and one Shivarama K.S. However, as against other accused are concerned there are no specific allegations. - 7 - NC: 2025:KHC:11920 CRL.P No. 6239 of 2022 C/W CRL.P No. 6419 of 2022 6. It is alleged that on 28.08.2021, during the panchayat, accused Nos.1, 2 and 4 brought other accused as well as about 20 goonda elements and quarrelled with the complainant and insulted her family members etc. 7. The complaint is lodged on 04.05.2022 after an inordinate delay. There is no sufficient material at this stage to show any such incident which took place on 28.10.2021, wherein bald allegations are made against accused Nos.5 to 11. The delay in reporting the said incident is also not explained. The specific allegations as already noted, are against accused Nos.1 to 4. 8. Accused No.1 i.e., husband of respondent N.2 is not before this Court. Since the investigation is still pending, the proceedings against accused Nos.2 to 4 cannot be interfered with. However, continuation of criminal proceedings against accused Nos.5 to 11 is nothing but an abuse of process of law. 9. With the above observations the following: - 8 - NC: 2025:KHC:11920 CRL.P No. 6239 of 2022 C/W CRL.P No. 6419 of 2022 ORDER i. Crl.P.Nos.6239/2022 and 6419/2022 are partly-allowed. ii. Registration of FIR in Crime No.62/222 of Ramanagara Women Police Station and consequent proceedings in respect of accused Nos.5 to 11 are hereby quashed. iii. The investigation shall continue as against accused Nos.1 to 4. Sd/- (MOHAMMAD NAWAZ) JUDGE PK List No.: 1 Sl No.: 17