- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20908 CRL.P No. 8007 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 18TH DAY OF JUNE, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 8007 OF 2024 BETWEEN: MOHAMMAD ALI H @ ALI S/O HAZARATH UMAR, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, R/AT ARAMANEKERI SUBHASH NAGAR SAGAR, SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT - 577401 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. LETHIF B., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY TUNGA NAGAR POLICE STATION, SHIVMOGGA DISTRICT, REP. BY SPP, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BANGALORE - 560001 2. SMT. SWEEKRITI W/O ASHOK POOJARI, AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, R/AT: BALKUNDRU VILLAGE, HANGARAKATTE POST, BRAHMAVRA TALUK, UDUPI DISTRICT - 576213 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. CHANNAPPA ERAPPA, HCGP FOR R1; NOTICE TO R2 IS SERVED & UNREPRESENTED) Digitally signed by KAVYA R Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20908 CRL.P No. 8007 of 2024 THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.482 CR.P.C. PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR IN CR.NO.350/2023 OF TUNGANAGAR P.S., SHIVAMOGGA, FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 384 OF IPC, PENDING ON THE FILE OF ADDITIONAL CIVIL JUDGE (JR.DN) AND JMFC-3 COURT, SHIVMOGGA WHICH IS PRODUCED AT 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 the following relief: "Wherefore, the Petitioner prays that this Hon'ble Court be pleased to quash the FIR in crime No.350/2023 of Tunganagar Police Station, Shivmogga for the offence punishable under section 384 of IPC pending on the file of Additional Civil Judge (Jr.Dn.) and JMFC-3 Court, Shivmogga which is produced at ANNEXURE-'A', in the above case, in the interest of justice." 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned HCGP for respondent No.1 and perused the material on record. Respondent No.2 having been served with notice of this petition has chosen to remain unrepresented and has not contested the petition. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20908 CRL.P No. 8007 of 2024 3. A perusal of the material on record would indicate that on 08.09.2023, the 2nd respondent / de-facto complainant filed a complaint against four accused persons including the petitioner / accused No.2 pursuant to which an FIR in Crime No.350/2023 was registered against petitioner / accused No.2 and three other accused persons for offence punishable under Section 384 of IPC. In this context, perusal of the impugned complaint, FIR will indicate that necessary ingredients constituting offence punishable under Section 384 of IPC are absent and not forthcoming qua the petitioner and consequently, as can be seen from the complaint, which reads as under: "ಾಂಕ:08.09.2023 ೕ ಸ ಇೆಕ ತುಂಾನಗರ ೕ !ಾ"ೆ #ವ%ಗ& 'ಂದ: #)ೕಮ+ ,-ೕಕೃ+ /ೋಂ ಅ2ೆ3ೕಕ ಪ56ಾ7 30 ವಷ9, :ೇ;ಾ<ಗ ಜಾಂಗ ಗೃ>? /ೆಲಸ AಾಳCDದು) ಾ)ಮ, ಹಂಾರಕFೆ ೕ ಬ)HಾIವರ JಾಲೂKಕು, ಉಡುN OPೆK %. ನಂ. 9148427057 - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20908 CRL.P No. 8007 of 2024 QಾನRSೇ, ಾನು TೕಲDಂಡ UVಾಸದK ನನW ಇಬXರ ಮಕDVೆYಂೆ ;ಾಸ;ಾZರುJೆ[ೕೆ. ನನW ಗಂಡ ಆ2ೆ3ೕಕ ಪ56ಾ7 ವಂಗತ ಸಂ]ೕವ ಪ56ಾ7 ಇವರ ಮಗ. ನನW ಗಂಡ ಅ2ೆ3ೕ ಪ56ಾ7 ಇವರು ಉಡುNಯ ೕ/ೊ /ೋ_9`ಂದ ,-ೕಕ /ೇ ನಂಬ 41/2020 ರK ಾಂಕ 8.8.2023 ರಂದು ಇಪaತು[ ವಷ9 ,6ೆbಾZ ಾಂಕ : 18.8.2023/ೆD ಉಡುN'ಂದ #ವ%ಗ& /ಾSಾಗೃಹ/ೆD c_ರುತ[Sೆ. ನನW ಗಂಡನ ಆ +ೕN9ನ Uರುದd ಕಾ9ಟಕ ಉಚg ಾRbಾಲಯದK TೕಲIನU Qಾ<ರುJೆ[ೕೆ. 6ಾhೕನು ಅO9 ಕೂiಾ ಸK,:ೆjೕ;ೆ. ಾಂಕ: 18.8.2023 ರಂದು ನನW ಗಂಡ #ವ%ಗ& 6ೈನK:ಾjಗ %Aೈl ನಂಬ 7795152685 7ಂದ Hಾಗೂ 8951413449 ಂದ ನನW %Aೈl ನಂಬರು 9148427057 ನಂಬ7ೆ mೕ Qಾ< Qಾತಾ<ದರು. ಅ:ೇ ವಸ #ವ%ಗ& 6ೈನKದj ಶ# ಪ56ಾ7 ಎನುWವವರು 6ೈ`ಂದ ನನW mೕp ನಂಬ7ೆ ಕSೆ Qಾ< ನೊWಂೆ Qಾತಾಡು+[ದುj, ನನW ಗಂಡ ಅ2ೆ3ೕಕ ಪ56ಾ7ಯವ7ೆ 6ೈನK /ೆಳಗiೆ qೆlೆ Hಾ]ದರು. ಅವ7ೆ ಅK JೊಂದSೆ ಆಗುJೆ[ ಅಂJಾ ನನೆ Hೆದ7, `ನW ಗಂಡನನುW /ೆಳಗiೆ qೆPೆೆ HಾಕುವrದನುW ತNa,Aೇ/ೆಂದSೆ ಅದಕDZ `ೕನು ನಮೆ ಹಣ `ೕಡAೇ/ಾಗುತ[:ೆ ಎಂದು HೇಳY+[ದುj ಎಂದು HೇಳC+[ದುj ಅಲK:ೇ ಅೕ ಎಂದ /ೈ ಕೂiಾ ಅ:ೆ ನಂಬರುಗtಂದ ನನೆ ಕSೆ Qಾ< ಹಣ /ೇಳC+[ದjಲK:ೇ ಇವ7ಬXರೂ ಎಂ.<. ಯೂಸುu %Aೈl ನಂಬರು 9741081838 /ೈ ಹಣವನುW ಗೂಗl ೇ Qಾಡು Hಾಗೂ `ೕನು #ವ%ಗ&/ೆD ಬಂ:ಾಗ %Aೈl ನಂಬ 9591303070 `ಂದ mೕ ಬರುJೆ[ ಅವರ ಬt ಸಹ ರೂ.22,000/- ಹಣ /ೊಡುವಂJೆ Hೆದ7, ಒತ[ಡ Qಾ<ದj7ಂದ ಅದರಂJೆ ಾನು ಾಂಕ:19.8.2023 ರಂದು %Aೈl ನಂಬ 9741081838 ನಂಬೆ ಾನು ರೂ 16,500/- ಹಣವನುW Hಾಗೂ ಾಂಕ: 20.08.2023 /ೆD 33,000/- ರೂ ಗೂಗl ೇ Qಾ<ರುJೆ[ೕೆ. ಾನು ಾಂಕ: 21.08.2023 ರಂದು #ವ%ಗ&/ೆD ಬಂ:ಾಗ #ವ%ಗ& ಸರ/ಾ7 ಬ `Pಾjಣದ ಬt ಇ:ಾjಗ TೕPಾD?,ದ %Aೈl ನಂಬ 9591303070 ನಂಬ7ನವರು ನನೆ ಕSೆ Qಾ< ನನೆ wೇ_bಾ:ಾಗ ಾನು ಅವ7ೆ 22,000/- ರೂ. ನಗದು ಹಣವನುW /ೊ_ರುJೆ[ೕೆ. ಆನಂತರ ಾನು #ವ%ಗ& 6ೈೆ ನನW ಗಂಡನನುW ೋಡಲು Hೋ:ಾಗ ಅK ನನW ಗಂಡನ 6ೊJೆಯKದj ಶ# ಪ56ಾ7, ಆೕ, ಪ)%ೕದ ಎಂಬುವವರನುW ನನW ಗಂಡ ಪ7ಚ', Qಾತಾ<,ದರು. ಪrನ: ಾಂಕ: 4.9.2023 ರಂದು ಾನು ನಮೂI7ನK:ಾjಗ ಮxಾRಹW 3.40 /ೈ %Aೈl ನಂಬ 9739653551 `ಂದ bಾSೋ ನನೆ ಕSೆ Qಾ< Qಾತಾ<,ದರು. ಆದುದ7ಂದ ನನW ಗಂಡ 6ೈನK ಅಸHಾಯಕ ,y+ಯKದುj, ನನW ಬt ಹಣ/ೆD Aೇ</ೆ ಇಟು Aೆದ7, ಹಣವನುW ಪiೆದ #ವ%ಗ& 6ೈನKರುವ /ೈಗVಾದ ಶ#ಪ56ಾ7, ಆೕ ಮತು[ ಪ)%ೕದ ಎಂಬುವವರ Uರುದd Hಾಗೂ 9591303070 %Aೈl ನಂಬ`ಂದ ಕSೆ Qಾ<ದ ವRಕD+ಯ - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20908 CRL.P No. 8007 of 2024 Uರುದj ಸೂಕ[ /ಾನೂನು ಕ)ಮ ಜರುZ, ನನೆ ಾRಯ :ೊರ], /ೊಡAೇ/ಾZ Uನಂ+,/ೊಳCzJೆ[ೆ. TೕಲDಂಡವರು ೕ`ನK ನನೆ ಕSೆ Qಾ< Hೆದ7,ದj7ಂದ ಾನು Hೆದ7/ೊಂ<ದುj ಈ ವಸ ತಡ;ಾZ !ಾ"ೆೆ ಬಂದು ದೂರು `ೕಡು+[:ೆjೕೆ. ಇಂ+ ತಮI U2ಾ-, ಸ>/- ಈ ಾಂಕ: 8.9.2023 ರಂದು ಮxಾRಹW 2.30 N.ಎಂ. ಗಂFೆೆ Nbಾ9:ಾರರು !ಾ"ೆೆ HಾಜSಾZ `ೕ<ದ |ತ ದೂರನುW ,-ೕಕ7, !ಾ"ಾ ಗುೆW ನಂ.350/2023 ಕಲಂ 384 ಐN, 7ೕJಾR ಪ)ಕರಣ :ಾಖ,:ೆ. ಸ>/- !ಾ"ಾ•/ಾ7 ತುಂಾನಗರ ೕ !ಾ"ೆ #ವ%ಗ& " 4. It is also relevant to refer to Section 384 of IPC, which reads as under: "384. Punishment for extortion.—Whoever commits extortion shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both." 5. A perusal of the complaint bearing in mind the afore-stated provisions, it is sufficient to come to the conclusion that the same does not disclose commission of offence punishable under Section 384 of IPC and consequently, continuation of the - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20908 CRL.P No. 8007 of 2024 impugned proceedings qua the petitioner would amount to abuse of process of law, warranting interference in the present petition. 6. In the result, the following: ORDER i) The Criminal Petition is hereby allowed; and ii) The impugned FIR in Crime No.350/2023 of Tunganagar Police Station, Shivmogga pending on the file of Additional Civil Judge (Jr. Dn.) and JMFC-3 Court, Shivmogga, qua the petitioner - accused No.2, is hereby quashed. Sd/- (S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE KG List No.: 1 Sl No.: 22