- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:17634 CRL.P No. 13399 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 26TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 13399 OF 2024 BETWEEN: 1. SRI. P. VIDYASAGAR REDDY, S/O. PULLA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, 2. SRI. PULLA REDDY, S/O. LATE PICHHA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS, 3. SMT. RAMANJANAMMA @CHANDRAKALA, W/O. PULLA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS, 1 TO 3 R/AT NO.1/8/155/1/A, BACK SIDE OF ARORA DEGREE COLLEGE, CHIKKADAPALLI, HYDERABAD, TELANGANA - 500 020. 4. SMT. THEJASWINI, W/O. DIWAKARA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS 5. SRI. DIWAKARA REDDY, S/O. N. CHIDAMAMBARA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, BOTH OF THEM ARE R/AT MUKUNDAPURAM, GARLADINNE, ANANTHAPURAM, ANDHRA PRADESH - 51573. Digitally signed by R HEMALATHA Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:17634 CRL.P No. 13399 of 2024 6. SRL. CHIRANJEEVA REDDY, S/O. K. KONDA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 64 YEARS, 7. SRI. ARUN KUMAR REDDY, S/O CHIRANJEEVA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, BOTH ARE R/AT NO.1/16 C, RACHANAPALLI, SAINT MARK CAMPUS, ANANTHAPURAM, AP. 8. SRI. CHINNA REDDY, S/O. LATE THALPAR THIPPA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 67 YEARS, 9. SRI. HANUMANTHA REDDY, S/O. CHINNA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, BOTH OF THEM ARE R/AT NO.1/1/9906 REVENUE COLONY, ANACHITHAPURA, ANDHRA PRADESH. 10. SRI. N. CHIDAMBARA REDDY, S/O. LATE VENKATA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, 11. SMT. SULOCHANA W/O CHIDAMBARA REDDY AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, BOTH OF THEM ARE R/AT MUKUNDAPURAM, GARLADINNE, THIMMAMPETA, ANANTHAPURA DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH - 51573. 12. SMT. SUSHEELA, W/O. CHIRANJEEVA REDDY, AGED ABOUT 64 YEARS, R/AT NO.1/16 C, RACHANAPALLI, - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:17634 CRL.P No. 13399 of 2024 SAINT MARK CAMPUS, RACHANAPALLI, ANANTHAPURA DISTRICT. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. BHARATH KUMAR VINDHYALA, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA KADUGODI POLICE STATION, BENGALURU - 560 001. 2. SMT. JAYA REVATHI, W/O. SURYA PRATHAP REDDY, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, R/AT. NO. 6/1/961, KOVVUR NAGAR, ANANTHAPURA TOWN AND DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. LAKSHMAN B, HCGP FOR R1; SRI. K.R. CHANDRASHEKARA REDDY, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 OF CR.P.C (U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE CC.NO.3785/2017 RAISED OUT OF CR.NO.12/2017 WHICH IS PENDING BEFORE THE HONBLE 1st ACJM BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT, BENGALURU, FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 498(A), 304(B), 34 OF IPC, SEC. 3 AND 4 OF DP ACT, BY ALLOWING THIS PETITION. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:17634 CRL.P No. 13399 of 2024 ORAL ORDER The petitioners, who are facing trial for offences punishable under Sections 498A and 304B read with Section 34 of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, are before this Court seeking relief. 2. The prosecution alleges that the marriage of Accused No.1 with the deceased was solemnized on 12.03.2015. After the marriage, the deceased resided with the petitioners/accused at the matrimonial home in Andhra Pradesh. During her stay there, she was allegedly subjected to both mental and physical cruelty, and a demand was made for her to bring money from her parental home. The deceased left the matrimonial home on 20.12.2015 and began residing in Bengaluru as a paying guest. Prior to shifting to Bengaluru, a case was registered against the petitioner/accused under Section 498A in Crime No.15/2016 before the Anantapur Police Station, Andhra Pradesh. Unable to bear the alleged harassment, the deceased committed suicide by hanging on 15.01.2017. 3. The parties appeared before this Court on 25.04.2025 and filed an application for compounding, stating that they have amicably resolved the dispute. It is further stated that the petitioners/accused were not involved in harassing the deceased soon before her death, and the complaint was filed inadvertently. In the interest of maintaining cordial relations, Respondent No.2 (the complainant) has - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC:17634 CRL.P No. 13399 of 2024 agreed to withdraw all allegations and has no objection to quashing the impugned proceedings. 4. The learned HCGP for Respondent No.1–State submitted that the offence under Section 304B of the IPC is punishable with life imprisonment and is non-compoundable. Therefore, the application for compounding should be dismissed. 5. The submissions are taken on record. 6. The records indicate that the deceased left the matrimonial home on 20.12.2015 and registered a case in Crime No.15/2016 for the offence punishable under Section 498A of IPC against the petitioners/accused before the Anantapur Police Station, Andhra Pradesh. Thereafter, she shifted to Bengaluru on the same day and began residing as a paying guest. 7. The petitioners and Respondent No.2 have also arrived at a settlement in Crl.P. No.3215/2025, arising out of Crime No.15/2023 registered by the Women Police Station, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. In those proceedings as well, Respondent No.2 has agreed to withdraw all allegations against the petitioners/accused. It is reiterated that the offence under Section 304B of IPC is non-compoundable and punishable with life imprisonment. 8. The Hon’ble Apex Court, in the case of Rajendra Singh vs. State of Punjab, reported in (2015) 6 SCC 477, - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC:17634 CRL.P No. 13399 of 2024 discussed the essential ingredients required to establish an offence under Section 304B of IPC. 9. In the present case, the deceased left the matrimonial home in the year 2015 and committed suicide in 2017. There is no substantial evidence to establish that the deceased was subjected to harassment by the petitioners in connection with dowry demands soon before her death. Therefore, the essential ingredients to constitute the offence under Section 304B of IPC are conspicuously absent. In such circumstances, continuation of the criminal proceedings would amount to an abuse of the process of law. 10. Accordingly, I pass the following: ORDER i. Criminal petition is allowed. ii. The impugned proceedings in C.C.No.3785/2017 on the file of I ACJM, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru is hereby quashed. Sd/- (HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR) JUDGE RKA List No.: 1 Sl No.: 145 CT: BHK