- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:33521 CRL.P No. 12683 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 23RD DAY OF AUGUST, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12683 OF 2024 BETWEEN: 1. PINIYA NAIK S/O LATE MADHU NAIK AGED ABOUT 63 YEARS R/A NO.1-6, KADOOR MUNDADI MELMANE, KADUR UDUPI-576 234. 2. SUMATHI BAI W/O PINIYA NAIK AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS 3. NANDA KISHORE S/O PINIYA NAIK AGED ABOUT 27 YEARS PETITIONERS NO. 2 AND 3 ARE RESIDING AT 11-3-2E/32 LITTLE ARCHANA, FLAT NO.302 MOODANIDAMBUR BEHIND INSPECTION BUNGALOW BANNANJE, UDUPI - 576101. 4. SHYAMA NAIK S/O GOPALA NAIK AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS R/A NO. 1-75(1) NILS KAL PETHRI POST, CHERKADY UDUPI-576215. 5. JAYANTH S/O GOPALA NAIK AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS Digitally signed by AL BHAGYA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:33521 CRL.P No. 12683 of 2024 R/A NO. 1-75-1, NILS KAL SIGANAKODI, CHERKADY UDUPI - 576215. 6. PRAKASH S/O MARIYA NAIK AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS R/A NO.5-90(1), BAYARBETTU PETHRI POST, CHERKADY UDUPI - 576715 7. KRISHNA NAIK S/O LATE SOMA AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS R/A NO.1-6, KADOORU POST MUNDADI MELMANE, UDUPI UDUPI DISTRICT - 576234. 8. VANDANA W/O KRISHNA NAIK AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS R/A NO.1-6, MUNDADI MELMANE KADOOR POST, KADOOR UDUPI - 576234. 9. BABI @ MAMATHA (AS PER COMPLAINT) W/O MANJUNATH NAIK AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS R/A NO.2-219/A, KASAMBALLI SHANKARANARAYANA VILLAGE KUNDAPURA TALUK UDUPI-576227. 10. VASANTHI W/O SHYAMA NAIK AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS R/A NO. 1-75/1, NILS KAL PETHRI POST CHERKADY UDUPI-576215. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:33521 CRL.P No. 12683 of 2024 11. VEENA NAIK W/O C. VEERAPPA NAIK AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS R/A: ANUGRAHA VIDYANAGARA 2ND CROSS, CHANTHAR POST BRAHMAVARA, UDUPI-576213. 12. RATHNA BAI W/O LATE SOMA AGED ABOUT 81 YEARS R/A NO.1-6, MUNDAI BADABETTU KADOOR POST, UDUPI-576234. 13. SAMPATH KUMAR S/O PURUSHOTAM NAIK AGE 38 YEARS R/AT GODDANAKATTE CHERKADY POST, UDUPI-576215. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. BALAKRISHNA .M.R, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY BRAHMAVAR PS UDUPI DISTRICT REPRESENTED BY ITS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU 560 001. 2. VEENA NAIK W/O MAHESH NAIK AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS R/A MUNDADI MELMANE KADOOR GRAMA BRAHMAVARA TALUK UDUPI DISTRICT-576234. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. M.R. PATIL, HCGP FOR R1; SRI. K. PRASANNA SHETTY, ADVOCATE FOR R2) - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:33521 CRL.P No. 12683 of 2024 THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/SEC.482 CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR AND COMPLAINT IN CR.NO.238/2024 DATED 24.10.2024 PENDING ON THE FILE OF ADDL. CIVIL JUDGE AND J.M.F.C., UDUPI FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 189(2), 191(2), 191(3), 74, 115(2), 118(1), 351(3), 190 OF BNS 2023 REGISTERED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.1/BRAHMAVAR P.S BASED ON THE COMPLAINT FILED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.2 AS AGAINST THE PETITIONERS ARE CONCERNED. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM ORAL ORDER This petition is filed under Section 482 of Cr.P.C seeking quashing of the proceedings pending in Crime No.238/2024 for the offence punishable under Sections 189(2), 191(2), 191(3), 74, 115(2), 118(1), 351(3) read with Section 190 of BNS, 2023 pending on the file of Additional Civil Judge and JMFC, Udupi. 2. This Court deems it fit to extract the FIR contents/complaint lodged by respondent No.2 and the same is culled out as under; - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:33521 CRL.P No. 12683 of 2024 "ಈ ಪಕರಣದ ಾದು ನ ಾಾಂಶೇೆಂದೆ: ಬಾವರ ಾಲೂಕು, ಾಡೂರು ಾಮದ ಮುಂ"ಾ# $ೕಲೆ ಎಂಬ&'ರುವ ಮೆಯ&' ) ಾ*+ಾರರ ಇರುಾಗ, *ಾಂಕ 24/10/2024 ರಂದು .ೆಳ ೆ0 11.30 ಗಂ1ೆ ೆ ಆೋ)ಗ3ಾದ )4 ಾ ಾಯ5, ಸುಮ7 .ಾ8, ನಂದ 9:ೆ;ೕ<, :ಾಮ ಾಯ5, ಜಯಂ7, ಪಾ>, ಕೃಷA ಾಯ5, ವಂದಾ, .ಾB @ ಮಮಾ, ವಸಂ7, ೕCಾ ಾಯ5 (ಗಂಡ ೕರಪD ಾಯ5), ರಾE .ಾ8, ಸಂಪF ಕುGಾ< Hೇ7 ಾಗೂ ಇತರ 10 ಜನ ಅಪKLತ ಪMರುಷರು ೇKೊಂಡು ಅವರ ಮೆಯ ವNಾರೆ5 ಬಂದು ) ಾ*+ಾರK ೆ +ೈPಕ ಹRೆ' ನ"ೆSದುT ಇದKಂದ ) ಾ*+ಾರರ ಎಡೈ, ಬಲೈ, .ೆನುE ೊಂಟ, ಾ& ೆ 7ೕವತರಾದ ಪHೆಟುX ಆYರುತZ+ೆ. ಅಲ'+ೇ ) ಾ*+ಾರರ ಬ1ೆXಗಳನುE ಹKದು RೈYಂಕ +ೌಜನ\ Gಾ#ರುಾZೆ. ಾಗೂ ) ಾ*+ಾರರ ಅೆZ ಅಕ5ಯ\ರವK ೆ ಕು7Z ೆ ]ಾಗದ&' ಆೋ)ತಾದ :ಾ\ಮ, ಜಯಂF, ಪಾ>, ಕೃ^ಾAಾಯ5 ರವರು ೇKೊಂಡು ಹRೆ' Gಾ#, ೋಲು +ೊCೆA, ಕ7Z, ಾಗೂ ಾೆ8ಂದ ಹRೆ' ನ"ೆSರುಾZೆ, ಮತುZ ) ಾದ*+ಾರರ ಗಂಡ ಮೇ> ಾಯ5 $ೖದುನ ಮೇಂದ ಾಯ5 ರವKಗೂ ೋಲು ಾೆ8ಂದ +ೈPಕ ಹRೆ' ೆ"ೆS ೊRೆಯತEೆ5 ಪಯತE ಪ_XರುಾZೆ. ಸ* ಘಟೆ ೆ )ಾaತ ಆSZ ೆ ಸಂಬಂbSದ ಾ\ಜ\ದ ಷಯದ&' +ೆcೕಷ*ಂದ ಆೋ)ಗಳd ಹRೆ' ೆ"ೆSರುವM+ಾY+ೆ ಎಂBಾ\*." 3. The sum and substance of the written complaint lodged by respondent No.2 – defacto complainant, is that on 24.10.2024 at about 11.30 a.m., the petitioners, along with about ten unknown persons, allegedly trespassed into the residential premises of the complainant and threatened her and her family members with dire consequences. It is further alleged that the petitioners - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:33521 CRL.P No. 12683 of 2024 assaulted the complainant, causing her severe bodily pain and, in the course of the incident, also tore her clothes, thereby outraging her dignity. The complaint also attributes specific acts of violence to petitioner Nos.4 to 7, who are alleged to have attacked the complainant’s mother-in-law using a wooden club and a sword, resulting in injuries on the cervical region of her body. On the strength of these allegations, the complaint came to be registered in Crime No.238/2024 for various offences under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 4. Be that as it may, on a closer scrutiny of the records placed before this Court, it is revealed that civil proceedings are already pending between the parties. It is not in dispute that both injunction proceedings as well as a comprehensive suit for partition are instituted by and between the petitioners and respondent No.2, along with their respective family members, wherein the rights and claims in respect of the disputed properties are already - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:33521 CRL.P No. 12683 of 2024 under adjudication before the competent Civil Court. The pendency of such civil proceedings indicates that the dispute between the parties is essentially rooted in property and family claims. 5. On examining these circumstances, this Court finds it highly unfortunate that instead of prosecuting their remedies before the Civil Court, the family members are indulging in filing complaints before the police, thereby giving a criminal colour to what is essentially a civil dispute. The allegations made in the complaint, when tested against the backdrop of pending civil suits, do not inspire confidence. No specific or cogent overt acts attributable to the petitioners have been disclosed in the complaint, except for general and omnibus allegations. It thus appears that the complaint is a frivolous attempt to pressurize the petitioners in the civil litigation, and that the police machinery is being unnecessarily misused. - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:33521 CRL.P No. 12683 of 2024 6. In such circumstances, continuation of the criminal proceedings in Crime No.238/2024 would amount to abuse of the process of law. Since multiple FIRs have been lodged on similar allegations amidst pending civil disputes, this Court deems it just and appropriate to quash the present proceedings, while relegating the parties to pursue their remedies before the competent Civil Court in the pending suits. However, a strict warning is also issued that neither party shall resort to filing frivolous complaints in future or misuse the police machinery to settle scores in relation to civil disputes. 7. In view of the above, this Court proceeds to pass the following; ORDER (i) The Criminal Petition is allowed. (ii) The proceedings in Crime No.238/2024 registered by Brahmavar Police Station, presently pending before the - 9 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:33521 CRL.P No. 12683 of 2024 Court of the Additional Civil Judge and JMFC, Udupi, for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 189(2), 191(2), 191(3), 74, 115(2), 118(1), 351(3), and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, are hereby quashed insofar as the present petitioners are concerned. Sd/- (SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM) JUDGE NBM List No.: 5 Sl No.: 1