- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:48757 CRL.P No. 12078 of 2025 c/w CRL.P NO. 12088 of 2023 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 24TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12078 OF 2025 AND CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12088 OF 2023 IN CRL. P. No.12078/2025: BETWEEN: 1. MR KEERTHAN RAI S/O THIMMANNA RAI AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS R/O NO 2-158, CHAWADI HOUSE KADABA POST, KUTRUPADI VILLAGE PUTTUR TALUK DAKSHINA KANNADA 574212. 2. MR SANJEEVA S/O JAVARAIAH AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS R/O NO 77, ALAMBADI KAVAL K R PETE TALUK, MANDYA 571426. 3. MR MANIKANTA K T S/O SRI THMMAPPAGOWDA K T AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS R/O NO 13, ULUKUPPA NIDAGODU YADYUR POST, HOSANAGARA TALUK SHIVAMOGGA 577418. &PETITIONERS (BY SRI. BHARATH KUMAR V., ADVOCATE) Digitally signed by SHWETHA RAGHAVENDRA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:48757 CRL.P No. 12078 of 2025 c/w CRL.P NO. 12088 of 2023 AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA THROUGH STATION HOUSE OFFICE CENTRAL CRIME BRANCH WOMAN AND NARCOTICS SQUAD SHANTHINAGAR, BENGALURU STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DR AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU 560001. 2. POLICE INSPECTOR CENTRAL CRIME BRANCH WOMAN AND NARCOTICS SQUAD SHANTHINAGAR, BENGALURU STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DR AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU 560001. &RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. MR PATIL, HCGP, FOR RESPONDENTS) THIS CRL.P IS FILED UNDER SECTION 482 CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNNS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR BEARING NO.611/2014 DATED 28.08.2014 REGISTERED BY THE KORAMANGALA P.S. AND SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSFERRED FOR INVESTIGATION AT THE HANDS OF RESPONDENT NO.1 POLICE AT THE BEHEST OF THE INFORMATION DATED 28.08.2014 MADE BY THE RESPONDENT NO.2 QUA THE PETITIONERS ALONE WHEREIN THE PETITIONERS HEREIN ARE ARRAIGNED AS ACCUSED NO.39 TO 41 RESPECTIVELY FOR ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 188,370(3),370(A),294 AND 109 OF IPC R/W SECTION 35 OF THE KARNATAKA EXCISE ACT (ANNEXURE-A) IN CRL. P. No.12088/2023: BETWEEN: 1. SANTHOSH S/O ANANDAPPA AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS R/AT CHIKKANELLURU MASOORU POST, SAGARA TALUK SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT - 577412. &PETITIONER (BY SRI. LOKEHSA P C.,ADVOCATE) - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:48757 CRL.P No. 12078 of 2025 c/w CRL.P NO. 12088 of 2023 AND: 1. THE STATE BY KORAMANGALA P.S. BENGALURU (CCB POLICE, W AND N WING) REPT BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU - 560001. 2. M H SATISH INSPECTOR OF POLICE WOMEN AND NARCOTIC DRUGS SQUAD CCB N T PET, BENGALURU - 560002. &RESPONDENTS (BY SRI M R PATIL, HCGP. FOR RESPONDENTS) THIS CRL.P IS FILED UNDER SECTION 482 CR.P. PRAYING TO QUASH THE PROCEEDINGS IN C.C.NO.26956/2016 PENDING BEFORE THE FILE OF THE HON9BLE 1STACMM AT BENGALURU IN RESPECT OF CR.NO.611/2014 DATED 28.08.2014 FILED BY THE KORAMANGALA POLICE FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S.188,370-A,370-3,294 R/W SEC.109 OF IPC AND SEC.35 OF KARNATAKA EXCISE ACT. THESE **CRIMINAL PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ ORAL ORDER 1. The petitioners in W.P.12078/2025 are before this Court seeking for the following reliefs; a. Quash the fir bearing no.611/2014 dated 28.08.2014 registered by the koramangala p.s. And subsequently transferred for investigation at the hands of respondent no.1 police at the behest of the information dated 28.08.2014 made by the respondent no.2 qua the petitioners alone wherein the petitioners herein are arraigned as accused no.39 to 41 respectively for alleged offence P/U/S 188,370(3),370(a),294 and 109 of IPC r/w Section 35 of the Karnataka Excise Act (Annexure-a) ** Corrected vide Chamber order dated 28.02.2026 - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:48757 CRL.P No. 12078 of 2025 c/w CRL.P NO. 12088 of 2023 b. Quash the final report preferred by the respondent no.1 police in matter bearing fir / Cr.No.611/2014 currently re-numbered as matter bearing S.C.No.1591/2023 qua the petitioners alone pending on the file of the Honble Lxxi Addl.City Civil And Sessions Judge at Bengaluru CCH-72 wherein the petitioners herein are arraigned as accused no.39 to 41 respectively for alleged offence p/u/s 188,370(3),370(a),294 and 109 of IPC r/w Sec.35 of the Karnataka Excise Act. c. Quash the entire proceedings in matter bearing S.C.No.1591/2023 pending on the file of the Honble Lxxi Addl.City Civil And Sessions Judge at Bengaluru qua the petitioners alone, wherein the petitioners herein are arraigned as accused no.39 to 41 respectively for alleged offence P/U/S 188,370(3),370(a),294,109 of IPC r/w Sec.35 of Karnataka Excise Act. d. Grant such other relief that this Hon9ble Court may deem fit in the facts of the present matter 2. The petitioner in W.P. 12088/2023 is before this Court seeking for the following reliefs; a. Quash The Proceedings In C.C.No.26956/2016 pending before the file of the Hon9ble 1st ACMM at Bengaluru in respect of Cr.No.611/2014 Dated 28.08.2014 filed by the Koramangala Police for the offence P/U/S.188,370-A,370-3,294 R/W Sec.109 of IPC and Sec.35 Of Karnataka Excise Act; b. Call for records from the Hon9ble 1st ACMM at Bengaluru in C.C No.26956/2016; c. Grant such other relief or reliefs as this Hon9ble Court may deem fit to grant in the facts and circumstance of the case in the interest of justice. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:48757 CRL.P No. 12078 of 2025 c/w CRL.P NO. 12088 of 2023 3. A suo moto complaint having been lodged by the Police Inspector, Central Crime Branch, Woman and Narcotics Squad, Bangalore, a case was registered against 49 persons for offences under Section 188, 370(3), 370(A), 294 and 109 of IPC read with 34 of the Karnataka Excise Act in crime number 611/2014 on 28.08.2014. Upon registration of the FIR, investigation was done by the CCB police since the case was transferred from Koramangala police to CCB police. The allegation in the complaint was that on 27.08.2015 at about 7:30 AM the complainant- police inspector had received specific information from the informers that at Ashoka residency No. 37, Narayana Reddy layout, Koramangala VI block, the owners and management of the bar and restaurant were where indulging in illegal activities, they are entertaining dancers and other illegal activities by bar girls who were brought from other States and - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:48757 CRL.P No. 12078 of 2025 c/w CRL.P NO. 12088 of 2023 countries without following rules and regulations, apart from not observing the dress code provided by the government. 4. The petitioner in Criminal Petition No.13930/2023 claims to be an employee of the bar and contends that he was only working at the bar and he had no other role to play in the running of the bar. 5. The petitioners in Criminal Petition No.12078/2025 contend that they were customers of the bar and they also have no role to play as regards any offences said to have been committed. 6. Aa coordinate Bench of this Court vide its order dated 28.08.2018 in Criminal Petition No.5539/2018 has dealt with a case of another customer who had approached this Court and quashed those proceedings. The reasons attributed in the said matter would equally be applicable to the present matter. As such, the proceedings in Crl.P. No.12078/2025 would be required to be quashed. - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:48757 CRL.P No. 12078 of 2025 c/w CRL.P NO. 12088 of 2023 7. Another Coordinate Bench of this Court vide order dated 22.03.2021 in Crl.P. No.7553/2020 has dealt with a matter where the petitioner was a supplier/ employee in the bar and restaurant. For the very same reasons as attributed in the said order, the Criminal Petition No.12088/2023 would be required to be allowed. As such, I pass the following: ORDER i. Both the Crl.Petitions are allowed. ii. The proceedings initiated against the petitioners in each of the above matters in S.C. No.1591/2023 pending on the file of LXXI Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bangalore, in respect of Crime No.611/2014 are quashed qua the petitioners in both the petitions. iii. In view of the quashing of Crime No. 611/2014, the ensuing proceedings in C.C.No.26956/2016 pending on the file of the first ACMM at Bengaluru also stand quashed. Sd/- (SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE LN List No.: 2 Sl No.: 2 *Page No. 7 is retyped and replaced vide Court Order dated 19.02.2026