- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:26220 WP No. 3569 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 14TH DAY OF JULY, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR WRIT PETITION NO. 3569 OF 2024 (GM-RES) BETWEEN: 1. SMT. RUKIYA AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, W/O LATE ABDUL KHADER 2. MR MONISH ABDUL REHAMAN AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, S/O LATE ABDUL KHADER BOTH ARE RESIDING AT R/AT WHITE STONE GATE WAY, FLAT NO.405B JAPPU, MAHAKALPADPU, MANGALURU CITY, MANGALURU. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. PRAMOD MALLUR, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA THROUGH THE SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE, WOMEN'S POLICE STATION, MANGLAORE- REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BANGALORE-01. 2. MRS AYISHA SHOURIN W/O MAHAMMAD MUZAMBIL, AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, SHOURIN RESIDENCY, Digitally signed by VALLI MARIMUTHU Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:26220 WP No. 3569 of 2024 NO. 8-5, NAGATHOTA SOMESHWARA U ULLAL TALUK, MANGALURU CITY MANGALURU. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI CHANNAPPA ERAPPA, HCGP FOR R1; SRI A.N.RADHAKRISHNA, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA R/W SECTION 482 OF THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, 1973 PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR IN CRIME NO.98/2023 OF WOMENS POLICE STATION, MANGALORE, PENDING ON THE FILE OF J.M.F.C. III COURT, MANGALORE FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 498A, 323 OF IPC 1860 AND SEC 3, 4 OF THE DOWRY PROHIBITION ACT 1961 VIDE ANNEXURE-A IN SO FAR AS THE PETITIONERS ARE CONCERNED. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN 'B' GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR ORAL ORDER 1. In this petition, the petitioners seek the following reliefs: "Quash the FIR in Crime No.98/2023 of women's police station, Mangalore, pending on the file of J.M.F.C. III Court, Mangalore, for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 498A, 323 of Indian Penal Code 1860, and sections 3, 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 vide Annexure-A in so far as the petitioners are concerned." - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:26220 WP No. 3569 of 2024 2. A perusal of the material on record would indicate that respondent No.2-complainant is the wife of one Mohammad Muzambil whose mother is petitioner No.1 and brother is petitioner No.2 - accused Nos.2 and 3 against whom respondent No.2-complainant had filed the impugned complaint and registered as FIR in Crime No.98/2023 dated 19.10.2023 for the offences punishable under Sections 498A and 323 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 and under Sections 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. In pursuance of the same, police authorities conducted the investigation and filed the impugned charge sheet in C.C. No.754/2023 pending before the trial Court. In this context, it would be necessary to extract the impugned complaint, which reads as under, "oÁuÁ¢üPÁj, ªÀÄ»¼Á ¥Éǰøï oÁuÉ ¥ÁAqÉñÀégÀ, ªÀÄAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ, jAzÀ, qÁ. D¬ÄµÁ ±Ëjãï (25) PÉÆÃA. ªÀĺÀªÀÄäzï ªÀÄÄgÀhÄA©¯ï ±Ëjãï gɹqɤì, £ÀA.8-5, £ÁUÀvÉÆÃl, ¸ÉƪÉÄñÀégÀ GaÑ® CAZÉ, G¼Áî® vÁ®ÆPÀÄ, zÀ.PÀ. f¯Éè, - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:26220 WP No. 3569 of 2024 ªÉÆ : 9449469002/7022503603 DgÉÆævÀgÀÄ : 1) ªÀĺÀªÀÄäzï ªÀÄÄdA§¯ï 2) gÀÄQAiÀiÁ 3) ªÉÆä±ï C§Äݯï gɺÁä£ï «¼Á¸À : ªÉÊmï ¸ÉÆÖãï UÉÃmïªÉÃ, ¥sÁèmï £ÀA.405©, d¥ÀÅà, ªÀÄAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ, zÀ.PÀ. f¯Éè. ªÀiÁ£ÀågÉÃ, «µÀAiÀÄ: £À£Àß UÀAqÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ UÀAqÀ£À ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀĪÀjAzÀ zÉÊ»PÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ªÀiÁ£À¹PÀ »A¸É ºÁUÀÆ ªÀgÀzÀQëuÉ ¦ÃqÀ£É §UÉÎ. £À£Àß «ªÁºÀªÀÅ ¢£ÁAPÀ 25/12/2022 gÀAzÀÄ AiÀÄĤn ºÁ¯ï PÀ¯Áè¥ÀÅ JA§°è UÀÄgÀÄ»jAiÀÄgÀ ¸ÀªÀÄPÀëªÀÄ £ÀqÉ¢gÀÄvÀÛzÉ. £À£Àß UÀAqÀ ªÀÄ£É ªÀÄAUÀ¼ÀÆj£À d¥ÀÅà JA§°è DVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. ªÀÄzÀĪÉAiÀiÁzÀ ªÀÄgÀÄ¢£À UÀAqÀ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ°è £Á£ÀÄ ZÀAzÀ E®è. PÉ®¸À §gÀĪÀÅ¢®è JA§ÄzÁV UÀAqÀ ºÁUÀÆ CªÀ£À vÁ¬Ä gÀÄQAiÀiÁ UÀAqÀ£À vÀªÀÄä ªÉÆä±ï C§Äݯï gÀ»ªÀiÁ£ï QjQj ªÀiÁqÀÄvÀÛ zÉÊ»PÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ªÀiÁ£À¹PÀ »A¸É ¤ÃqÀÄwÛzÀÄÝ C®èzÉ £ÁªÀÅ ºÉýzÀµÀÄÖ a£Àß ºÁQ®è ¤£Àß ªÀģɬÄAzÀ ºÉÆÃV E£ÀÄß a£Àß ºÀt vÉUÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ ¨Á JAzÀÄ QgÀÄPÀļÀ ¤ÃqÀÄwÛzÀÝgÀÄ. F §UÉÎ »jAiÀÄgÀÄ J®ègÀÄ ¸ÉÃj gÁf ¥ÀAZÁwUÉ ªÀiÁr ¸Àj ªÀiÁrgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. £À£Àß UÀAqÀ 28 ¢£À HgÀ°è EzÀÄÝ £ÀAvÀgÀ «zÉñÀPÉÌ ºÉÆÃVgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. DUÀ¯Éà £À£Àß D¨sÀgÀtUÀ¼À£ÀÄß CªÀ£ÀÄ vÉUÉ¢j¹gÀÄvÁÛgÉ. ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ°è CªÀ£À vÁ¬Ä vÀªÀÄä »A¸É ¤ÃqÀÄwÛzÀÄÝ EwÛÃaUÉ 04.10.2023 gÀ°è £Á£ÀÄ UÀAqÀ EgÀĪÀ ¸ÀܼÀªÁzÀ ¸Ë¢ CgÉéAiÀiÁPÉÌ ºÉÆÃVzÀÄÝ, C°è PÀÆqÁ £À£ÀUÉ UÀAqÀ ªÀĺÀªÀÄäzï ªÀÄÄgÀhÄA©¯ï, CªÀ£À vÁ¬Ä gÀÄQAiÀiÁ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ £À£Àß UÀAqÀ£À vÀªÀÄä ªÉÆä±ï C§Äݯï gÀ»ªÀiÁ£ï ºÀ¯Éè ªÀÄvÀÄÛ »A¸É ªÀiÁrgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. £Á£ÀÄ «zÉñÀPÉÌ ºÉÆÃUÀĪÁUÀ UÀAqÀ£À vÁ¬Ä PÀÆqÁ eÉÆvÉ §A¢zÀÄÝ E§âgÀÆ C°èPÀÆqÀ »A¸É PÉÆnÖgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. EªÀgÀ »A¸ÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß vÁ¼À¯ÁgÀzÉ £À£Àß CtÚ ¸Ë¢AiÀÄ°è PÉ®¸ÀzÀ°èzÁÝ£É £À£Àß CtÚ¤UÉ F «µÀAiÀĪÀ£ÀÄß w½¹zÉÝãÉ. EzÀ£ÀÄß £ÉÆÃr CªÀjUÉ §ºÀ¼À ¨ÉøÀgÀªÁ¬ÄvÀÄ CªÀgÀÄ £À£ÀߣÀÄß ªÀģɬÄAzÀ ºÉÆgÀUÉ ºÁQzÀÄÝ EzÀ£ÀÄß £ÉÆÃr £À£Àß CtÚ ¢£ÁAPÀ 19.10.2023 gÀAzÀÄ ¨É¼ÀUÉÎ 5 UÀAmÉUÉ HjUÉ PÀgÉvÀA¢gÀÄvÁÛgÉ. DzÀÄzÀjAzÀ £À£Àß UÀAqÀ ªÀĺÀªÀÄäzï ªÀÄÄgÀhÄA©¯ï ºÁUÀÆ DvÀ£À vÁ¬Ä gÀÄQAiÀiÁ ºÁUÀÆ UÀAqÀ£À vÀªÀÄä ªÉÆä±ï C§Äݯï gÀ»ªÀiÁ£ï gÀ ªÉÄÃ¯É PÁ£ÀÆ£ÀÄ PÀæªÀÄ - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:26220 WP No. 3569 of 2024 PÉÊUÉƼÀî¨ÉÃPÁV ºÁUÀÆ £À£ÀUÉ £ÁåAiÀÄ MzÀV¹ PÉÆqÀ¨ÉÃPÁV F ªÀÄÆ®PÀ PÉýPÉƼÀÄîvÉÛãÉ. ªÀAzÀ£ÉUÀ¼ÉÆA¢UÉ. ¸À»/- Ewà vÀªÀÄä «±Áé¹" 3. In addition thereto, it would also be necessary to extract the charge sheet summary, which is as under, "F ¥ÀæPÀgÀtzÀ ¸ÁgÁA±ÀªÉãÉAzÀgÉ ¦AiÀiÁð¢zÁgÀgÀÄ ¢£ÁAPÀ 25-12-2022 gÀAzÀÄ ªÀÄAUÀ¼ÀÆj£À eÉ¥ÀÅà ¤ªÁ¹ ªÉƺÀªÀÄäzï ªÀÄÄeÁ«Ä¯ï JA§ªÀgÀ£ÀÄß AiÀÄĤn ºÁ¯ï PÀ¯Áè¥ÀÄ JA§°è ªÀÄzÀĪÉAiÀiÁVgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. ªÀÄzÀĪÉAiÀiÁzÀ ªÀÄgÀÄ¢£À¢AzÀ UÀAqÀ£À ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ°è UÀAqÀ, UÀAqÀ£À vÁ¬Ä gÀÄQAiÀiÁ, UÀAqÀ£À vÀªÀÄä ªÉƤµï C§Äݯï gÀ»ªÀiÁ£ïgÀªÀgÀÄ ¸ÉÃj ¤Ã£ÀÄ ZÀAzÀ E®è, ¤£ÀUÉ PÉ®¸À §gÀĪÀÅ¢®è, JA©vÁå¢ »ÃAiÀiÁ½¹ zÉÊ»PÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ªÀiÁ£À¹PÀ »A¸É ¤ÃrzÀÄÝ C®èzÉ £ÁªÀÅ ºÉýzÀµÀÄÖ a£Àß ºÁQ®è. ¤£Àß ªÀģɬÄAzÀ ºÉÆÃV E£ÀÆß a£Àß, ºÀt vÉUÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ ¨Á JAzÀÄ ºÉüÀÄvÁÛ ªÀgÀzÀQëuÉ QgÀÄPÀļÀ ¤ÃqÀÄwÛzÀÄÝ ¦AiÀiÁð¢AiÀÄ UÀAqÀ ªÀÄzÀĪÉAiÀiÁzÀ 28 ¢£À ªÀiÁvÀæ Hj£À°èzÀÄÝ £ÀAvÀgÀ «zÉñÀPÉÌ ºÉÆÃUÀĪÁUÀ ¦AiÀiÁð¢zÁgÀgÀ a£ÁߨsÀgÀtUÀ¼À£É߯Áè vÉUÉ¢j¹zÀÄÝ ¢£ÁAPÀ 04.10.2023 gÀAzÀÄ ¦AiÀiÁð¢zÁgÀgÀÄ UÀAqÀ EgÀĪÀ ¸ÀܼÀªÁzÀ ¸Ë¢ CgÉéAiÀiÁPÉÌ ºÉÆÃVzÀÄÝ C®èAiÀÄÆ PÀÆqÁ UÀAqÀ ªÀĺÀªÀÄäzï ªÀÄÄA§¯ï, UÀAqÀ£À vÁ¬Ä gÀÄQAiÀiÁ, UÀAqÀ£À vÀªÀÄä ªÉƤµï C§Äݯï gÀ»ªÀiÁ£ï gÀªÀgÀÄ ºÀ¯Éè, £Àqɹ zÉÊ»PÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ªÀiÁ£À¹PÀ »A¸É ¤ÃrgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. ªÀgÀzÀQëuÉ QgÀÄPÀļÀ ¤Ãr zÉÊ»PÀ ºÁUÀÆ ªÀiÁ£À¹PÀ »A¸É ¤ÃrgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. ªÀgÀzÀQëuÉ QgÀÄPÀļÀ ¤Ãr zÉÊ»PÀ ªÀiÁ£À¹PÀ »A¸É ¤ÃrzÀ ¦AiÀiÁð¢zÁgÀgÀ UÀAqÀ ªÀĺÀªÀÄäzï ªÀÄÄgÀhÄA©¯ï, UÀAqÀ£À vÁ¬Ä gÀÄQAiÀiÁ, UÀAqÀ£À vÀªÀÄä ªÉƤµï C§Äݯï gÀ»ªÀiÁ£ïgÀªÀgÀ ªÉÄÃ¯É PÁ£ÀÆ£ÀÄ PÀæªÀÄ PÉÊUÉƼÀî¨ÉÃPÉA©vÁå¢AiÀiÁV ¸ÁgÁA±À." 4. A perusal of the aforesaid compliant, FIR, charge sheet, statement of witness and documents etc., it is - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:26220 WP No. 3569 of 2024 sufficient to come to the conclusion that insofar as the petitioners are concerned, who are none other than the mother and brother of the husband of respondent No.2- complainant, the necessary ingredients constituting the alleged offences are conspicuously absent and not forthcoming in the said documents. 5. Under these circumstances, in the light of the principles enunciated by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the cases of Digambar and Another Vs. State of Maharashtra reported in 2024 INSC 1019, Geddam Jhansi and Another Vs. State of Telangana and Others reported in 2025 INSC 160 and Abhishek Vs. State of Madhya Pradesh reported in AIR 2023 SC 4209, I am of the opinion that the continuation of the impugned proceedings against the mother-in-law and brother-in-law of respondent No.2-complainant would amount to abuse of process of law warranting interference in the present petition. In the result, I pass the following, - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:26220 WP No. 3569 of 2024 O R D E R (i) Petition is allowed. (ii) The FIR in Crime No.98/2013 registered by Women's Police Station, Mangalore, pending on the file of 3rd JMFC Court, Mangalore, insofar as petitioners/accused Nos.1 and 3 are concerned, is hereby quashed. Sd/- (S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE VBS List No.: 2 Sl No.: 0