- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-K:7730 CRL.P No. 200921 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA KALABURAGI BENCH DATED THIS THE 12TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM CRIMINAL PETITION NO.200921 OF 2025 (482(Cr.PC)/528(BNSS)) BETWEEN: 1. VATALABAI @ VACHALABAI W/O HANAMANTRAYA KARABHARI, AGE: 74 YEARS, OCC: NIL, 2. HANAMANTRAYA S/O SHIVARAYA KARABHARI, AGE: 81 YEARS, OCC: NIL, 3. MALLANNA @ MALLINATH S/O HANAMANTRAYA KARABHARI, AGE: 43 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE. 4. SHIVALINGAPPA S/O HANAMANTRAYA KARABHARI, AGE: 41 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, PETITIONER NOS.1 TO 4 RESIDENTS OF PATTAN, TQ. AND DIST. KALABURAGI-585103. 5. SHIVALEELA W/O JAGADEVAPPA PATIL, AGE: 40 YEARS, OCC: HOUSEHOLD, R/O SANGOLAGI (C) VILLAGE, TQ. ALAND, DIST. KALABURAGI–585302. 6. BASAMMA W/O MALLANNA KADANI, AGE: 55 YEARS, OCC: HOUSEHOLD, R/O KADANI, TQ. AND DIST. KALABURAGI. Digitally signed by AL BHAGYA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-K:7730 CRL.P No. 200921 of 2025 7. SHRIKANT S/O JAGADEVAPPA PATIL, AGE: 23 YEARS, OCC: STUDENT, R/O SANGOLAGI (C) VILLAGE, TQ.ALAND, DIST.KALABURAGI-585302. 8. RACHAMMA W/O MALLANNA KARABHARI, AGE: 38 YEARS, OCC: HOUSEHOLD, R/O PATTAN, TQ. AND DIST. KALABURAGI-585302. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI MALLINATH ASTAGI, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE THROUGH KALABURAGI CITY WOMEN POLICE STATION, KALABURAGI, (REPRESENTING BY LEARNED ADDL. S.P.P., HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, KALABURAGI-585107). 2. ANNAPURNA W/O SHIVARAYA KARABHARI, AGE: 38 YEARS, OCC: HOUSEHOLD, R/O PATTAN, TQ. AND DIST. KALABURAGI. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI GOPALKRISHNA B. YADAV, HCGP FOR R1; NOTICE TO R2 IS SERVED) THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED UNDER SECTION 528 OF BNSS (NEW), UNDER SECTION 482 OF CR.P.C.(OLD), PRAYING TO ALLOW THE PETITION AND QUASH THE ENTIRE PROCEEDINGS INITIATED AGAINST THE PETITIONERS IN CRIME NO.67/2021 OF KALABURAGI CITY WOMEN POLICE STATION, KALABURAGI, ON THE FILE OF THE I ADDITIONAL CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC COURT AT KALABRUAGI IN CC - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-K:7730 CRL.P No. 200921 of 2025 NO.4573/2023, FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 498 (A), 323, 324, 504, 506 READ WITH SECTION 34 OF IPC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR FURTHER HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM ORAL ORDER The captioned petition is filed by the accused persons seeking quashing of the proceedings pending in C.C.No.4573/2023, arising out of Crime No.67/2021 for the offences punishable under Sections 498A, 323, 324, 504, 506 read with Section 34 of Indian Penal Code, 1860, pending before the I Additional Civil Judge and JMFC Court, Kalaburagi. 2. The case of the prosecution as briefly stated is as under: Respondent No.2/daughter-in-law lodged a complaint alleging that on 19.02.2021 at about 6:00 p.m., all the petitioners, with an intention to kill, formed an unlawful assembly and trespassed into the house where respondent No.2 and her husband were residing. It is alleged that they - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-K:7730 CRL.P No. 200921 of 2025 abused her in filthy language and that petitioner No.2/accused No.2 and petitioner No.3/accused No.3 assaulted her with a stick and an iron rod, which allegedly compelled respondent No.2 to consume poison. It is further alleged that upon noticing that respondent No.2 had consumed poison, the petitioners fled away from the scene. Based on the said complaint, a case came to be registered in Crime No.67/2021 and upon completion of investigation, the Investigating Officer has laid the charge sheet. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioners, reiterating the grounds urged in the captioned petition, vehemently contended that the complaint dated 19.02.2021 does not attribute any specific overt acts to the petitioners. However, during the course of investigation, while recording the statements of witnesses, there are substantial improvements, and for the first time, specific overt acts are alleged against petitioner No.2, who is aged about 81 years, and petitioner No.3, alleging that they assaulted respondent No.2/complainant. He would further submit that there existed a dispute between the petitioners and respondent No.2’s husband, who is the son of petitioner Nos.1 and 2 and brother of petitioner No.3, and that owing to the said - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-K:7730 CRL.P No. 200921 of 2025 family dispute, respondent No.2 has been set up to falsely implicate all the petitioners in the present criminal proceedings. 4. Per contra, learned High Court Government Pleader, placing reliance on the charge sheet materials, would submit that there are sufficient incriminating materials on record which prima facie disclose the commission of the alleged offences, and therefore, this is not a fit case for exercising the inherent jurisdiction of this Court under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, to quash the proceedings. 5. Having heard the learned counsel appearing for the parties, the following point arises for consideration: “Whether the proceedings pending in C.C.No.4573/2023, arising out of Crime No.67/2021, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 498-A, 323, 324, 504, and 506 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and pending on the file of the I Additional Civil Judge and JMFC, Kalaburagi, warrant interference by this Court under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023?” - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-K:7730 CRL.P No. 200921 of 2025 Finding on point: 6. Before this Court delves into the matter, it would be apposite for this Court to extract the relevant portion of the complaint which reads as under: “EAzÀÄ ¢£ÁAPÀ 03.03.2021 gÀAzÀÄ ¨É½UÉÎ 11 UÀAmÉUÉ ¦üAiÀiÁ𢠲æêÀÄw C£ÀߥÀÆtð UÀAqÀ ²ªÀgÁAiÀÄ PÁgÀ¨Áj ªÀAiÀiÁ: 34 ªÀµÀð eÁw: °AUÁAiÀÄgÀ G: PÀÆ°PÉ®¸À ¸Á: ¥ÀlÖt vÁ:f: PÀ®§ÄgÀV EªÀgÀÄ oÁuÉUÉ ºÁdgÁV zÀÆgÀÄ ¸À°è¹zÀÄ,Ý ¸ÀzÀj zÀÆj£À ¸ÁgÁA±À K£ÉAzÀgÉ, £À£Àß ªÀÄzÀĪÉAiÀiÁV 12 ªÀµÀðUÀ¼ÁVzÀÄÝ, ªÀÄÆgÀÄ d£À ªÀÄPÀ̼ÀÄ EgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. £ÁªÀÅ UÀAqÀ ºÉAqÀw C£ÉÆåãÀåªÁV EzÀÄÝ. DzÀgÉ £À£Àß CvÉÛ ªÀiÁªÀ ¨sÁªÀ ªÉÄÊzÀÄ£À £Á¢¤AiÀÄgÀÄ £ÀªÀÄUÉ ºÉÆ® ªÀÄ£É «µÀAiÀÄzÀ°è vÀPÀgÁgÀÄ ªÀiÁr QgÀÄPÀļÀ ¤ÃqÀÄvÁÛ §A¢zÀÄ,Ý ¢£ÁAPÀ 19.02.2021 gÀAzÀÄ ¸ÁAiÀÄAPÁ® 6 UÀAmÉ ¸ÀĪÀiÁjUÉ £Á£ÀÄ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ £À£Àß UÀAqÀ ²ªÀgÁAiÀÄ E§âgÀÄ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ°èzÁÝUÀ KPÁKQAiÀiÁV £À£Àß CvÉÛ MvÀ¯Á¨Á¬Ä, ªÀiÁªÀ ºÀtªÀÄAvÀgÁAiÀÄ, ¨sÁªÀ ªÀÄ®ètÚ, ªÉÄÊzÀÄ£À ²ªÀ°AUÀ¥Á,à £Á¢¤AiÀÄgÁzÀ ²ªÀ°Ã¯Á ªÀÄvÀÄÛ §¸ÀªÀÄä £Á¢¤AiÀÄ ªÀÄUÀ£ÁzÀ ²æÃPÁAvÀ vÀAzÉ dUÀzÉêÀ¥Áà, £ÉUÉuÉ gÁZÀªÀÄä UÀAqÀ ªÀÄ®ètÚ EªÀgÉ®ègÀÆ PÀÆrPÉÆAqÀÄ §AzÀÄ, K gÀAr ¨ÉÆøÀr CAvÁ ¨ÉÊAiÀÄÄvÁÛ ¤Ã£ÀÄ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ¤£Àß UÀAqÀ E§âgÀÄ £ÀªÀÄä eÁUÀ ©lÄÖ ºÉÆÃUÀ¨ÉÃPÀÄ, E®èªÁzÀgÉ ¤£ÀUÉ EªÀvÀÄÛ ©qÀĪÀÅ¢¯Áè, R¯Á¸ï ªÀiÁr©qÀÄvÉÛÃªÉ CAvÁ §rUɬÄAzÀ PÀ©âtzÀ gÁr¤AzÀ £À£Àß §ÄdUÀ¼À ªÉÄÃ¯É JgÀqÀÄ PÉÊUÀ¼À ªÉÄÃ¯É ºÉÆqÉzÀÄ ¨sÁj gÀPÀÛUÁAiÀÄ ªÀiÁrgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. £À£Àß UÀAqÀ ©r¸À®Ä §AzÁUÀ CªÀ¤UÉ zÀÆgÀ vÀ½îgÀÄvÁÛgÉ.” 7. It would also be apposite for this Court to extract column No.17 of the charge sheet, which reads as under: - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-K:7730 CRL.P No. 200921 of 2025 “ªÀiÁ£ÀågÀªÀgÀ°è ªÀÄ£À« ªÀiÁrPÉƼÀîªÀzÉ£ÉAzÀgÀÉ PÀ®§ÄgÀV £ÀUÀgÀ ªÀÄ»¼Á ¥Éǰøï oÁtÉ ªÁå¦ÛAiÀÄ°è §gÀĪÀ ¥ÀlÖt UÁæªÀÄ vÁ: fB PÀ®§ÄgÀVAiÀÄ°è ªÁ¸À«gÀĪÀ F zÉÆÃ.¥ÀvÀæzÀ PÀæ.¸ÀA 14 gÀ°è £ÀªÀÄÆ¢¹zÀ ¸ÁQë £ÀA1 £ÉÃzÀݪÀ¼À ªÀÄzÀĪÉAiÀÄÄ ¸ÁQë £ÀA 4 £ÉÃzÀݪÀgÉÆA¢UÀÉ ¸ÀĪÀiÁgÀÄ 12 ªÀµÀðUÀ¼À »AzÉ ªÀÄzÀĪÉAiÀiÁVzÀÄÝ EgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. UÀAqÀ ºÉAqÀw C£ÉÆÃå£ÀåªÁVzÀÄÝ, F zÉÆÃ.¥ÀvÀæzÀ PÀæ.¸ÀA 12 gÀ°è £ÀªÀÄÆ¢¹zÀ DgÉÆævÀgÀÉ®ègÀÆ PÀÆrPÉÆAqÀÄ »jAiÀÄgÀ D¹ÛAiÀÄ ºÀAaPÉ ¸ÀA§AzsÀ ¦üAiÀiÁð¢ eÉÆvÉAiÀÄ°è vÀAmÉ vÀPÀgÁgÀÄ ªÀiÁqÀÄvÁÛ §AzÀÄ ¢£ÁAPÀ 19.02.2021 gÀAzÀÄ ¸ÁAiÀÄAPÁ® 6 UÀAmÉ ¸ÀĪÀiÁjUÀÉ ¦üAiÀiÁð¢ vÀ£Àß UÀAqÀ£ÉÆA¢UÀÉ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ°èzÁÝUÀ DgÉÆævÀgÀÉ®ègÀÆ PÀÆrPÉÆAqÀÄ §AzÀÄ ¸ÁQë £ÀA 1 £ÉzÀݪÀ¼À eÉÆvÉ dUÀ¼À vÉUÀÉzÀÄ K. gÀAr ¨sÉÆøÀr CAvÁ ¨ÉÊAiÀÄÄåvÁÛ, ¤ÃªÀÅ UÀAqÀ ºÉAqÀw £ÀªÀÄä ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ ©lÄÖ ºÉÆÃUÀ¨ÉÃPÀÄ. E®èªÁzÀgÀÉ EªÀvÀÄÛ ©qÀĪÀ¢¯Áè R¯Á¸ï ªÀiÁr ©qÀÄvÉÛÃªÉ CAvÁ ¨ÉÊAiÀÄÄvÁÛ DgÉÆæ £ÀA 2 §rUÀɬÄAzÀ ¸ÁQë £ÀA 1 £ÉÃzÀݪÀ¼À ¨sÀÄdUÀ¼À ªÉÄÃ¯É ªÀÄvÀÄÛ DgÉÆæ £ÀA 3 £ÉÃzÀݪÀ£ÀÄ PÀ©âtzÀ gÁr¤AzÀ JgÀqÀÄ PÉÊUÀ¼À ªÉÄÃ¯É ºÉÆqÉAiÀÄÄwÛzÁÝUÀ ¸ÁQë £ÀA 4 £ÉÃzÀݪÀgÀÄ ©r¸À®Ä ºÉÆÃzÁUÀ ¸ÁQë £ÀA 4 £ÉÃzÀݪÀjUÀÆ zÀÆgÀ vÀ½îgÀÄvÁÛgÀÉ. DUÀ ¸ÁQë £ÀA 1 £ÉÃzÀݪÀ¼ÀÄ ºÉzÀj ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ°èzÀÝ §É¼ÀÉUÀ½UÀÉ ºÉÆqÉAiÀÄĪÀ Qæ«Ä£Á±ÀPÀ OµÀ¢üAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¸Éë¹zÀÄÝ EgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. F zÉÆÃ.¥ÀvÀæzÀ PÀæ,¸ÀA 14 gÀ°è £ÀªÀÄÆ¢¹zÀ ¸ÁQë £ÀA 1 ªÀÄvÀÄÛ 4 jAzÀ £ÉÃzÀݪÀgÀ ºÉýPÉUÀ½AzÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ vÀ¤SɬÄAzÀ DgÉÆævÀgÀÄ 498(J) 323, 324, 504, 506 ¸ÀAUÀqÀ 34 L¦¹ £ÉÃzÀÝgÀ ¥ÀæPÁgÀ C¥ÀgÁzsÀ ªÀiÁrzÀÄÝ ¸Á©vÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ.” 8. On a careful perusal of the complaint lodged at the first instance and the charge-sheet materials, particularly Column No.17 of the charge sheet, it is manifest that no specific overt acts were attributed in the original complaint. However, during the course of investigation, while recording - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-K:7730 CRL.P No. 200921 of 2025 subsequent statements, specific overt acts have been introduced against petitioner Nos.2 and 3. 9. Petitioner No.2, who is present before this Court, is aged about 81 years. From his physical appearance and interaction before the Court, it is clearly evident that his mobility is extremely restricted, and he is unable to move without assistance. Petitioner No.1, the wife of petitioner No.2, is also a senior citizen aged about 74 years. In this backdrop, the allegation that petitioner No.2 assaulted the complainant/daughter-in-law with a stick appears to be highly improbable and exaggerated, particularly when his physical condition itself demonstrates that he is incapable of such an act. His age-related infirmities and dependence on assistance prima facie belie the prosecution version. 10. In these circumstances, this Court is of the considered view that petitioner Nos.1 and 2 have been falsely implicated, and their implication appears to be a result of over-implication rather than based on cogent and credible material. 11. As regards petitioner No.3, though no specific overt act was attributed in the complaint at the initial stage, the - 9 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-K:7730 CRL.P No. 200921 of 2025 statements recorded subsequently by the Investigating Officer disclose specific allegations of overt acts against him. Therefore, the charge-sheet materials, at least prima facie, disclose incriminating material insofar as petitioner No.3 is concerned. 12. However, with regard to petitioner Nos.1 and 2 and petitioner Nos.4 to 8, the allegations are omnibus, vague, and general in nature, without specifying individual roles or overt acts. The charge-sheet materials further reveal that the husband of respondent No.2, who is the son of petitioner Nos.1 and 2, is embroiled in a dispute with his parents. It appears that this inter-se family dispute has triggered the filing of the present complaint by respondent No.2. 13. Even if the charge-sheet materials are accepted in their entirety, this Court finds that no prima facie case is made out against petitioner Nos.1 and 2 and 4 to 8. Subjecting these petitioners to a full-fledged criminal trial would be nothing but an empty formality, as the possibility of conviction is extremely remote for want of incriminating material. It is indeed - 10 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-K:7730 CRL.P No. 200921 of 2025 unfortunate that aged parents have been dragged into criminal proceedings arising out of a property dispute between the sons. 14. Therefore, this Court is persuaded to exercise the inherent powers under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, to prevent abuse of process of law and to secure the ends of justice. This is a fit case where the proceedings deserve to be quashed insofar as petitioner Nos.1 and 2 and 4 to 8 are concerned, while permitting the prosecution to continue against petitioner No.3. 15. For the foregoing reasons, this Court proceeds to pass the following: ORDER (i) The Criminal Petition is partly allowed. (ii) The proceedings pending in C.C.No.4573/2023, arising out of Crime No.67/2021 registered by Kalaburagi City Women Police Station, Kalaburagi, for the offences punishable under Sections 498A, 323, 324, 504 and 506 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, pending on the file of the I - 11 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-K:7730 CRL.P No. 200921 of 2025 Additional Civil Judge and JMFC, Kalaburagi, are hereby quashed insofar as petitioner Nos.1 and 2 and 4 to 8 are concerned. (iii) The petition insofar as petitioner No.3 is concerned stands rejected, and the proceedings shall continue against him in accordance with law. Sd/- (SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM) JUDGE RSP List No.: 2 Sl No.: 4 CT:SI