- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37011 CRL.P No. 4169 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 16TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM CRIMINAL PETITION NO.4169 OF 2025 BETWEEN: 1. SUBBA RAO S/O DEVINENNI SEETHA RAMAIAH, AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS, R/AT G-8, CSR 21, APRTMENT, HUDA COMPLEX, KOTHAPETA HYDERABAD-500035 TELANGANA STATE 2. DEVINENI MEENA W/O SUBBA RAO, AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS, R/AT G-8, CSR 21, APARTMENT, HUDA COMPLEX, KOTHAPETA HYDERABAD-500035 TELANGANA STATE …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. RAMAKRISHNA SRINIVASAN, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY WHITEFIELD POLICE STATION, BENGALURU RURAL, REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDINGS, BENGALURU-560001. Digitally signed by DEVIKA M Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37011 CRL.P No. 4169 of 2025 2. K. LAKSHMI PRIYANKA AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, D/O K. SATYANARAYANA, NO.1604, DIVYASHREE REPUBLIC OF WHITEFILED BENGALURU-560066. PRESENTLY R/AT NO.77, 2ND CROSS, BRINDAVAN LAYOUT T.C.PALYA, K.R.PURAM BENGALURU-560036. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP FOR R1) THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED UNDER SECTION 482 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR IN CRIME NO.0134/2021 DATED 29.06.2021 REGISTERED AT WHITEFIELD POLICE STATION, BENGALURU, AGAINST THE PETITIONERS AT ANNEXURE-B FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 498A, 504 AND 323 R/W SECTION 34 OF IPC AND SECTIONS 3 AND 4 OF THE DOWRY PROHIBITION ACT. THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR ADMISSION THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM ORAL ORDER 1. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioners has drawn the attention of this Court to the fact that the proceedings in Crime No.0134/2021, in so far as they relate to Accused No.1 (husband), have already been - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37011 CRL.P No. 4169 of 2025 quashed by this Court in Crl.P.No.4243/2025, on the basis of a settlement duly recorded between Accused No.1 and the second respondent/complainant. It is submitted that in view of the compromise arrived at between the principal parties, the substratum of the dispute has come to an end. 2. The present petition has been filed by the in- laws of the second respondent/complainant, who figure as accused persons in the very same proceedings. Having regard to the amicable settlement in the connected criminal petition and keeping in mind that the allegations primarily arose out of matrimonial discord between the complainant and her husband, this Court is of the considered opinion that the petitioners/in-laws stand on the same footing as Accused No.1 and are, therefore, entitled to the same benefit. Once the criminal proceedings against the husband have been quashed on the basis of settlement, the continuance of prosecution against the in-laws would be an empty formality and would serve no useful purpose. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37011 CRL.P No. 4169 of 2025 3. In view of the settlement recorded in Crl.P.No.4243/2025, and in order to secure the ends of justice, the proceedings pending in Crime No.0134/2021, in so far as they concern the present petitioners, also deserve to be quashed. ORDER (i) The Criminal Petition is hereby allowed. ii) Consequently, the proceedings in C.C. No.7781/2022, pending on the file of the I Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru Rural, instituted for the offences punishable under Sections 323, 324, 498-A, 504 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act, are hereby quashed, in so far as they relate to the petitioners. Sd/- (SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM) JUDGE RHS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 28