- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:35146 WP No. 25903 of 2025 C/W WP No. 20478 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 4TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM WRIT PETITION NO. 25903 OF 2025 (GM-RES) C/W WRIT PETITION NO. 20478 OF 2024 (GM-RES) IN WP No. 25903/2025 BETWEEN: SRI. MANJUNATH V S/O. H. VEEREGOWDA AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS R/A HONNADEVIPURA SYAKALDEVANAPURA BENGALURU RURAL - 561 204 PRESENT ADDRESS MANJUNATH V MONTREAL, CANADA TRAN CANADA HWY SUITE 403, QCH4TIV6 CANADA REPRESENTED BY SPA HOLDER H. PUSHAVATHI …PETITIONER (BY SRI. NITHYANANDA K.R, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY THE NORTH WOMEN POLICE STATION, Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:35146 WP No. 25903 of 2025 C/W WP No. 20478 of 2024 BENGALURU CITY - 01. 2. SMT. A.S. LIKHITA W/O MANJUNATH NO. 80, 14TH CROSS, 1ST MAIN ROAD, SOUNDARYA LAYOUT, NIDEDAHALLI, BENGALURU - 560 073. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. M.R. PATIL, HCGP FOR R1; SRI. S.N. SRINIVASA GOWDA, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA R/W SEC. 482 OF CR.P.C PRAYING TO QUASH THE COMPLAINT DATED 16.03.2024 AND F.I.R DATED 16.03.2024 REGISTERED IN CRIME NO. 03/2024 IN FOR OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 3 AND 4 OF DOWRY PROHIBITION ACT, 1961 AND SECTION 498A AND 34 OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860 IN SO FAR AS PETITIONERS ARE CONCERNED. (ANNEXURE- A AND B). IN WP NO. 20478/2024 BETWEEN: 1. SRI. H. VEEREGOWDA S/O. HANUMAIAH AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS 2. SMT. PUSHPAVATHI W/O. SRI. H.VEEREGOWDA AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS BOTH R/AT HONNADEVIPURA SYAKALDEVANAPURA - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:35146 WP No. 25903 of 2025 C/W WP No. 20478 of 2024 BENGALURU RURAL - 561 204 3. SMT. ASHA V. W/O. SRI. HARISH PUTTASWAMY D/O VEEREGOWDA AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS R/A. RAINBOW NEST APARTMENTS, FF 44, GIDADAKONEHALLI, MUDDINAPLAYA MAIN ROAD, NAgRAGABHAVI, BENGALURU - 560 091. G SMT. ASHWINI. V W/O NATARAJU G.R. D/O VEEREGOWDA AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS 5. SRI. G,R. NATARAJU S/O RAMACHANDRAIAH H. AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS BOTH RESIDING AT SAI SUMUKHA APARTMENTS 6TH CROSS, SHIVA BADAVANE, 1 MARIYAPPANAPALYA, BANGALORE - 560 056. 6. SRI. HARISH S/O K.T. PUTTASWAMY, AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS RESIDING AT RAINBOW NEST APARTMENTS, FF 44, GIDADAKONEHALLI, MUDDINAPLAYA MAIN ROAD, NAGARABHAVI, BENGALURU - 560 091 ...PETITIONERS (BY SRI. NITHYANANDA K.R, ADVOCATE) - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:35146 WP No. 25903 of 2025 C/W WP No. 20478 of 2024 AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY THE NORTH WOMEN POLICE STATION BENGALURU CITY. 2. SMT. A.S. LIKHITA W/O MANJUNATH NO. 80, 14TH CROSS, 1ST MAIN ROAD, SOUNDARYA LAYOUT, NIDEDAHALLI, BENGALURU - 560 073. ...RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. M.R. PATIL, HCGP FOR R1; SRI. S.N. SRINIVASA GOWDA, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE COMPLIANT DATED 16.03.2024 AND FIR DATED 16.03.2024 REGISTERED IN CRIME NO.03/2024 FOR OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 3 AND 4 OF DOWRY PROHIBITION ACT, 1961 AND SECTION 498A AND 34 OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860 IN SO FAR AS PETITIONERS ARE CONCERNED (ANNX-A AND B) AND ETC., THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:35146 WP No. 25903 of 2025 C/W WP No. 20478 of 2024 ORAL ORDER W.P.No.25903/2025 is filed by the accused No.1- husband and W.P.No.20478/2024 is filed by the accused Nos.2 to 6- in-laws of complainant-wife, seeking to quash the proceedings pending in C.C.No.19293/2024 on the file of XXXII Addl. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru, for the offence punishable under Section 498-A read with 34 of IPC and Sections 3 & 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. 2. Today, a joint affidavit is placed on record by both parties. Accused No.1-husband is present before this Court through virtual mode, while the mother-in-law and the complainant-wife are present in person. The complainant-wife acknowledges before this Court that the matter has been amicably settled before the Mediation Centre, and the settlement agreement is to be placed before the Family Court in M.C. No.4284/2025 on the next date of hearing for recording of compromise. Under the terms of settlement, the husband has agreed to pay a sum - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:35146 WP No. 25903 of 2025 C/W WP No. 20478 of 2024 of 10,00,000/- (Rupees Ten Lakhs only) to the complainant-wife. Out of the said amount, a sum of 50,000/- has already been paid. To establish their bona fides, the petitioners have also produced a xerox copy of a demand draft for the balance amount of9,50,000/-, which has been served on the complainant-wife in Court today. The said demand draft bearing No.508351 dated 28.07.2025, drawn on ICICI Bank, M.G. Road Branch, Bengaluru, shall be handed over to the complainant-wife on the date when the Family Court records the decree of divorce by mutual consent. The complainant-wife has agreed to the quashing of the proceedings in C.C.No.19293/2024 in terms of this settlement. 3. In furtherance of the settlement, the husband has returned 39 grams of gold ornaments to the complainant- wife. The same has been handed over in open Court and verified personally by the complainant-wife in the presence of her father, who confirms and identifies the ornaments. It is also placed on record that, under the settlement, the - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:35146 WP No. 25903 of 2025 C/W WP No. 20478 of 2024 complainant-wife has retained 61 grams of gold, which had been gifted to her at the time of marriage by the husband. 4. In light of the above settlement and the express willingness of the complainant-wife to give a quietus to all matrimonial disputes, this Court is of the view that the criminal proceedings pending in C.C.No.19293/2024 deserve to be quashed. Though the offence punishable under Section 498-A IPC is non-compoundable, having regard to the fact that the dispute arises out of a matrimonial relationship, that the parties have amicably settled their differences, and that no heinous or serious crime is involved, this Court finds it just and appropriate to exercise its inherent jurisdiction under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to quash the proceedings in order to prevent abuse of process of law and to secure the ends of justice. 5. In view of the settlement between the parties, this Court proceeds to pass the following: - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:35146 WP No. 25903 of 2025 C/W WP No. 20478 of 2024 ORDER i) The writ petitions are hereby allowed; ii) The proceedings in C.C.No.19293/2024 on the file of the XXXII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Section 498-A read with Section 34 of IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, are hereby quashed. (iii) Accused No.1-husband shall extend full co-operation for early recording of the compromise in M.C.No.4284/2025, and on the date the marriage is formally dissolved in terms of the settlement, he shall hand over to the second respondent-wife the demand draft for a sum of 9,50,000/-, which has already been secured by him, before the Family Court. Sd/- (SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM) JUDGE YN List No.: 2 Sl No.: 179 CT: BHK