- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46311 CRL.P No. 9282 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 5579 of 2023 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 13TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 9282 OF 2023 (482(Cr.PC) / 528(BNSS)) C/W CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 5579 OF 2023 (482(Cr.PC) / 528(BNSS)) IN CRL.P No. 9282/2023 BETWEEN: 1. SRI. RAVEENA M.T. AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS S/O THAMMEGOWDA RESIDING AT NO.60, BASAVANGUDI UNION AND SERVICE CLUB, GANDHI BAZAR BASAVANAGUDI BANGALORE-560 004. 2. SRI. MOHAN KUMAR AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS S/O RAMU, R/AT NO.113/1 9TH MAIN, 3RD CROSS VILSONGARDEN BANGALORE-560 027. 3. SRI. CHANDU B.P. AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS S/O PUTTARAJU RESIDING AT KODIHALLI HAL 2ND STAGE, BANGALORE-560 008. Digitally signed by GEETHA P G Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46311 CRL.P No. 9282 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 5579 of 2023 4. SRI. PRASAD M.S. AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS S/O MANJUNATH R/AT KRISHNA RESIDENCY B BLOCK, 9TH B CROSS J.P.NAGAR I PHASE BANGALORE-560 078. 5. SRI. RUDRESH AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS S/O PUTTASWAMYGOWDA R/AT NO.270, 11TH CROSS 11TH MAIN, MARUTHINAGAR BANGALORE-560 029. 6. SRI. VINAY N. AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS S/O LATE NAGARAJU R/AT NO.252, 7TH MAIN 4TH CROSS, JP NAGAR 4TH PHASE, BANGALORE-560 078. 7. SRI. KUMAR G. AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS S/O LATE GOPAL R.AT NO.11, I CROSS RAMA LAYOUT, KATRIGUPPE BANGALORE-560 085. 8. SRI. SUDHINDRA BABU AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS S/O LATE NARAYAN P. RESIDING AT NO.35, NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ROAD V.V.PURAM, BANGALORE-560 004. 9. SRI. RAMESH BABU AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS S/O LATE RAGHURAMAREDDY R/AT NO.48, SUBBARAYA J.P.STREET, BASAVAGUDI - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46311 CRL.P No. 9282 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 5579 of 2023 BANGALORE-560 004. 10. SRI. RAGHU AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS S/O LATE INDRESH R/AT NO.13, CHUNCHAGHATTA I CROSS, KONANAKUNTE BANGALORE-560 062. 11. SRI. CHANDRASHEKHAR AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS S/O NAGARAJAYYA R/AT NO.482, VINAYAKA LAYOUT NAGARABAVI, BANGALORE-560 072. 12. SRI. VISHWANATH SHETTY AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS S/O NAGARAJASHETTY R/AT NO.14, 4TH MAIN 10TH A CROSS, SRINAGAR BANGALORE-560 050. 13. SRI. DWARAKANATH AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS S/O LATE KIRPANAND R/AT NO.18, S.B.ROAD V.V.PURAM, BANGALORE-560 004. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. R.A.CHANDRASHEKARA REDDY, ADVOCATE FOR SRI. DWARAKA NATH H.S., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE BY BASAVANGUDI POLICE STATION BASAVANAGUDI, K.R.ROAD BENGALURU-560 004. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. K.NAGESHWARAPPA, HCGP) - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46311 CRL.P No. 9282 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 5579 of 2023 THIS CRL.P. IS FILED UNDER SECTION 482 OF CR.P.C. PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER OF HON'BLE METROPOLITAN MAGISTRATE TRAFFIC COURT IV, BENGALURU IN C.C.NO.2956/2023 DATED 17.02.2023 TAKING COGNIZANCE OF OFFENCE PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 79 AND 80 OF KARNATAKA POLICE ACT AND ISSUING SUMMONS TO THE PETITIONERS VIDE ANNEXURE-A. IN CRL.P NO. 5579/2023 BETWEEN: 1. SRI. RAMESH BABU S/O LATE SRI. S.K.CHANDRASHEKAR AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS R/A NO.208, SRI ARVIND RESIDENCY 1ST MAIN, 1ST CROSS, HARSHA LAYOUT YELACHENAHALLI, BENGALURU-560 078. ...PETITIONER (BY SRI. R.A.CHANDRASHEKAR REDDY, ADVOCATE FOR SRI. DWARAKA NATH H.S., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE BY BASAVANGUDI POLICE STATION BASAVANAGUDI, K.R.ROAD BENGALURU-560 004. REPRESENTED BY SPP HIGH COURT BUILDING. ...RESPONDENT (BY SRI. K.NAGESHWARAPPA, HCGP) THIS CRL.P. IS FILED UNDER SECTION 482 OF CR.P.C. PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER OF HON'BLE METROPOLITAN MAGISTRATE TRAFFIC COURT IV BENGALURU IN C.C.NO.2956/2023 DATED 17.03.2023 TAKING COGNIZANCE OF OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 79 & 80 OF KARNATAKA POLICE ACT & ISSUING SUMMONS TO THE PETITIONER VIDE ANNEXURE-A. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46311 CRL.P No. 9282 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 5579 of 2023 THESE PETITIONS COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THROUGH PHYSICAL HEARING/VIDEO CONFERENCING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN ORAL ORDER The petitioners along with few others have been arrayed as accused in C.C.No.2956/2023 pending on the file of Metropolitan Magistrate Traffic Court-IV, Bengaluru. They have been charged with the offences under Sections 79 and 80 of the Karnataka Police Act, 1963. It has been alleged against the petitioners that they were involved in gambling. 2. The case of the petitioners is that, they were playing the game of rummy (a card game), which is considered a game of skill and not gambling. It is further submitted that in respect of other accused who were similarly placed, the proceedings against them have been quashed by the co-ordinate Bench of this Court in Crl.P.No.11837/2023. 3. The learned High Court Government Pleader upon instructions submits that the petitioners were involved in the game of rummy which is a game of skill. He also admits that the co- - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:46311 CRL.P No. 9282 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 5579 of 2023 ordinate Bench of this Court has quashed the proceedings insofar as few of the other accused in Crl.P.No.11837/2023. 4. Under the said circumstances, as the petitioners were playing a game of skill and not that of gambling and in respect of similarly situated persons, proceedings have been quashed by the co-ordinate Bench of this Court, I do not see any reason why the same benefit should not be given to the petitioners herein. 5. For the aforementioned reasons, the proceedings in C.C.No.2956/2023 pending on the file of Metropolitan Magistrate Traffic Court-IV, Bengaluru insofar as it relates to the petitioners herein are concerned stand quashed. The criminal petitions stand allowed accordingly. SD/- (M.I.ARUN) JUDGE PGG List No.: 1 Sl No.: 22