- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49572 CRL.P No. 5982 of 2022 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN CRIMINAL PETITION NO.5982 OF 2022 (482 (Cr.PC)/528(BNSS)) BETWEEN: 1. BAYAVANDA MAHABALA ALIAS RAVI S/O B.S. POOVAIAH AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS R/AT HYSODLURU VILLAGE KODAGU-571 249. 2. BAYAVANDA KISHOR ALIAS B P KISHORE S/O B.S. POONACHA AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS R/AT HYSODLURU VILLAGE KODAGU-571 249. 3. BAYAVANDA DHANU ALIAS UTHAIAH S/O B M NANAIAH AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS R/AT HYSODLURU VILLAGE KODAGU-571 249. 4. KOTRAMADA DOREMANI S/O KOTRAMADA KARIAPPA AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS R/AT HYSODLURU VILLAGE Digitally signed by GEETHA P G Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49572 CRL.P No. 5982 of 2022 KODAGU-571 249. 5. BAYAVANDA RAJESH S/O BAYAVANDA RAMESH AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS R/AT HYSODLURU VILLAGE KODAGU-571 249. 6. BAYAVANDA POOVANNA S/O BAYAVANDA SURESH AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS R/AT HYSODLURU VILLAGE KODAGU-571 249. 7. AJJIKUTTIRA MANDANNA S/O AJJIKUTIRA POONACHA AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS R/AT HYSODLURU VILLAGE KODAGU-571 249. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. SAMRUDH SURAJ HEGDE, ADVOCATE FOR SRI. AKSHAY RAMACHANDRA HUDDAR, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY SRIMANGALA P.S KUTTA CIRCLE, KODAGU REP. BY THE SPP OFFICE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU-560 001. 2. CHANDRU P B S/O LATE BOJA - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49572 CRL.P No. 5982 of 2022 AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS R/AT HYSODLURU VILLAGE VIRAJPET TALUK KODAGU-571 249. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP., FOR R.1; SRI. B. SANJAYA, ADVOCATE FOR R.2 (ABSENT)) THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED UNDER SECTION 482 OF THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, PRAYING TO QUASH, FIR DATED 15.01.2022, REGISTERED IN CRIME NO.0004/2022 BY 1ST RESPONDENT POLICE, FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 143, 147, 504, 323, 324, 354B AND 149 OF IPC AND UNDER SECTIONS 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(1)(w), 3(2)(va) OF SC/ST (POA) AMENDMENT BILL, 2015, PURSUANT TO THE COMPLAINT DATED 15.01.2022 LODGED BY RESPONDENT NO.2, THE CHARGE SHEET BEARING NO.10/2022 DATED 07.04.2022, FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 143, 147, 504, 323, 149 OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860 AND ETC. THIS PETITION, 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 - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49572 CRL.P No. 5982 of 2022 ORAL ORDER 1. The allegations against the petitioners as per the police report in Special Case No.5018/2022 pending on the file of the II Additional District and Sessions Judge, Madikere, Kodagu District (sitting at Virajpet) are as follows:- " 17. ೇನ ೇನ ೇನ ೇನ ಸಂಪ ಸಂಪ ಸಂಪ ಸಂಪ ಾ ಾಂಶ ಾ ಾಂಶ ಾ ಾಂಶ ಾ ಾಂಶ ನಂೇೆ ಾಲೂಕು ೕಮಂಗಲ ೕ ಾ ಾ ಸರಹ#$%ೆ ೇ&ದ (ೈಸುqÀÆègÀÄ %ಾಮದ ಾ*ೋ+ಯ- ಈ /ೋ0ಾ ೋಾuÁ ಪತದ ಾಲಂ:ನಂ:14 ರ- ನಮೂ#ದ ಪ&ಷ6 7ಾ8%ೆ ೇ&ದ ಾ 1 ರವರು ತಮ: ಜ<ಾಂಗದವ ೊಂ#%ೆ =ಾಸ>ದು$ ಕೂೆಲಸ ?ಾ@ೊಂ@ರುವA/ಾB/ೆ. ಸದ& ಾ*ೋ+ಯ ಒಾ B ಾ®A:ನಂ:12 ರ- ನಮೂ#ರುವ 1 <ೇ ಆ ೋG%ೆ ¥ÉÊಾ& 7ಾಗದ- ಅನIಕೃತ=ಾB ಒತು ವ& ?ಾ@ೊಂ@ರುವ ಾK ೋಟ>ದು$, #<ಾಂಕ: 15-01-2022 ರಂದು MೆNUÉÎ 9.00 UÀAmÉUÉ PÁ®A:£ÀA:12 gÀ°è £ÀªÀÄÆ¢¹gÀĪÀ 1 jAzÀ 7 gÀªÀgÉV£À DgÉÆæUÀ¼ÀÄ ¸ÀzÀj PÁ¦ü vÉÆÃlzÀ ¨ÉðUÉ vÀAw PÀA§ ºÁQ ¨Éð ºÁPÀ®Ä §AzÀ ¸ÀªÀÄAiÀÄzÀ°è ¸ÁQë 1 jAzÀ 16 gÀªÀgÀÄUÀ¼ÀÄ ¸ÀܼÀPÉÌ ºÉÆÃV 1£Éà ಆ ೋG ಮ(ಾಬಲ ರವರನು ಕು&ತು ಈ 7ಾಗವನು ತಹೕ*ಾ$P ರವರು ಈ%ಾಗ*ೇ ಸªÉð ?ಾ@ ಪಾ& 7ಾಗ=ೆಂದು ಗುರು8 ಾ*ೋ+ಯವ&%ೆ ಮ<ೆ ಕಟ6ಲು QR6ರುವ 7ಾಗ ಆBರುತ /ೆ ಮೆ ಏೆ Mೇ° (ಾಕು8 #$ೕ ೆಂದು ೇN/ಾಗ ೊಡವ Uೕ¯ÁÓ8%ೆ ೇ&ದ 1 &ಂದ 7 ರವ ೆBನ ಆ ೋGಗಳX KೋzÉÞÃಶ#ಂದ ಅಕಮಕೂಟ ಕR6ೊಂಡು ಸYಳೆZ (ೋBದ$ ಾ/ಾರರನು ಕು&ತು ಈ 7ಾಗೆZ ೋ[\ +ಂದ ೆ6ೕ ಆಡ\P ಇ/ೆ +ೕವA ^ಾರು ೇಳಲು? ಎಂದು (ೇNzÀÝ®è/ೆ ಆ ೋGಗN%ೆ ಸದ& ಾ*ೋ+ಯ +=ಾಗಳX ಯರವ ಜ<ಾಂಗದ ಪ&ಷ6 ಪಂಗಡೆZ ೇ&ದವ ೆಂದು %ೊ8 ದ$ರೂ ಸಹ ಯರವ ಸೂaೆ ಮಕZಳನು ಇ-ಂದ ಓ@ಸMೇಕು, ಯರವ ಸೂaೆ ಮಕZaೆ +ೕವA ಇ-ಂದ /ಾR ಎಂಬು/ಾB ಾವ\ಜ+ಕ=ಾB ಅ=ಾಚe - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49572 CRL.P No. 5982 of 2022 ಶಬ$ಗNಂದ Mೈದು 7ಾ8+ಂದ<ೆ ?ಾ@ ಅವ?ಾ+ದು$, ಆ ೋGಗಳX ತಂ8 ಕಂಬಗಳನು (ಾಕದಂೆ ಾ/ಾರರು ತfೆಯಲು (ೋದ ಸಮಯದ- ಆ ೋGಗಳX ಾ 1 &ಂದ 7 ರವರುಗಳನು ತaಾg@ದ$&ಂದ ಸದ& ಾ/ಾರರ ಶ&ೕರದ hಾಗೆZ <ೋವAಂಾBರುವAದಲ-/ೆ ಾ 1 ರವರ ೈಯe-zÀÝ ಕ8 ಯು ಸದ&ಯವರ ಎಡ ೈ ಮiಕR6ನ ಹ8 ರ ಾB ತರjದಂತಹ ಾ?ಾನe ಸkರೂಪದ %ಾಯ=ಾBರುತ /ೆ. 1 <ೇ ಆ ೋGಯು ಕೃತe ಸYಳ#ಂದ vÀ£Àß ¦PÀ¥ï fÃ¥À£ÀÄß ZÁ°¸ÀĪÀ ಸಮಯದ- ಾ 8 ರವರ ಬುಜೆZ ಾB <ೋವAಂಾBದು$ ಾ 9 ರವರು ತನ nMೈo ನ- ಘಟ<ೆಯ «rAiÉÆà awæÃPÀgÀt ªÀiÁqÀ®Ä (ೋದ ಸಮಯದ- 2 <ೇ ಆ ೋGಯು nMೈo ಅನು QೕN dRAಪ@ರುವAದು ಈವ ೆBನ vÀ¤SÉqಂದ zsÀÈಢಪR6ರುªÀÅzÀjAzÀ ಆ ೋGತರ >ರುದs ಕಲಂ:143, 147, 504, 323 ೆ/« 149 ಐG ಮತು ಕಲಂ: 3(1) (r)(s), 3 (2) (V a) ಎ./ಎ.R ಾAiÉÄÝ jÃvÀå ತ^ಾ&ದ /ೋ0ಾ ೋಪ ಾ ಪತ." 2. In short, the allegations against the petitioners are that they have tried to encroach upon Government land where the complainant had put up his hut, and in the process there have been skirmishes between the petitioners and the complainant and that the complainant belongs to the Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe community and the petitioners knowing fully well that the complainant belongs to the Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe, assaulted and insulted him by making a mention of his caste. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49572 CRL.P No. 5982 of 2022 3. The case of the petitioners is that there is a dispute as to the ownership of the land concerned, and it is their land and when they tried to fence the same in the manner known to law, the complainant objected for the same and due to the provocations by the complainant there were skirmishes. It is further denied that they have abused the complainant by using his community name. It is also submitted that the petitioners did not even know the caste of the complainant. 4. The complaint lodged by the complainant does not specifically disclose as to what is the abuse hurled by the petitioners against the complainant by using his caste. It also does not disclose the fact that the petitioners knew the community to which the complainant belonged to and that the alleged act of violence has been perpetrated on the complainant because he belongs to Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe. The police report also does not throw any light in this regard. Further, the material also does not disclose that the said offences were committed in public view. Hence, in my opinion given the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, the proceedings against the complainant under the provisions - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49572 CRL.P No. 5982 of 2022 of Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(2)(va) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015, is liable to be set aside. 5. However, with regard to the other allegations i.e., the complainant tried to encroach upon public property and in the process tried to assault the complainant who has put up huts on the Government property and because of which, the complainant got physically injured, is a matter of trial. There have been allegations to that effect by the complainant and the police are of the opinion that there are sufficient evidence to prove the case against the accused/petitioners herein. Hence, the petition, insofar as it relates to the offences under Sections 143, 147, 504, 323 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, is liable to be rejected. Hence the following:- ORDER i. The petition is partly allowed. ii. The proceedings in Special Case No.5018/2022 pending on the file of the II Additional District and Sessions Judge, Madikere, Kodagu District (sitting at Virajpet), stands quashed insofar as it relates to the - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:49572 CRL.P No. 5982 of 2022 offences under Section 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(2)(va) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015. iii. In respect of the offences under Sections 143, 147, 504, 323 and 149 of the IPC, the proceedings in Special Case No.5018/2022 shall continue. iv. It is hereby made clear that the observations made herein above are only for disposal of the instant petition and any decision to be taken by the trial Court shall be based upon the material placed before it. v. This decision shall not preclude the petitioners from making any application before the trial Court including the one for discharge and the same shall be considered in accordance with law. SD/- (M.I.ARUN) JUDGE VMB List No.: 1 Sl No.: 25