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Digitally signed by LUCYGRACE Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - ** $! * * ( & ( * "' & * THIS APPEAL HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED ON 09.01.2025, COMING ON FOR PRONOUNCEMENT OF JUDGMENT THIS DAY, THE COURT DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING - ( ( $ - ( ( ! ./0 122314 /0 5/637835 191/:08 8.3 ;<59=3:8 1:5 1>165 210035 ?@ 8.3 4316:35 3:/A6 /B/4 (<593 1:5 A==/00/A:36 CA6 &A6D=3:E0 A=23:018/A: 101B1D14@1: /: A"' 51835 >.363?@ 8.3 4/1?/4/8@ 8A 21@ 8.3 7A=23:018/A: >10 C1083:35<2A:8.3/:0<61:737A=21:@ - 3 - .32168/30>A<45?363C36635102368.3/661:D0 ?3CA638.3A==/00/A:36 $ .3 ?6/3C C1780 AC 8.3 7103 163 8.18 8.3 53731035 .1:530. >10 >A6D/:9 A: 8.3 4A66@ ?316/:9 39 A+',?34A:9/:98A8.36302A:53:8 AF 61:02A68A=21:@1:5/:0<635?@8.36302A:53:8 AF :0<61:73 A=21:@ : $ 8.3 53731035 .1:530.>10A:8.34A15354A66@1:5>10A:8.3>1@8A <=?1/ C6A= @5361?15 >.3: :316 1:5614 B/44193 A: + /: 8.3 >33 .A<60 AC '$ 8.3 53731035 F .1:530. >10 56/B/:9 8.3 01=3 1:5 .3 C1/435 8A 7A:86A4 1:5510.358A16A150/536335<38A>./7..30<081/:35 /:;<6/301:55/35188.302A8.3238/8/A:360>.A1638.3 2163:80 1:5 ?6A8.36 AC 8.3 53731035 C/435 8.3 741/= 238/8/A: 7A:83:5/:9 8.18 8.3@ 163 3:8/8435 CA6 8.3 7A=23:018/A: <:536 378/A: AC 8.3 =24A@330 A=23:018/A:78 - 4 - # .36302A:53:80 A1:5>.A1638.3A>:36 1:5/:0<636AC8.34A66@12231635?3CA638.3A==/00/A:36 1:5C/4358.3/6>6/883:08183=3:8"A?;378/A:0 .36302A:53:8 A7A:83:5358.188.363>10 :A 0<7. 63418/A: AC 3=24A@33 1:5 3=24A@36 >/8. 8.3 537310358/053:/358.188.353731035F.1:530.>10 8.356/B36AC8.34A66@A>:35?@/8?<8A:8.3A8.36.1:5 8.3 56/B36 >10 AB/:5 >.A >10 140A A: 8.3 01=3 4A66@ 1:50<77<=?358A8.3/:;<6@A:8.3>1@8A8.3A02/8148 >1015=/88358.18AB/:5>108.34A66@56/B361:5.3>10 3:91935A:7A:86178?10/01:5<0358A81D38.34A66@C6A= A:3 24173 8A 1:A8.36 24173 CA6 1 73681/: 7A:86178<14 1=A<:8 1:5 .3 >10 1 56/B36 A: 7144 .363CA63 /C 18 144 AB/:5.153:919358.353731035F.1:530./8/0:A88A 8.3/6 D:A>43593 1:5 8.3@ 163 :A8 4/1?43 A>3B36 /8 /0 15=/88358.188.301/54A66@.15=38>/8.1:177/53:81:5 8.3 01/5 4A66@ >10 /:0<635 >/8. 6302A:53:8 A F /:0<61:73 7A=21:@ 8 >10 140A 7A:83:535 8.18 3164/36 A'+" >10 C/435 ?@ 8.3 238/8/A:360 8.3 01=3 - 5 - >10630/0835?@8.36302A:53:801:541836/8>105/0=/0035 CA6:A:26A037<8/A:.363CA638.326303:8238/8/A:/0:A8 =1/:81/:1?43 ' .3 6302A:53:8 A F /:0<61:73 7A=21:@ 7A:83:5358.18>.3:8.36302A:53:8 A.1053:/35;<614 63418/A:0./2AC3=24A@331:53=24A@36/8/0:A8?A<:58A /:53=:/C@8.36302A:53:8 A8>10140A7A:83:5358.18 8.3836=01:57A:5/8/A:0AC8.32A4/7@163B/A41835?@8.3 6302A:53:8 A 1:5 /80 56/B36 .363CA63 8.3 4/1?/4/8@ 191/:08 8.3 6302A:53:8 A /0 8A ?3 1?0A4B35 8 /0 7A:83:5358.188.353731035F.1:530.>.A>1056/B/:9 8.3 4A66@ >10 :A8 .1B/:9 1:@ 56/B/:9 4/73:03 10 =1@ ?3 CA<:5 C6A= 8.3 2A4/73 212360 .3 238/8/A: 8.A<9. C/435 <:5368.3=24A@330A=23:018/A:78/:BA4B301=A8A6 B3./7432A4/7@1:5100<7./8=1@?3236=/88358A81D3144 53C3:731B1/41?438A8.3A>:36<:5368.32A4/7@1:5 78 - 6 - , : 8.3 ?10/0 AC 8.3 1?AB3 7A:83:8/A:0 8.3 CA44A>/:9/00<30>363C61=35?@8.36/?<:14 ! " #$ % & ' ( $ ) ( ( $ * $+ ', $ $ - 7 - .3238/8/A:36 A>103G1=/:3510&1:5 G8A,>363=16D35.3=1:1936AC8.36302A:53:8 A >10 3G1=/:35 & 1:5 G 8A # >363 =16D35 .3 6302A:53:8 A F /:0<61:73 7A=21:@ 5/5 :A8 4315 1:@ 3B/53:73 C836 .316/:9 ?A8. 8.3 0/530 8.3 6/?<:14 1:0>3635 8.3 /00<30 C61=35 /: 8.3 1CC/6=18/B3 1:5 1>165358.37A=23:018/A:AC0'"1:55/637835 8.3 6302A:53:8 A F /:0<61:73 7A=21:@ 8A 21@ 8.3 01=3 + 3/:9 1996/3B35 ?@ 8.3 01/5 ;<59=3:8 8.3 6302A:53:8 AF/:0<61:737A=21:@/0?3CA638./0A<68 : 8.3 122314 ?3/:9 .3165 8.3 CA44A>/:9 0<?081:8/14 H<308/A:0 AC 41> C61=35 ?@ 8./0 A<68 A: +# + " " # & - ( - '( & '- . , - 8 - - - ' - ( $ " " # & ( - ( )/ 01# - 23 . ( 2 ( %4501# - " ++' . 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12 - A8.365A7<=3:8071839A6/7144@=3:8/A:8.188.34A66@>10 4A1535 >/8. 7.3=/714 ?166340 1:5 03B3614 4A66/30 0816835 C6A=@5361?158A938.368>100818358.18AB/:51>10 8.356/B361:58.353731035.1:530.>108.37431:36 8/0140A0818358.188.353731035.1:530.>1056/B/:9 8.3B3./7431:5AB/:51>1004332/:9/:8.371?/:188.3 8/=3AC177/53:8.37.16930.338>./7./018G5A :A8=3:8/A:1:@8./:91?A<88.356/B/:94/73:03 8/02368/:3:88A:A838.188.38308/=A:@AC8.3 & 144/D16;<: 1A 0.A>0 8.18 .3 /0 <:1>163 1?A<8 8.3 53731035 F .1:530. 1:5 .3 :3B36 081835 1:@8./:9 1?A<8 8.3 56/B/:9 4/73:03 .363CA63 >.3: & 1:5 8.3 238/8/A:360.1B3C1/4358A3081?4/0.8.188.363>101B14/5 56/B/:9 4/73:03 /8 .10 8A ?3 .345 8.18 8.3 836=0 1:5 7A:5/8/A:0AC8.32A4/7@163B/A418358/0140A2368/:3:88A :A838.1810<99308/A:=153?@8.3238/8/A:3608.18.3/0 532A0/:9 C1403 /: A6536 8A 1BA/5 8.3 21@=3:8 AC 7A=23:018/A: 10 8.3 53731035 .1:530. /0 :A8 .1B/:9 B14/556/B/:94/73:03>1053:/35?@./= - 13 - + .<0/8/0743168.188.326/=16@?<653:AC8.3 238/8/A:3608.188.353731035F.1:530.>10.1B/:9B14/5 56/B/:94/73:03/0:A83081?4/0.35B/53:84@8.3C1788.18 8.3 53731035 .1:530. >10 56/B/:9 8.3 4A66@ /0 :A8 /: 5/02<83.363CA63/8>10/:7<=?3:8<2A:8.3238/8/A:360 8A0.A>8.188.353731035.1:530..151B14/556/B/:9 4/73:03 ?<8 0<7. ?<653: .1B/:9 :A8 ?33: 5/07.16935 ?@ 8.3= /8 .10 8A ?3 .345 8.18 8.363 /0 :A 0<7. 56/B/:9 4/73:03 : B/3> AC B/A418/A: AC 836=0 1:5 7A:5/8/A:0 AC 8.32A4/7@/8/08.36302A:53:8 AFA>:36AC8.3B3./743 >./7. /0 4/1?43 8A 21@ 8.3 7A=23:018/A: 0<?;378 8A 8.3 A8.36 7A:83:8/A:0 61/035 : 8.18 B/3> AC 8.3 =18836 8.3 4316:35 A==/00/A:36 >10 :A8 ;<08/C/35 /: C1083:/:9 8.3 4/1?/4/8@A:8.36302A:53:8 AF/:0<61:737A=21:@ 8/06343B1:88A:A838.188.37A:83:8/A:AC8.3 6302A:53:8 AFA>:368.18/8>10<:1>163AC8.3C178 8.188.353731035.1:530.>1081D3:1017431:36?@ AB/:51140A/0:A8236=/00/?43CA68.30/=2436310A:8.18 8.A<9.AB/:5?3/:98.37A:861783=24A@33.153:91935 8.3 53731035 .1:530. /8034C >A<45 630<48 /: 8.3 - 14 - 6302A:53:8 A?3/:926/:7/2433=24A@36.363CA638./0 169<=3:8AC8.36302A:53:8 A>10/=236=/00/?433B3: /C 8.3 & .15 :A8 15=/8835 8.3 ;<614 63418/A:0./2 /: G .3 :3G8 102378 /0 >.38.36 8.3 238/8/A: >10 ?16635?@8/=3 ?B/A<04@8.3238/8/A:360.151226A17.35 8.3 <:536 378/A: '' AC 8.3 78 1:5 0<7. 238/8/A:>10:A82<60<35?@8.3=.37A2@AC8.3A6536 0.338 AC 8.3 26A5<735 18 G# >A<45 0.A> 8.18 8.3 238/8/A: >10 5/0=/0035 >/8. 4/?368@ 8A 1226A17. 8.3 & A<68 : 8.18 B/3> AC 8.3 =18836 >.3: 8.3 4/?368@ >10 9/B3: 8.3 8/=3 7A:0<=35 ?3CA63 8.3 8/44 $# .10 8A ?3 3G74<535 3:73 8.3 96A<:5 AC 630;<5/7181>106/9.84@:391835?@8.3A==/00/A:36 $ : 8.18 B/3> AC 8.3 =18836 8.3 1223441:8 F /:0<61:73 7A=21:@ ?3/:9 ?A<:5 ?@ 8.3 26AB/0/A: AC 8.3 78+1:58.3836=01:57A:5/8/A:AC8.32A4/7@/0 ;<08/C/35 /: 033D/:9 1?0A4B3=3:8 C6A= 4/1?/4/8@ 3:73 037A:5 0<?081:8/14 H<308/A: AC 41> /0 1:0>3635 /: :3918/B3 - 15 - # .38./654108AC8.37103107A:83:535?@8.3 4316:357A<:034CA68.31223441:8/08.188.37A==/00/A:36 36635 /: .A45/:9 8.3 /:7A=3 18 0" 236 =A:8. 8.A<9.8.3238/8/A:3607A:83:5358.18/8/00"236 =A:8.8/02368/:3:8:A838.188.3:A8/C/718/A:/00<35?@ 8.3 /:/086@ AC 1?A<6 1:5 =24A@=3:8 AB36:=3:8 AC :5/1 51835 $ 4/=/80 8.3 >1930 8.18 7A<45 ?3 81D3:<:5368.326AB/0/A:0AC378/A:#AC8.3788A 0"236=A:8..363CA638.3A==/00/A:3636635 /: .A45/:9 8.3 /:7A=3 18 0" .3 7A=23:018/A: >A<45 >A6DA<8 8A 0" G J G $, K 0#" ?@ 81D/:9 8.3 1226A26/183 C178A6 10 236 7.35<43CA68.3193AC@3160:155/8/A:8A/88.3 238/8/A:360 163 140A 3:8/8435 CA6 1 0<= AC 0" 8A>16508.3C<:36143G23:030 : B/3> AC 8.3 1?AB3 5/07<00/A: 8.3 122314 53036B308A?3144A>353:738.3CA44A>/:9L - 16 - .3122314/0144A>35 .31223441:8F/:0<61:737A=21:@/01?0A4B35C6A= 21@/:98.37A=23:018/A:1=A<:8 .3A>:36AC8.34A66@8.36302A:53:8 A#.363/:/0 5/6378358A21@8.37A=23:018/A:8A8.36302A:53:80 A8A$ .3 7A=23:018/A: /0 6310035 18 0+#" /:08315 AC 0'" 1>16535 ?@ 8.3 A==/00/A:36 V. .3 6308 AC 8.3 A6536 /: 6302378 AC /:836308 1:5 532A0/8 210035 ?@ 8.3 A==/00/A:36 63=1/: <:1483635 5" ' $! ) $ (( /08 A4 A'