- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:20523 CRL.P No. 15154 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 15TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 15154 OF 2025 BETWEEN: 1. SMT. HEMAVATHI @ HEMA W/O. SHANTHAMURTHY H.P AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS R/AT HEBBAL VILLAGE HALEBEEDU HOBLI, BELUR TALUK HASSAN DISTRICT - 573 121. 2. SRI. SHANTHAMURTHY H.P S/O, LATE PUTTASWAMYGOWDA AGED ABOUT 74 YEARS R/AT HEBBAL VILLAGE NORT EXTENSION NEAR HEMAVATHI HOSPITAL HASSAN DISTRICT - 573 121. 3. SMT. KALPA H. S. W/O. H. P. SHARATH KUMAR AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS NOW R/AT NO.216/1 SHETTIGERE ROAD BANDIHALLI GATE KASABA HOBLI, TIPTURU TALUK TUMAKURU DISTRICT - 572 201. 4. SRI. RAGHU KUMAR H.S S/O. SHANTHAMURTHY H.P Digitally signed by SANJEEVINI J KARISHETTY Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:20523 CRL.P No. 15154 of 2025 AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS NOW R/AT NO.135, 2ND FLOOR 8TH MAIN, LAKSHMANAPPA GARDEN BANASHANKARI 3RD STAGE BANGALORE - 560 085. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI: PRASAD HEGDE K.B, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE BY WOMEN POLICE STATION HASSAN REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT COMPLEX BANGALORE - 560 001. 2. SMT. JALAJA H M W/O. MADHU HS AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS R/AT. PUSHAPAGIRI NILAYA NORTH EXTENSION, HASSSAN TOWN HASSAN - 573 201. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI: B.N. JAGADEESHA, ADDL. SPP FOR R1; SRI:LAKSHMI KESHAV SRINIVASAN, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED UNDER SECTION 482 OF CR.P.C (U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE COMPLAINT DATED 12.12.2022 AND FIR DATED 12.12.2022 IN CR.NO.70/2022 FILED BY THE 1st RESPONDENT AND FOR QUASHING OF THE ORDER PASSED BY THE PRINCIPAL CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC, HASSAN IN CC.NO.691/2023 DATED 30.11.2024 AND 07.08.2025 IN WHICH SUMMONS ARE ISSUED TO THESE PETITIONERS PURSUANT TO APPLICATION FILED BY THE 1st RESPONDENT UNDER SECTION 319 OF THE CR.P.C., FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 323, 504, 498(A), 506 OF IPC, UNDER SECTIONS 3 AND 4 OF D.P ACT, 1961. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:20523 CRL.P No. 15154 of 2025 THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA ORAL ORDER The petitioners are before the Court calling in question an order dated 07.08.2025, by which, on an application filed by the prosecution is allowed and the petitioners who had been dropped from the array of accused while filing the charge sheet are drawn back into the web of proceedings. 2. The petitioners are accused Nos.2, 3, 4 and 5. At the time of registration of crime in Crime No.70 of 2022 for the offences punishable under Sections 498-A, 504, 506 and 323 of the IPC, the police conducted investigation and filed a charge sheet only against the husband and not against the mother-in- law, father-in-law, brother-in-law or other members of the family. The trial commences. During the course of evidence, it transpires that the wife projects certain allegations against the persons who had been dropped from the array of accused while filing the charge sheet. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:20523 CRL.P No. 15154 of 2025 3. The evidence of the complainant reads as follows: "ಮುಖ ಾರ ೆ:- ಸಾಯಕ ಸಾ ಅೕಜಕಂದ: ಾಸ 2 ನನ ತಂೆ. ಾಸ 3 ನನ ೊಡಪ!, ಾಸ 4 ನನ "ಕ#ಪ!, ಾಸ 5 ಮತು$ 6 ರವರ ಪಚಯ ಇೆ. 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Upon this, an application is preferred by the prosecution under Section 319 of Cr.P.C. The concerned Court, oblivious to the procedure prescribed in law, straight away, without even issuing notice, draws these petitioners as accused into the web of proceedings all over again. 5. In light of the settled principle of law that a notice under Section 319 of Cr.P.C. is a must to the accused before they are drawn into the web of proceedings after having been dropped from the array of accused while filing the charge sheet, the petition deserves to succeed reserving liberty to the - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:20523 CRL.P No. 15154 of 2025 concerned Court to act in accordance with law bearing in mind the observations made in the course of the order. 6. For the aforesaid reasons, the following: ORDER (i) Criminal Petition is allowed in part. (ii) The order dated 07.08.2025 stands quashed. (iii) The matter is remitted back to the hands of the concerned Court to bear in mind the observations made in the course of the order, then pass necessary orders. Sd/- (M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE BGN List No.: 2 Sl No.: 12