- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:16296-DB WA No. 1473 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 23RD DAY OF MARCH, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE T.M.NADAF WRIT APPEAL NO. 1473 OF 2025 (L-RES) BETWEEN: 1. THE RANGE FOREST OFFICER, AMBLIGOLA, SHIKARIPURA TALUK, SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT -577214. …APPELLANT (BY SRI. M.N. SUDEV HEGDE, AGA) AND: 1. LOKESH BHOVI@ LOKESHA S/O HULAGA BHOVI, AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, R/O KALLANKLU, SALUR POST, ANJANAPURA HOBLI, SHIKARIPURA TALUK SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT -577214. …RESPONDENT (BY Ms. T.J.SULASA, ADVOCATE FOR SRI. BASAVARAJU.M, ADVOCATE) THIS WRIT APPEAL IS FILED U/S 4 OF THE KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS WRIT APPEAL AND SET ASIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 21.01.2025 PASSED Digitally signed by VASANTHA KUMARY B K Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:16296-DB WA No. 1473 of 2025 BY THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE OF THIS HON'BLE COURT IN WRIT PETITION No. 32119 OF 2019 (L-RES), ETC. THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE T.M.NADAF ORAL JUDGMENT (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH) Heard Mr. Sudev Hegde, learned Additional Government Advocate for the appellant. 2. As the amount in dispute is Rs.90,000/- which has been deposited by the appellant, we dispose of the appeal with liberty to the respondent-workman to withdraw this amount. 3. The question of law whether the respondent- workman would be treated as the workman or not, would be decided in the appropriate case, depending on the outcome of the pending issue before this Court. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:16296-DB WA No. 1473 of 2025 4. With the aforesaid, the appeal is disposed of. Sd/- (D K SINGH) JUDGE Sd/- (T.M.NADAF) JUDGE RKA List No.: 2 Sl No.: 3