- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19608 CRL.P No. 5357 of 2026 C/W WP No. 28169 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 7TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 5357 OF 2026 (482(Cr.PC) / 528(BNSS)) C/W WRIT PETITION NO. 28169 OF 2025 (GM-RES) IN CRL.P No. 5357/2026 BETWEEN: 1. SHRI. PRAVEEN KUMAR V S/O D.VENKATESH, AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, R/AT SOMNATH MUDHALIYAR STREET, VANNARPET, VIVEKNAGAR POST, BENGALURU – 560 047. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. VARSHITH REDDY B, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY JAYANAGAR POLICE STATION, BENGALURU, REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU – 560 001. 2. ONEASSIST CONSUMER SOLUTIONS PVT. LTD. 3RD FLOOR, TIMES SQUARE BUILDING, SMARTWORKS, ANDHERI-KURLA ROAD C-WING, ANDHERI (E), MUMBAI – 400 059. Digitally signed by SANJEEVINI J KARISHETTY Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19608 CRL.P No. 5357 of 2026 C/W WP No. 28169 of 2025 REPRESENTED BY ITS AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. B.N.JAGADEESHA, ADDL. SPP FOR R1) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR IN CRIME NO. 03/2026 REGISTERED BY JAYANAGAR POLICE STATION, BENGALURU, FOR OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 314, 316 AND 318 OF THE BHARATIYA NYAYA SANHITA, 2023, ARISING OUT OF P.C.R. NO. 15997/2025 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE IV ADDL. CHIEF METROPOLITAN MAGISTRATE, BENGALURU (ANNEXURE A) AND ETC., IN WP NO. 28169/2025 BETWEEN: 1. MR. GAURAV KAPIL S/O. TILAK CHAND KAPIL, AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, CHIEF - OPERATIONS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXPERIENCE OFFICER, SERVICE ONE ASSIST CONSUMER SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED 2. MS. BHANU CHAWLA D/O. MR. SHITAL DUTT CHAWLA, AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICER ONE ASSIST CONSUMER SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED 3. MR. KAUSTAV NEOGI S/O. LATE KUNAL KUMAR NEOGI, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER ONE ASSIST CONSUMER SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED PETITIONER NOS.1 TO 3 - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19608 CRL.P No. 5357 of 2026 C/W WP No. 28169 of 2025 HAVING OFFICE AND WORKING AT 3RD FLOOR, TIMES SQUARE BUILDING, SMART WORKS ANDHERI-KURLA ROAD, C-WING, GAMDEVI MAROL, ANDHERI (E), MUMBAI - 400 059. ...PETITIONERS (BY SRI. MANU PRABHAKAR KULKARNI, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, JAYANAGAR SUB-DIVISION, SOUTH END CIRCLE, BENGALURU CITY, REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR ATTACHED TO COURT HIGH COURT BUILDING, KARNATAKA - 560 001. 2. SHRI. PRAVEEN KUMAR. V S/O. D. VENKATESH, AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, RESIDING AT SOMNATH MUDHILIYAR STREET, VANNARPET, VIVEKNAGAR POST, BENGALURU - 560 047. ...RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. B.N.JAGADEESHA, ADDL. SPP FOR R1; SRI. VARSHITH REDDDY B, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 R/W SECTION 528 OF THE BNSS, 2023 PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 10.07.2025 PASSED BY THE LXX ADDITIONAL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGALURU, REFERRING P.C.R. NO. 22/2025 FOR INVESTIGATION TO RESPONDENT NO.1 I.E.,ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, JAYANAGAR SUB-DIVISION SOUTH END CIRCLE, BENGALURU CITY UNDER SECTION 175(3) OF THE BHARATIYA NAGARIK SURAKSHA SANHITA, - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19608 CRL.P No. 5357 of 2026 C/W WP No. 28169 of 2025 2024 (ANNEXURE “B”) AND ETC., THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA ORAL ORDER Petitioner in Crl.P.No.5357/2026 calls in question registration of a crime in Crime No.3/2026, for the offences under Sections 314, 316 and 318 of the BNS arising out of P.C.R.No.15997/2025 and petitioners in W.P.No.28169/2025, call in question an order dated 10.07.2025, passed by the LXX Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Sections 126, 127, 351, 353 of the BNS and Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s) and 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Petitions are a case and a counter case. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioners and respondent No.2 in both the petitions in unison submit that the parties to the lis have amicably settled their dispute amongst themselves by drawing up certain terms and conditions. Therefore, they are before this Court seeking permission to compound the - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19608 CRL.P No. 5357 of 2026 C/W WP No. 28169 of 2025 offences. The parties have filed memorandum of settlement along with a photocopy of the settlement agreement of the parties before this Court. 3. The memorandum of settlement reads as follows: “2. During the pendency of the above petition, the parties have amicably resolved the disputes inter se by way of a Settlement Agreement dated 07.04.2026, the relevant clauses of which are extracted below: "NOW THEREFORE, THIS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITNESSETH AND IT IS HEREBY AGREED BETWEEN THE PARTIES AS FOLLOWS 1. The first party has agreed to pay to the second party an amount of Rs. 5,00,000/- (Rupees Five Lakh Only) by way of Demand Draft No. "082567" drawn on Axis Bank Ltd., drawn in favor of second party, towards full and final settlement of all the dues (statutory and otherwise contractually payable) arising from his employment and association with the first party from 24.04.2017 to 06.06.2025. The said sum of Rs. 5,00,000/- (Rupees Five Lakh Only) is payable to the second party subject to compliance with condition No. (3) of this agreement. 2. In view of this full and final settlement, both the parties have agreed to resolve all the proceedings pending against each other and also against the employees of the first party. 3. In view of settlement of the above disputes between the parties, either party is at liberty to approach the Hon'ble High Court of Karnataka seeking quashment and/or withdrawal of proceedings by producing this Settlement - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19608 CRL.P No. 5357 of 2026 C/W WP No. 28169 of 2025 Agreement and the other party shall cooperate by according consent to quashing and/ or withdrawal of the criminal proceedings mentioned at clause (C) (i) and (C) (iii) of this agreement. 4. The first party has agreed to issue to the second party the following documents subject to compliance with condition no. (3): a. "Experience Cum Relieving Certificate" confirming the period of employment, permitting the second party to take up employment at another organization should he choose to do so. b. "Salary Slip/Payslip" for the last six months of second party's association with the first party. C. "Form 16 Certificate" issued under Rule 31 (1) (a) of the Income Tax Rules, 1962, in accordance with Section 203 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for financial year ending 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. d. "No Due Certificate" confirming no liability between either of the parties due to the employment of second party by first party. e. First Party has agreed to provide to the second party the appraisal letters which are available from the Financial Year 2021-22 with the first party pertaining to second party's increment during his association with the first party. 5. The parties hereby agree that with the execution of this agreement, they will not have any claims whatsoever against each other arising from the second party's employment with first party. 6. The Parties warrant that they shall not engage in any further litigation against each other and act in good faith to honor the terms of the settlement. This Settlement Agreement shall not be construed as admission of any liability or - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19608 CRL.P No. 5357 of 2026 C/W WP No. 28169 of 2025 wrongdoing by the Parties in any Court of law for any reason with respect to the second party's employment with first party. This Settlement Agreement shall be binding upon parties herein and their legal representatives 7. The parties have executed this compromise petition on their own free will, volition and without any force, coercion, misinterpretation or mistake, and the parties have fully understood the terms hereof and agree to be bound by the same." Copy of Settlement Agreement dated 07.04.2026 is produced as Document No. 1. 3. In view of the above settlement between the parties, the present joint memo may be taken on record, and the present petition may be disposed of as 'compromised' /'settled' in terms Settlement Agreement dated 07.04.2026 entered into between the parties, in the interests of justice.” In the light of the fact that the parties have arrived at settlement and since it is a dispute between individuals, I deem it appropriate to accept the memorandum of settlement and terminate the proceedings against the petitioners in both the petitions, as the allegations are not against the State. 4. For the aforesaid reasons, I pass the following: ORDER (i) The writ petition and criminal petition stand disposed. - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19608 CRL.P No. 5357 of 2026 C/W WP No. 28169 of 2025 (ii) Crime No.3/2026 impugned in Crl.P.No.5357/2026 pending before the IV Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru and the order dated 10.07.2025 passed by LXX Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru, notices dated 11.09.2025 and the proceedings in P.C.R.No.22/2025, pending before the LXX Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru, impugned in W.P.No.28169/2025, stand quashed. Sd/- (M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE NVJ List No.: 4 Sl No.: 14