- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10998 CRL.P No. 16704 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 23RD DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE M G UMA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 16704 OF 2025 BETWEEN: 1. RAGHAVENDRA P BHAT S/O PRABHAKAR BHAT AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS WORKING AT MEDI ASSIST TPR PVT LMT, IBC KNOWLEDGE PARK, DAIRY CIRCLE, BENGALURU-560029 R/AT NO.307, 3RD MAIN, JAGATJYOTHI LAYOUT, JNANBHARATHI, NAGADEVANAHALLI, BENGALURU CITY - 560 056 PRESENTLY R/AT 958, MELINKERI, HEGADE, KUMTA, UTTARA KANNADA - 581 330 2. GANAPATHI P.BHAT S/O PRABHAKAR BHAT AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS KENNA METAL 8TH MILE, NEAR PARLE MILE, NEAR PARLE FACTORY, BENGALURU - 560 057 PRESENTLY R/AT 958, MELINKERI, HEGADE, KUMTA - 581 330 3. ISHWAR HEGDE S/O LATE NARAYAN HEGDE AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS NO.008, ANAND SOMU PRESTINE, GOLLAHALLI, ANJANAPURA, BENGALURU-560108 …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. DHIRAJ A.K., ADVOCATE) Digitally signed by PRASHANTH N V Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10998 CRL.P No. 16704 of 2025 AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY P.S.I., BASAVANAGUDI WOMEN POLICE STATION, BENGALURU, REPRESENTED BY SPP HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU - 580 011 2. SHWETHA V.BHAT W/O RAGHAVENDRA P. BHAT AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, R/AT NO.152, 4TH CROSS, SARATHI NAGAR, J.P. NAGAR 8TH PHASE, BENGALURU CITY-560 108 PRESENTLY RESIDING AT BHATTARAHITAALU, BEACH ROAD, MAVALLI, MURUDESHWARA, BHATKAL TALUK, UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT-581350 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RANGASWAMY R., HCGP FOR R1 SMT. SAVITHA C., ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR REGISTERED AGAINST THE PETITIONERS IN CR.NO.222/2021 BY BASAVANAGUDI WOMEN P.S. FOR OFFENCES P/U/S. 498(A), 504, IPC R/W SEC.4 OF D.P. ACT 1961, PENDING ON THE FILE OF 37TH ADDL. C.M.M COURT BENGALURU. THIS CRL.P, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE M G UMA - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10998 CRL.P No. 16704 of 2025 ORAL ORDER Learned counsel for the petitioners and respondent No.2 submit in unison that the dispute between the parties is settled amicably. They have filed the joint memo, which reads as under: "JOINT MEMO Parties above named begs to submit as under; 1. That the present petition is filed by accused no.1, 2 & 5 seeking for quashing of FIR registered in crime no.222/2021 by Basavanagudi Women Police Station for offences punishable U/s 498A, 504 of IPC R/w Sec.4 of D.P. Act pending on the file of XXXVII ACMM (presently ACJM), Bengaluru. 2. That the marriage of the petitioner no.1 with respondent no.2 was solemnized on 07.08.2014 at Raghaveshwara Bharathi Havyaka Sabha Bhavana, Murdeshwara, Bhatkal came to be dissolved vide decree dated 16.06.2025 passed in MC No.2716/2024 by Vth Addl. Principal Judge Family Court, Bengaluru based on memorandum of settlement entered into between petitioner no.1 and respondent no.2. 3. That clause (5) & (9) of memorandum of settlement reads as under; (5) The petitioner has agreed to pay a sum of Rs.8,50,000/- (Rupees Eight Lakhs Fifty Thousand Only) to the respondent towards maintenance/permanent alimony as full and final settlement of all her claims. Out of the said amount the Rs.4,00,000/- - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10998 CRL.P No. 16704 of 2025 (Rupees Four Lakhs Only) will be paid by the petitioner to the respondent by way of electronic transfer to the respondent's account at the time of reporting settlement before the Hon'ble Court. The remaining balance amount of Rs.4,50,000/- (Rupees Four Lakhs Fifty Thousand Only) will be paid by the petitioner to the respondent by way of electronic transfer to the respondent's account at the time of quashing/closing the Crime No.222/2021 which is pending 37th ACMM, Bengaluru. (9) In view of this settlement the respondent has agreed to co-operate in closing/quashing the proceedings in Crime No.222/2021 filed at Basavanagudi Women's Police Station filed against the petitioner and other family members for the offence punishable under Section 498-A, 504 of IPC R/w Section 4 of D.P Act which pending before 37th ACMM, Bengaluru. 4. That pursuant to the decree passed in decree dated 16.06.2025 passed in MC No.2716/2024 by Vth Addl. Principal Judge Family Court, Bengaluru, petitioner no.1 has transferred a sum of Rs.4,00,000/- (Rupees Four Laktis Only) to the respondent no.2's account on 16.06.2025 and the same is acknowledged by the respondent no.2. Today petitioner no.1 has paid balance sum of Rs.4,50,000/- (Rupees Four Lakhs Fifty Thousand Only) to the respondent by DD No.500296, dated 22.01.2026, drawn on ICICI Bank, Kumta. Respondent no.2 acknowledges receipt of a sum of Rs.8,50,000/- (Rupees Eight Lakhs Fifty Thousand Only) towards full and final settlement of the permanent alimony from Petitioner No.1. True copy of Demand draft is produced herewith. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10998 CRL.P No. 16704 of 2025 5. In view of petitioner no.1 having paid the permanent alimony of Rs.8,50,000/- (Rupees Eight Lakhs Fifty Thousand Only) to the respondent no.2, marriage between them having been dissolved, both have decided to move forward independently in their lives and put quletus to all the issues between them. Hence respondent no.2 is not interested in prosecuting the petitioners for offences punishable U/s 498A, 504 of IPC R/w Sec.4 of D.P Act in crime no.222/2021 by Basavanagudi Women Police Station pending on the file of XXXVII ACMM (presently ACJM), Bengaluru. She has no objection to quash the proceedings against the Petitioners PRAYER Wherefore it is most humbly prayed that this Hon'ble Court may be pleased to allow this petition and quash the F.I.R. registered against the Petitioners in Crime No. 222/2021 by Basavanagudi Women Police Station, for offences punishable under Sec. 498(A), 504 IPC r/w Sec. 4 of D.P. Act 1961, pending on the file of 37th Addl CJM Court, Bengaluru in the interest of justice." 2. The joint memo is signed by the learned counsel for the petitioners and respondent No.2. It is also signed by petitioner No.1 and respondent No.2. 3. Petitioner No.1 and respondent No.2 have also filed the joint affidavit, which reads as under: - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10998 CRL.P No. 16704 of 2025 "JOINT AFFIDAVIT We, 1) Raghavendra P Bhat S/o Prabhakar Bhat, aged about 45 years, working at Medi Assist TPR Pvt LMT, IBC knowledge Park, Dairy Circle, Bengaluru-560029, R/at No.307, 3rd Main, Jagatjyothi Layout, Jnanabharathi, Nagadevanahalli, Bengaluru-560056, Presently r/at 958, Melinakeri, Hegde, Kumta, Uttara Kannda- 581330 and 2) Shwetha V Bhat former W/o Raghavendra P.Bhat, Aged about 40 years, R/at No.152, 4th Cross, Sarathi Nagar, J.P.Nagar 8th Phase, Bengaluru city-560 108, Presently residing at Bhattarahitaalu, Beach Road, Mavalli, Murudeshwara, Bhatkal Taluk, Uttara kannada District 581350, do on solemn affirmation state the following facts on oath. 1. We state that we are aware about entire facts of the case, hence we state the following: 2 We state that statements made in paragraphs 1 to 5 of Joint memo accompanying this affidavit are true to the best of our knowledge, information and we believe them to be true and correct." 4. Along with the joint memo and joint affidavit, the memorandum of settlement under Section 89 of CPC R/w Rules 24 and 25 of the Karnataka Civil Procedure (Mediation) Rules, 2005 is also produced. 5. Petitioner No.1 and respondent No.2 are present before the Court and they are identified by their respective counsel. - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10998 CRL.P No. 16704 of 2025 6. Petitioner No.1 and respondent No.2 admit the contents of the joint memo and respondent No.2 specifically states that the dispute between her and petitioner No.1 is settled amicably and she has no objection to allow the petition and to quash the criminal proceedings. 7. Respondent No.2 acknowledges receipt of Rs.4 lakhs paid on 16.06.2025 and also receipt of the demand draft for Rs.4,50,000/- dated 22.01.2026 as referred to in the joint memo. She has no further claim against the petitioner herein. 8. Joint memo, joint affidavit and the submissions are placed on record. The terms of the joint memo is accepted in view of the relationship between petitioner No.1 and respondent No.2. 9. In view of the above, the petition is liable to be allowed. Accordingly, I proceed to pass the following: ORDER (i) Criminal Petition is allowed. (ii) The criminal proceedings initiated against the petitioners pending in Cr.No.222/2021 - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10998 CRL.P No. 16704 of 2025 on the file of the learned 37th Additional C.M.M. Court, Bengaluru, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 498(A), 504 of IPC R/w Section 4 of DP Act 1961, is hereby quashed. In view of disposal of the main petition, pending IA No.1/2025 stands disposed off. Sd/- (M G UMA) JUDGE BH CT:VS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 13