- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10324 CRL.P No. 13930 of 2023 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 17THDAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 13930 OF 2023 (482(Cr.PC) / 528(BNSS)-) BETWEEN: CHARANJITH SINGH CHANDOK S/O HARJIT SINGH CHANDOK, AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, R/AT NO.55, 2NDFLOOR, 3RD CROSS, JOURNALIST COLONY, J.C.NAGARA, BANGALORE - 560 002 ALSO AT NO. 693, RAJ NILAYA, SHANTHINIKETAN LAYOUT, BANNERGHATTA ROAD, ARAKERE, BANGALORE - 560 076. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. KETHAN KUMAR., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, P.S. BENGALURU (CCB POLICE, W AND N WING) REPT BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU - 560001. 2. M H SATHISH INSPECTOR OF POLICE, Digitally signed by VARSHA N RASALKAR Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10324 CRL.P No. 13930 of 2023 WOMEN AND NARCOTIC DRUGS SQUAD C.C.B., N.T.PET BENGALURU - 560002. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. M.R. PATIL., HCGP FOR R1 & R2) THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED U/S 482 CR.PC PRAYING TO QUASH THE PROCEEDINGS IN S.C.NO.1591/2023 PENDING BEFORE THE FILE OF HONBLE LXXI ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT BENGALURU (CCH-72) IN RESPECT OF CR.NO.611/2014 DATED 28.08.2014 FILED BY KORAMANGALA POLICE FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 188, 370A, 370(3), 294 R/W 109 OF IPC AND SEC. 35 OF THE KARNATAKA EXCISE ACT AND ETC. THIS CRIMINAL PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ ORAL ORDER 1. The Petitioner is before this Court seeking for the following reliefs: i. Quash the proceeding in S.C.No.1591/2023 pending before the file of Hon'ble LXXI Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge at Bengaluru (CCH-72) in respect of Crime No.611/2014 dated 28.08.2014 filed by Koramangala Police for the offence punishable under Section 188, 370(A), 370(3), 294 R/w 109 of IPC and Section 35 of the Karnataka Excise Act; ii. Call for records from the Hon'ble LXXI Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge at Bengaluru (CCH-72) in S.C.No.1591/2023; - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10324 CRL.P No. 13930 of 2023 iii. Grant such other relief or reliefs as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit to grant in the facts and circumstance of the case in the interest of justice.". 2. Based on a suo motu complaint lodged by one Satish M. H., Police Inspector, Women and Narcotics Drugs Squad CCBNT Pet, Bengaluru, a case was registered against one Ashok Rai, who was arrayed as accused No.2 and 48 others for the offences punishable under Sections 188, 370(3), 370(A), 294, and 109 of IPC read with Section 35 of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, in Crime No. 611/2014 dated 28.08.2014. 3. The allegation made in the said complaint was that on 27.08.2014 at about 07.30 p.m. when the complainant received specific information from informers that at Ashoka Residency, situated at No.37, Narayana Reddy Layout, Koramangala, 6th Block, the owners and management of the said bar and restaurant were indulging in illegal and immoral activities in the said bar and restaurant.On a raid being conducted, it was found that there were - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10324 CRL.P No. 13930 of 2023 several illegal activities and certain girls were brought from other States and Countries, who were carrying on immoral activities. 4. It is in that background that an investigation was taken up and a charge sheet was filed in SC.No.1591/2023. It is challenging that the petitioner is before this Court seeking the aforesaid reliefs. 5. The submission of Sri Kethan Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioner, is that there is absolutely no averment made against the petitioner insofar as the offences are concerned, except to rely on a lease agreement, which was only for a period of 1 year and 3 months and ended on 11.02.2012, and the petitioner has nothing to do with the said premises. 6. The incident is stated to have occurred in the year 2014, much after the expiry of the lease of the - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10324 CRL.P No. 13930 of 2023 petitioner, and as such, the petitioner could not be arrayed as an accused in the said proceedings. 7. In this regard, he relies upon the statement of witnesses, the mahazar witness, as well as the statements of the victim bar girls and submits that none of them has implicated the petitioner. All of them have implicated Mr. Ashok Rai, stating that he is running the said business in the premises. 8. A perusal of the statement of the witnesses does not indicate that any of them had named the petitioner in their statements. The lease agreement, which has been placed on record, was executed on 12.11.2010 and was in force for a period of 1 year and 3 months. Although the prosecution relies on the endorsement that the lease has been extended for a further period of 3 years on 12.11.2012, the said extension bears only the signature of Ashok Rai and not that of the petitioner. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10324 CRL.P No. 13930 of 2023 9. This is coupled with the fact that there is no witness who has spoken against the petitioner, and the document which was placed on record does not bear the signature of the petitioner. The original of the lease, in the custody of the petitioner, was also made available to this Court. A perusal of which does not indicate any such endorsement having been made in the said original document. This, coupled with the fact that none of the witnesses has named the petitioner, but all of them have named Ashok Rai, who admittedly is the owner of the building and the CL-7 license holder. 10. In that view of the matter, I am of the considered opinion that there is nothing on record implicating the petitioner with any of the offences sought to be made out against the petitioner. 11. As such, I pass the following: - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:10324 CRL.P No. 13930 of 2023 ORDER i) Criminal petition is allowed. ii) The proceedings in SC.No.1591/2023 arising out of Crime No.611/2014 pending on the file of LXXI Additional City Civil and Session Judge, Bengaluru insofar as the petitioner- accused No.50 is concerned, are quashed. Sd/- (SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE KTY List No.: 2 Sl No.: 0