- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30464 CRL.P No. 6731 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 1076 of 2022 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 19TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 6731 OF 2023 C/W CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 1076 OF 2022 IN CRL.P No. 6731/2023 BETWEEN: 1. SRI. SRINIVAS. K. S. S/O LATE KAMAIAH AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, RESIDENT OF HONNENAHALLI ROAD, K.H.B COLONY, TUMAKUR - 572 211. 2. SRI. JAYANNA M.D. S/O DODDANINGAPPA AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS. RESIDING AT NO. 305, B BLOCK, FRONT OF VIAJAYANAGAR BLOCK, VIJAYA NAGARA, BENGALURU - 560 040. 3. SRI. UDAYAKUMAR K. S/O LATE K.P. ACHARYA, AGED ABOUT 61 YEARS, RESIDING AT NO. 44, 3RD MAIN, 4TH CROSS, Digitally signed by PADMAVATHI B K Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30464 CRL.P No. 6731 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 1076 of 2022 VINAYAKANAGARA, BENGALURU - 560 040. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. SHRIDHARA K, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY YALAHANKA NEW TOWN POLICE, REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR. HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AMBEDKAR BEEDI, BENGALURU - 560 001. 2. SRI. B.C. SHIVANANDA MURTHY D.C.M. (ALLOTMENT) KARNATAKA HOUSING BOARD, CAUVERY BHAVAN, BENGALURU - 560 009. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. K. NAGESHWARAPPA, HCGP FOR R1; SRI. RAGHAVENDRA A. KULKARNI, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 OF CR.PC PRAYING TO QUASH THE ENTIRE PROCEEDINGS INITIATED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT IN C.C.NO.15648 OF 2019 (ANNEXURE-A) PENDING ON THE FILE OF IV ADDL. CHIEF METROPOLITAN MAGISTRATE AT BENGALURU FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 409, 420 AND 34 OF IPC. IN CRL.P NO. 1076/2022 BETWEEN: SRI. KRISHNAMURTHY C S/O LATE SRI M.V.CHINNARAYANAPPA AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30464 CRL.P No. 6731 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 1076 of 2022 PRESENTLY WORKING AT KARNATAKA HOUSING BOARD, BENGALURU - 560 020. ...PETITIONER (BY SMT. MAMATHA ROY, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY YELAHANKA NEW TOWN POLICE STATION, BENGALURU - 560 064 REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE - 560 001. 2. DEPUTY CHIEF MANAGER (ALLOTMENT) KARNATAKA HOUSING BOARD, CAUVERY BHAVAN, BENGALURU - 560 001. ...RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. K. NAGESHWARAPPA, HCGP FOR R1; SRI. RAGHAVENDRA A. KULKARNI, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.482 OF CR.P.C PRAYING TO i. SET ASIDE THE DATED 04.06.2019 PASSED BY THE IV ADDL.C.M.M., BENGALURU IN C.C.NO.15648/2019, TAKING COGNIZANCE OF THE OFFENCES P/U/S 409, 420 R/W 34 OF IPC, VIDE ANNEXURE - A. THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30464 CRL.P No. 6731 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 1076 of 2022 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA ORAL ORDER The petitioners/accused Nos.1 to 4 are before the Court calling in question proceedings in C.C.No.15648/2019 registered for offences punishable under Sections 409, 420 and 34 of the IPC. 2. Heard Sri Shridhara K, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners in Crl.P.No.6731/2023, Smt. Mamatha Roy, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners in Crl.P.No.1076/2022, Sri K. Nageshwarappa, HCGP for respondent No.1 and Sri Raghavendra A Kulkarni, learned counsel appearing for respondent No.2 in both the petitions. 3. Facts adumbrated are as follows: The second respondent is the complainant - the Karnataka Housing Board. A complaint comes to be registered on 04.01.2016 before the jurisdictional police, which becomes a crime in Crime No.2/2016 for the afore-quoted offences. The fulcrum of the complaint, is as follows: " ಸಂೆ: ಕಗೃಮಂ/ಉಪವ(ಾೇ)/ಹಂೆ/2015-16 - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30464 CRL.P No. 6731 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 1076 of 2022 ರವೆ, ೕ ಇ ೆಕ !, ಯಲಹಂಕ ಉಪನಗರ ೕ %ಾ&ೆ, ಯಲಹಂಕ ಉಪನಗರ, 'ೆಂಗಳ)ರು. +ಾನ,ೆ, -ಷಯಃ- ಕ0ಾ1ಟಕ ಗೃಹ ಮಂಡ4ಯ 5ಯಮ'ಾ6ರ7ಾ8 57ೇಶನದ ಕಯಪತ 5ೕ<ರುವ/ಪ=ೆ>ರುವವರ -ರುದ? @AನB CಕದDE Fಾಖಸುವ ಬೆI. ಉJೆKೕಖಃ- ಗೃಹ ಆಯುಕMರು, ಕ0ಾ1ಟಕ ಗೃಹ ಮಂಡ4, 'ೆಂಗಳ)ರು ರವರ ಕNೇ ಆFೇಶದ ಪತ ಸಂೆಃ ಕಗೃಮಂ/ಆಡ4ತ/O.Pಾ.1/Qಆ!-27/2015-16, ¢£ÁAPÀ 19-12- 2015. EೕಲRಂಡ -ಷಯೆR ಸಂಬಂSOದಂTೆ, ಯಲಹಂಕ ಉಪನಗರದ ೆಕ !-ಎ ಬ=ಾವ&ೆಯKನ 57ೇಶನ ಸಂೆ: 63, ಎಂ.ಐ.W. ಈ 57ೇಶನವY Zೕ ಚರ\W] ೋಲ _ >7ಾಚಂ` ೋಲ, Qurts No. C-4, Air Force Quarters, Sion (East), Mumbai-400022 EªÀgÀ ºÉ¸ÀjUÉ ಹಂೆaಾ8ದುD, >0ಾಂಕಃ 23- 03-1977 ರK ಗುbMೆ ಕ,ಾರು ಕಯಪತವನುc 5ೕ<ದುD, ಸದಯವೆ >0ಾಂಕಃ 25-01-1995 ರಂದು ಮಂಡ4dಂದ ಶುದ? ಕಯಪತವನುc 5ೕಡJಾ8Fೆ. ಸದ ಹಂೆFಾರರು >0ಾಂಕಃ 06-03-1995 ರಂದು =ಾ|| Q. +ಾದವಮೂb1 ಎಂಬುವವೆ ಶುದ? ಕಯಪತವನುc +ಾ<ೊe ರುTಾM,ೆ. ಸದ 57ೇಶನವನುc Zೕ ಚರ\W] ೋಲ _ >7ಾಚಂ` ೋಲ ರವರು >0ಾಂಕಃ 28-04-2015 ರಂದು ಸfಾಯಕ ಾಯ1ಾಲಕ ಅhಯಂತರರು, ಕಗIಮಂ, ಯಲಹಂಕ ಇವೆ ಮನ- ಸKO, ಮನ-ಯK 57ೇಶನ ಸಂೆ: 63, ಎಂ.ಐ.W. ೆಕ !-ಎ, ಇದರ - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30464 CRL.P No. 6731 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 1076 of 2022 ಗುbMೆ ಕ,ಾರು ಕಯಪತ ಪ=ೆ>ದುD, ಈಗ ಮೂಲ ಕಯಪತ 5ೕಡುವಂTೆ ಮನ- ಸKOರುTಾM,ೆ. ಈ ಬೆI ಕಮ ವ6O >0ಾಂಕಃ 03-08-2015 ರಂದು ಶುದ? ಕಯಪತ 5ೕ<ರುTಾM,ೆ. Zೕ ಚರ\W] ೋಲ _ >7ಾಚಂ` ೋಲ ರವರು ಸದ 57ೇಶನವನುc >0ಾಂಕಃ 14-08-2015 ರಂದು Zೕ 7ೈ. ರEೕj, _ Jೇk ಯಲKಪl,ೆ<m ಎಂಬುವವೆ W.Q.ಎ. +ಾ<ೊe ರುTಾM,ೆ. ಈ -ಷಯದ ಬೆI =ಾ|| Q. +ಾದವಮೂb1 ರವರು +ಾನ ಗೃಹ ಆಯುಕMೆ ಮನ- ಸKO, ಸಂಬಂSOದವರ -ರುದ? ಕಮ ೈೊಳn'ೇೆಂದು ೋರುTಾM,ೆ. ಈ ಸಂಬಂಧ ಈಾಗJೇ ಮೂಲ ಹಂೆFಾರರು ಶುದ? ಕಯಪತವನುc ಮಂಡ4 5ಯ+ಾನುಾರ ಪ=ೆದು, ನಂತರ 'ೇ,ೊಬpೆ +ಾ,ಾಟ +ಾ<ದ ನಂತರವq ಮಂಡ4dಂದ 20ೇ 'ಾೆ ಶುದ? ಕಯಪತ 5ೕ<ರುವ ಬೆI ಈ ಪಕರಣೆR ಸಂಬಂSOದಂTೆ ಮಂಡ4ಯ ಸಂಬಂSOದ ಅSಾ PÀȵÀÚªÀÄÄwð AEE 0ೌಕgÀgÀÄ, Zೕ ಚರ\W] ೋಲ _ >7ಾಚಂ` ೋಲ fಾಗೂ ಈ ಪಕರಣದK tಾ8aಾ8ರುವ ಎಲKರ -ರುದ? @AನB CಕದDE FಾಖO, ತ5ೆ +ಾ< ಾನೂನು ಕಮ ಜರು8ಸಲು ೋರJಾ8Fೆ." 4. The petitioners are all officials of the Karnataka Housing Board ('the Housing Board' for short). A particular allottee was allotted a property from the hands of the Housing Board on 23.03.1977. The original allottee sought execution of the Sale Deed from the hands of the Housing Board in the year 1995. It is said to have been executed in the year 1995 i.e., on - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30464 CRL.P No. 6731 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 1076 of 2022 25.01.1995. Till the said event, the petitioners were nowhere in the picture. 5. The petitioners joined on transfer to the Housing Board in the year 2012; by then it is the case of the petitioners that several files in the Housing Board had been lost. In that one of the files lost, was the case of the present allotment of the allottee. The original allottee then appears before the officials of the Housing Board in the year 2015, contending that on 06.03.1995, there was no Sale Deed executed or no papers available for the Sale Deed so executed on 25.01.1995 and seeks the execution of the Sale Deed in the year 2015. What these officials would do is, in the light of the loss of the papers in the Housing Board, recreate the file by taking the photocopies and then seek to execute a Sale Deed in favour of the original allottee only. This incident is complained of by the second respondent - Housing Board before the jurisdictional police for it to become a crime in Crime No.2/2016 for the afore-quoted offences. The police is said to have conducted investigation and filed a charge sheet, which is registered as C.C.No.15648/2019 again for the afore-quoted offences. The - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30464 CRL.P No. 6731 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 1076 of 2022 filing of the charge sheet is what has driven these petitioners to this Court in the subject petitions. 6. Sri Raghavendra A Kulkarni, learned counsel appearing for respondent No.2- Housing Board in both petitions would, however, refute the submissions in contending that the Apex Court has held that once charge sheet is filed, the hands of this Court under Section 482 of the Cr.P.C. are completely tied and these petitions should be dismissed. Barring this submission, there is no other submission made by the second respondent counsel. 7. I have given my anxious consideration to the submissions made by the respective learned counsel and have perused the available material on record. 8. The afore-narrated facts lies in a narrow compass. The facts, dates, and link in the chain of events as narrated hereinabove, being matter of record, would not require any reiteration. The entire issue gets triggered from the registration of the complaint. - 9 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30464 CRL.P No. 6731 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 1076 of 2022 9. The police then conduct investigation and file a charge sheet. The summary of the charge sheet as obtaining in column No.7 reads as follows: "'ೆಂಗಳ)ರು ನಗರ ಯಲಹಂಕ ಉಪ ನಗರ ೕ oÀt ಸರಹ>Dೆ ೇದ ಯಲಹಂಕ ಉಪನಗರ ಎ ೆಕ !, ಎಂ.ಐ.W ೈk £ÀA. 63. 0ೇದDನುc ಕ0ಾ1ಟಕ ಗೃಹ ಮಂಡ4ಯು 1977gÀ°è ¯ÉÃmï ಚರ\W] ೋJಾ ಎಂಬುವೆ ಹಂೆ +ಾ< Wಸ ! +ಾ< ೊe ರುTಾM,ೆ. ಚರ\Wೕ] ೋJಾ ರವರು 1995 0ೇ ವಷ1ದK ¸Áv-09 ರವೆ +ಾ,ಾಟ +ಾ<ರುTಾM,ೆ. ಾv-09 ರವರು 2008 £Éà ವಷ1ದK Wಸ ! +ಾ<Oೊಂಡು ಾTೆ ವಾ1ವ&ೆ +ಾ<Oೊಂ<ರುTಾM,ೆ. ಈಾಗJೇ ಕ0ಾ1ಟಕ ಗೃಹ ಮಂಡ4dಂದ ಹಂೆaಾ8 Wಸ ! +ಾ<ೊe ರುವ 57ೇಶನೆR >0ಾಂಕ : 28.04.2015 ರಂದು ಚರ\ Wೕ] ೋJಾ JA§ fೆಸನK ನಕ ಚರಣWೕ] ೋJಾ ಎಂಬ ವ@Mಯು ಸದ 57ೇಶನವY ಹಂೆaಾ8 ಅ8Eಂk ಆ8ರುತMFೆಂದು fೇ4 Wಸ ! +ಾ<ೊಡಲು - ಮ£À« ಸKOರುTಾM,ೆ. ಸದ ಮನ-ಯನುc 020ೇ. 030ೇ ಮತುM 050ೇ ಆ,ೋQತರು Zwಾರಸು +ಾ<ರುTಾM,ೆ. ಅದರಂTೆ 040ೇ ಆ,ೋQತನು 57ೇಶನದ ಸxಳೆR tೇe 5ೕ< ವರ> 5ೕ<ರುTಾM0ೆ. ನಂತರ 010ೇ ಆ,ೋQತನು ಸದ 57ೇಶನವನುc >0ಾಂಕ : 03.08.2015 ರಂದು ನಕ ಚರ\ Wೕ] ೋJಾ ಎಂ'ಾತ5UÉ ಯಲಹಂಕ ಸy Wಸ ! ಕNೇಯK Wಸ ! +ಾ<ೊe ರುTಾM0ೆ. 7ೈ ರEೕj ಎಂ'ಾತನು ನಕ° ಚರ\ Wೕ] ೋJಾ ಎಂಬ ವ@Mdಂದ W.Q.ಎ. ಪ=ೆದು Wಸ ! +ಾ<Oೊಂಡು ಾv-10 ರವೆ Cೕಸ +ಾ<ರುTಾM0ೆ. 010ೇ. 020ೇ. 030ೇ. 040ೇ ಮತುM 050ೇ ಆ,ೋQತರು ಇವರು ೇ7ೆ 5ವ16ಸುbMರುವ ಸಾ1 ಸಂೆxಯK ತಮz ಅSಾರವನುc ದುರುಪ{ೕಗ +ಾ< ೊಂಡ ಸ+ಾನ ಉFೆDೕಶ>ಂದ ಕೃತ ಎಸ8ರುವYದು ತ5ೆdಂದ ದೃಢಪe ರುತMFೆ. ಆದDಂದ ಆ,ೋQತರ -ರುದ? EೕಲRಂಡ ಕಲಂ ಅನ}ಯ Fೋ~ಾgÉÆÃಪuÉ." - 10 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30464 CRL.P No. 6731 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 1076 of 2022 10. The issue now would be whether the further proceedings in the said criminal case that is registered for the aforesaid offences must be permitted to be continued or not. In the teeth of the aforesaid facts, while the petitioners joining the Housing Board in the year 2012 and noticing the fact that the records in the Housing Board had been lost, which is an admitted fact; recreated the records and did not execute a Sale Deed to any third party, but executed the Sale Deed only to the original allottee. There is no allottee or any person who has complained of the said incident, except the Housing Board itself registering a crime on an imaginary plea that the Sale Deed is executed twice over to different parties. In that light, permitting further proceedings in the teeth of the aforesaid facts would become an abuse of the process of the law and result in miscarriage of justice. 11. The submission of the learned counsel for the second respondent that this Court has no power to entertain a petition under Section 482 of the Cr.P.C. once charge-sheet is filed, is noted only to be rejected; to say the least, it is a submission that is preposterous. The inherent jurisdiction of this Court - 11 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30464 CRL.P No. 6731 of 2023 C/W CRL.P No. 1076 of 2022 under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. cannot be stifled by the submission of this kind or a judgment that is wholly inapplicable to the facts of the case. 12. For the aforesaid reasons, the following: ORDER (i) The Criminal Petitions are allowed. (ii) The proceedings in C.C.No.15648/2019 pending before the IV Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bangalore, stand quashed, qua these petitioners. Sd/- (M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE HDK List No.: 3 Sl No.: 28