- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19371-DB CCC No. 1446 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 8TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 1446 OF 2025 BETWEEN: 1. DR. K.P. GOPALKRISHNA S/O. E.K. PADMANABHAN AGED ABOUT 90 YEARS CHAIRMAN NATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL GROUP OF INSTITUTIONS BENGALURU - 560 010 …COMPLAINANT (BY SRI AMITH DESHPANDE, ADVOCATE FOR SRI SURESH V., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. JAI SHANKAR FATHER NAME NOT KNOWN AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS CHIEF ENGINEER (MAINTENANCE, EAST ZONE) BANGALORE WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE BOARD 2ND FLOOR, CAUVERY BHAVAN K.G. ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 009 ... ACCUSED 2. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF Digitally signed by AMBIKA H B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19371-DB CCC No. 1446 of 2025 URBAN DEVELOPMENT 4TH FLOOR, VIKAS SOUDHA GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU - 560 001 …PRO FORMA RESPONDENT (SRI. MONESH KUMAR K.B., ADVOCATE FOR ACCUSED No.1 & SRI S.H. RAGHAVENDRA, AGA FOR R-2) THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTION 11 & 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURT ACT, 1971, PRAYING TO SECURE THE PRESENCE OF ACCUSED & FRAME THE CHARGES AGAINST ALL THE ACCUSED FOR DELIBERATE AND WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE OF THE INTERIM ORDER DATED 16.07.2024 PASSED BY THIS HON'BLE COURT IN W.P. NO.18914/2024 (ANNEXURE-A) & ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE) 1. The complainant has filed the present complaint alleging willful disobedience to the order dated 16.07.2024 passed by the learned Single Judge in Writ Petition No.18914/2024. In terms of the said order, accused No.1 was directed to "restore the water supply to the petitioner’s institution" on payment of the amount, other than prorata charges and regularisation charges. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19371-DB CCC No. 1446 of 2025 2. The learned counsel appearing for accused No.1 submits that there is no connection for water supply and therefore, restoration would not arise. 3. Prima facie, the said explanation is not acceptable considering that the complainant had filed the writ petition, inter alia, impugning a demand notice dated 30.05.2024. 4. The demand notice indicates that it also included compounding charges of `36,36,627/- for regularization and prorata charges are `72,73,254/- amongst other charges. The learned Single Judge's direction is for restoration of water supply subject to the complainant paying the demand charges other than those charges. The word 'restore' in the context means, 'provide'. 5. The complainant has also produced a photocopy of the cheque for an amount of `9,86,900/- dated 13.01.2025 which according to the complainant was a total amount of the demand less the compounding charges for regularization and prorata charges. 6. Whislt it may be correct that water connection has not been granted by an application and the complainant's application for the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19371-DB CCC No. 1446 of 2025 same is pending; in the aforesaid context, the order dated 16.07.2024 can only be construed to mean a direction to supply water on payment of the said charges. 7. The learned counsel appearing for accused No.1 submits that water would be supplied within a period of ten days on payment of the charges as mentioned aforesaid (that is a sum of `1,18,96,781/- less `36,36,627/- and less `72,73,254/-) 8. In view of the above, the complaint is closed with a liberty to the complainant to revive the same if water is not supplied by the accused. Sd/- (VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/- (C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE AHB List No.: 1 Sl No.: 57