- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35479 WP No. 10465 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 13TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI WRIT PETITION NO. 10465 OF 2026 (S-RES) BETWEEN: MS. LAKSHMI SURESH DAUGHTER OF MR. SURESH K, AGED ABOUT 24 YEARS, RESIDING AT ATHIGARIVAYAL GUDALUR, THE NILGIRIS, TAMILNADU 643 212 PRESENTLY AT BANGALORE AT NO 300, 7TH MAIN ROAD, HAL, 3RD STAGE, STAGE 3, NEW TIPPASANDRA, BENGALURU, KARNATAKA 560075 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. M C THIMMAIAH, ADVOCATE FOR SRI. JOSHUA HUDSON SAMUEL., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY LABOUR DEPARTMENT VIKASA SOUDHA AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BANGALORE 560 001 2. M/S VENTURELORD SPACETECH PRIVATE LIMITED, NO. 148, 6TH SECTOR, HSR LAYOUT, B-102, Digitally signed by KIRAN KUMAR R Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35479 WP No. 10465 of 2026 BANGALORE -560102, REPRESENTED BY ITS DIRECTOR MR. SHESHAGIRI RAO PAPLIKAR, 3. MR. SHESHAGIRI RAO PAPLIKAR DIRECTOR AND CEO, M/S VENTURELORD SPACE TECH PRIVATE LIMITED, NO. 148, 6TH SECTOR, HSR LAYOUT, B-102, BANGALORE -560102 4. MS. AVANTHI RAO PAPLIKAR DIRECTOR, M/S VENTURELORD SPACE TECH PRIVATE LIMITED NO. 148, 6TH SECTOR, HSR LAYOUT, B-102, BANGALORE -560102 5. MR. MONNAPPA BAYAVANDA DIRECTOR, M/S VENTURELORD SPACE TECH PRIVATE LIMITED NO. 148, 6TH SECTOR, HSR LAYOUT, B-102, BANGALORE -560102 6. MS. RUCHI CHALLU SENIOR VP, PEOPLE AND CULTURE, PRESIDING OFFICER, IC COMMITTEE, M/S VENTURELORD SPACE TECH PRIVATE LIMITED NO. 48, CHURCH ST, HARIDEVPUR, SHANTHALA NAGAR, ASHOK NAGAR, BENGALURU 560001. 7. MS. BHUMIKA BHAGWANANI V.P, PEOPLE AND CULTURE, MEMBER IC COMMITTEE, M/S VENTURELORD SPACE TECH PRIVATE LIMITED NO. 48, CHURCH ST, HARIDEVPUR, SHANTHALA NAGAR, ASHOK NAGAR, BENGALURU 560001. 8. MR. SIDDARTH B BHAVIKATTI MEMBER IC COMMITTEE, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35479 WP No. 10465 of 2026 M/S VENTURELORD SPACE TECH PRIVATE LIMITED NO. 48, CHURCH ST, HARIDEVPUR, SHANTHALA NAGAR, ASHOK NAGAR, BENGALURU 560001 9. MR. N VAIDYANATHAN, EXTERNAL MEMBER IC COMMITTEE, NO. 48, CHURCH ST, HARIDEVPUR, SHANTHALA NAGAR, ASHOK NAGAR, BENGALURU 560001 M/S VENTURELORD SPACE TECH PRIVATE LIMITED 10. MS. KANTI JOSHI, EXTERNAL MEMBER IC COMMITTEE, M/S VENTURELORD SPACE TECH PRIVATE LIMITED NO. 48, CHURCH ST, HARIDEVPUR, SHANTHALA NAGAR, ASHOK NAGAR, BENGALURU 560001 11. M/S BHIVE PREMIUM CHURCH STREET, A UNIT OF M/S VENTURELORD SPACE TECH PRIVATE LIMITED NO. 48, CHURCH ST, HARIDEVPUR, SHANTHALA NAGAR, ASHOK NAGAR, BENGALURU 560001 REPRESENTED BY MR. SHESHAGIRI RAO PAPLIKAR DIRECTOR AND CEO 12. MR. OSWALD ERNEST AGE MAJOR SALES LEAD CO-FOUNDER OFFICE BHIVE CAPITAL NO. 48, CHURCH ST, HARIDEVPUR, SHANTHALA NAGAR, ASHOK NAGAR, BENGALURU 560001 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. G RAMESH NAIK, AGA FOR R1 SMT/MISS AYOSHI MAJUMDER, ADVOCATE FOR - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35479 WP No. 10465 of 2026 SRI. DEEPAK BHASKAR, ADVOCATE FOR R2 TO R6, R8 TO R11 (VK FILED) SMT. RASHMI K & A S KISHOR KUMAR, ADVOCATE FOR R12 R7 –BHUMIKA BHAGWANANI, SERVED) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO A. ISSUE A WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION IN THE NATURE OF WRIT OF CERTORARI OR MANDAMUS, QUASHING THE REPORT DATED 22.04.2025 PASSED IN CASE No.1/2025/BLR VIDE ANNEXURES-P1 AND AND TERMINATION LETTER DATED 01.08.2025 VIDE ANNEXURE- Q1, AS THE SAME ARE OPPOSED TO THE PROVISIONS OF SH ACT AND THE RULES FRAMED THEREUNDER; B. ISSUE A WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION IN THE NATURE OF A WRIT OF MANDUMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT NO.2 TO TREAT THE PETITIONER AS ITS EMPLOYEE IN ITS SERVICE AND BE ENTITLED TO ALL PAYMENTS AN EMPLOYEE TILL HER RELATIONSHIP STANDS SEVERED WITH THE RESPONDENT COMPANY; C. ISSUE A WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION IN THE NATURE OF WRIT OF MANDAMUS, DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT NOS. 2 AND 11 TO GIVE THE PETITIONER ALL PROTECTION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE SH ACT AND THE RULES FRAMED THEREUNDER AS AN AGGRIEVED PERSON; D) SUCH OTHER RELIEF/S THIS HON’BLE COURT DEEMS FIT AND PROPER IN THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ABOVE CASE. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35479 WP No. 10465 of 2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI ORAL ORDER 1. Pursuant to the order passed by this Court on 28.04.2026, the matter was referred to Karnataka Mediation Centre, Bengaluru. 2. The parties have settled the matter before the Mediation Centre and have filed a Memorandum of Settlement under Section 89 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and Rules 24 & 25 of the Karnataka Civil Procedure (Mediation) Rules, 2005. 3. The Memorandum of Settlement reads as follows: MEMORANDUM OF SETTLEMENT UNDER SECTION 09 OF CPC READ WITH RULES 24 AND 25 OF THE KARNATAKA CIVIL PROCEDURE (MEDIATION) RULES, 2005. “The parties above named submit as follows: - I. The Petitioner has approached the Hon'ble High Court of Karnataka, seeking the relief of a Writ of Certorarified mandamus and mandamus, against certain proceedings and actions, as prayed for in the said Writ Petition. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35479 WP No. 10465 of 2026 II. The aforesaid petition was referred to mediation for resolving the dispute between the parties. During the course of mediation the petitioner appeared through video conference and advocate for the petitioner and respondents along with their advocates were present physically and have resolved their dispute on the following terms and conditions; (1) The Respondent No.1 Is Government of Karnataka. Since the Respondent No.1 is the State and no relief has been sought for as against Respondent No.1, It is not a party to the Settlement Terms; (2) Respondent No. 2 Is the Company and Respondent No.11 is the Branch of Respondent No.2 where the Petitioner was working. The Respondent No. 3 to 8 are the Officials of the Respondent No.2 Company. Respondent Nos. 10 and 11 are the external members of IC Committee of the Respondent No.2. Respondent No.11 is one of the Units of the Respondent No. 2 Company, where the Petitioner last worked. The Respondent No.12 was an employee of the Respondent No.2 and was working with Petitioner. (3) The Petitioner has filed a Complaint to Respondent No.2 as against Respondent No.12 and a further Complaint under Section 75 and 79 of BNS 2023, against the Respondent No.12, which is pending before the 45th Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge (CCH-46), Bengaluru in S.C. No. 336/2026. (4) During the course of mediatlon, the Petitioner appeared through Video Conference along with her Counsel and the Respondent No.2 to 11 have been represented through their - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35479 WP No. 10465 of 2026 ṣauthorized signatory Mr. Siddarth B Bhavikatti and has got the Certified Copy of the Resolution to represent Respondent No.2 Company and the authorization letter in respect of Respondent Nos. 3 to 11. The Respondent No.12 also appeared along with his Counsel. (5) Both the parties have amicably resolved their dispute in toto and have agreed to the following terms and conditions: a) The Respondent No.2 Company through its' authorized signatory has agreed and undertaken to make a payment of total sum of Rs.2,00,000/- (Rupees Two Lakhs Only) to the Petitioner as Compensation /Ex-gratia by way of demand draft, as full and final settlement of all her claims in the Writ Petition which shall be handed over to the Petitioner before the Hon'ble High Court while reporting the settlement in the above Petition. b) The Respondent No.2 Company has agreed to accept the Petitioner's letter of resignation dated 31.07.2025 with effect from 01.08.2025 and has agreed to withdraw the termination letter dated 01.08.2025 and has also agreed to issue a relieving letter and Service Certificate with good conduct, to the Petitioner along with the demand draft stated above. c) In view of the settlement, the Petitioner undertakes to withdraw all the allegations/complaints/proceedings lodged against Respondents. The Petitioner agrees and undertakes to co- operate with the Respondent No.12 to close / quash the criminal case in - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35479 WP No. 10465 of 2026 S.C.No.336/2026 pending before the 45th Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge (CCH-46), Bengaluru against the Respondent No.12, for offences under section 75 and 79 of BNS, 2023. d) The Petitioner undertakes not to file any case/complaint against all the Respondents with regard to any future claims on the same cause of action or precipitate the matter before any court of law/authority in view of the amicable settlement arrived at in this agreement. III. In view of the aforesaid agreement entered into between the parties, the parties pray that this Hon'ble Court be pleased to pass appropriate order in aforesaid terms mutually agreed upon. IV. The petitioners have to appear before the Hon'ble Court as directed and when the date of appointment given by High Court for passing appropriate orders in terms of the agreement.” 4. Pursuant to the Memorandum of Settlement, the respondents have paid a sum of Rs.2,00,000/- to the petitioner as compensation/ex-gratia by way of a Demand Draft bearing No.033497 dated 30.06.2026 in the name of the petitioner. The said Demand Draft is handed over to the learned - 9 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35479 WP No. 10465 of 2026 counsel for the petitioner and he has acknowledged the receipt of demand draft. 5. Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of in terms of the Memorandum of Settlement. Sd/- (ASHOK S.KINAGI) JUDGE RK List No.: 1 Sl No.: 3