- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010564682025 NC: 2026:KHC:49526 CRL.P No. 12321 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 10TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12321 OF 2025 BETWEEN: 1. MR. ADITYA S P S/O PRAKASH H.R., AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS, 2. SMT. SUNITHA K.R. W/O PRAKASH H.R AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, 3. MR. PRAKASH H.R. S/O LATE RAME GOWDA, AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS, 4. SMT. H.R. JAYAMMA, W/O K. RANGANATHAIAH, AGED ABOUT 75 YEARS, ALL ARE RESIDING AT NO.3/3, 6TH B CROSS, HARAKE HANUMA TEMPLE ROAD, OPP. CMKA BUS STOP, BALAJI NAGAR, BSK 3RD STAGE, BANGALORE - 560 085. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. RAVINDRA B.S, ADVOCATE FOR P2 TO P4; SRI. G.B. SHARATH GOWDA, ADVOCATE FOR P1) Digitally signed by SHWETHA RAGHAVENDRA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010564682025 NC: 2026:KHC:49526 CRL.P No. 12321 of 2025 AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA HASSAN WOMEN P.S., B.M.ROAD, NEAR SOUTHERN STAR HOTEL, HASSAN - 573 201 REPRESENTED BY SPP HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU - 560 001. 2. SMT. KRUTHIKA H.M., D/O SRI. MANJUNATHA H.P., W/O MR. ADITYA S.P, AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, RESIDING AT "KUSUMA", WARD NO.34, 9TH CROSS, H.N. PURA ROAD, CHANNAPATNA, HASSAN DISTRICT - 573 201. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RANJITH KUMAR N, HCGP FOR R1; SRI. GIRISH B. BALADARE, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR/CRIME NO.63/2025 U/S 85, 115(2), 352, 54, 3(5) BNS ACT 2023 AND SECTION 3 AND 4 OF DP ACT FILED BY RESPONDENT NO.1 I.E., HASSAN WOMEN P.S PENDING BEFORE 7TH ADDL.CIVIL JUDGE AND (JR.DN) AND JMFC COURT HASSAN AGAINST THE PETITIONERS. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010564682025 NC: 2026:KHC:49526 CRL.P No. 12321 of 2025 ORAL ORDER 1. Petitioners are before this Court seeking for the following reliefs: a. Call for the records of the trial court. b. Quash the FIR/ Crime No. 63/2025 U/S 85,115(2),352,54,3(5) BNS Act 2023 and Section 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act filed by respondent No.1 ie Hassan Women PS, pending before 7th Addl. Civil Judge (Jr. DN) & JMFC Court Hassan against petitioners. c. Set the petitioner at liberty in the interest of justice and equity. d. Quash the charge sheet and the proceedings in C.C. No. 6095/2025 arising out of Crime No. 6095/2025, pending on the file of the VII Additional Civil Judge (Jr. Dn.) & J.M.F.C., Hassan, against the Petitioners, in the interest of justice and equity." 2. Petitioner no.1 is the husband of respondent no.2. Respondent no.2 had filed a complaint before the Hassan Women Police Station, which came to be registered as Crime No.63/2025 for the offences punishable under Sections 85, 115(2), 352, 54, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1964. - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010564682025 NC: 2026:KHC:49526 CRL.P No. 12321 of 2025 3. Petitioner nos.1 to 3, i.e., the husband and father and mother of the husband, are present in person. Petitioner no.4, who is the grandmother, is not present in person. The petitioners and counsel for the petitioners, as well as respondent no.2 and counsel for respondent no. 2, submit that the compromise is between the entire family. Their submission is taken on record. Petitioner nos.1 to 3 and respondent no.2 are identified by their respective counsels. 4. Apart from the said proceedings, there were other proceedings which had been initiated between the parties. In the matrimonial proceedings, the matter having been referred to mediation, both the counsels submit that yesterday a mediation agreement has been drawn up under Section 89 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and they have extracted the same in the joint memo, which has been filed today before this Court. The said joint memo reads as under: - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010564682025 NC: 2026:KHC:49526 CRL.P No. 12321 of 2025 JOINT MEMO BY THE PETITIONERS AND THE 2ND RESPONDENT The Petitioners and the 2nd Respondent herein jointly and respectfully submit as follows: 1. It is submitted that, based on the complaint dated 09.08.2025 lodged by the 2nd Respondent, the 1st Respondent Police registered a case in Crime No. 6095/2025 for the offences punishable under Sections 85, 115(2), 352, 54 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, arraying the Petitioners as the accused. It is submitted that, during the pendency of the above petition, the first respondent police have filed charge sheet for the offences narrated supra by arraying the petitioners as accused. The learned Magistrate has taken cognizance of the same and has registered a case in C.C. No. 6095/2025 on the file of the VII Additional Civil Judge (Jr. Dn.) & J.M.F.C., Hassan and the same is pending consideration. 2. It is submitted that the Petitioner No. 1 and the 2nd Respondent were married on 09.03.2025 at "H.M.T. Convention Hall", K. Hosakoppalu, H.N. Pura Road, Hassan, as per Hindu rites and customs. On account of irreconcilable differences, disputes arose between the parties, in consequence of which the aforesaid criminal case came to be registered, and the Petitioner No. 1 also filed M.C. No. 3225/2025 seeking dissolution of the marriage. 3. It is submitted that, during the pendency of the aforesaid proceedings, the Petitioner No. 1 and the 2nd Respondent, upon the intervention of well- wishers and elders, have arrived at an amicable settlement. The Petitioner No. 1 and the 2nd Respondent have jointly filed a petition under Section 13-B of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 for dissolution of their marriage by mutual consent in M.C. No. 5285/2026 on the file of the IV Additional Principal Judge, Family Court, Bengaluru, and have recorded their settlement in a Memorandum of - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010564682025 NC: 2026:KHC:49526 CRL.P No. 12321 of 2025 Settlement dated 08.09.2026 before the Mediation Centre. 4. It is submitted that, in terms of the said settlement, the Petitioner No. 1 has agreed to pay the 2nd Respondent a sum of Rs. 30,00,000/- (Rupees Thirty Lakhs only) towards maintenance and permanent alimony, in full and final settlement of all her claims, past, present and future. The 2ndRespondent has agreed to receive the said sum and confirms that no claim of any nature survives between the parties. 5. In view of the settlement so arrived at, the Petitioners and the 2nd Respondent have settled all their disputes in the following terms: a. The 2nd Respondent has agreed to receive the total sum of Rs. 30,00,000/- (Rupees Thirty Lakhs only) from the Petitioner No. 1 in full and final settlement of all her claims, in the manner set out hereinafter, and confirms that she has no further claim towards maintenance, permanent alimony, streedhana, valuable articles or otherwise against the Petitioners. b. The 2nd Respondent undertakes to withdraw C.C. No. 6095/2025 pending on the file of the VII Additional Civil Judge (Jr. Dn.) & J.M.F.C., Hassan, and to co-operate with and support the quashing of the said proceedings, and has no objection to the same being quashed. c. The 2nd Respondent undertakes to withdraw Crl. Misc. No. 142/2025 pending before the Principal Judge, Family Court, Hassan, and is at liberty to withdraw the amount, if any, lying in deposit therein towards maintenance. d. The 2nd Respondent undertakes to withdraw M.C. No. 314/2025 pending before the Principal Judge, Family Court, Hassan. - 7 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010564682025 NC: 2026:KHC:49526 CRL.P No. 12321 of 2025 e. The Petitioner No. 1 undertakes to withdraw M.C. No. 3225/2025 pending before the IV Additional Family Court, Bengaluru, the marriage being dissolved by mutual consent in M.C. No. 5285/2026. f. The Petitioners and the 2nd Respondent confirm that, apart from the terms recorded herein, they have no claim of whatsoever nature against each other, either past, present or future, over the movable or immovable properties of each other. g. In view of the settlement recorded herein, the 2nd Respondent has no objection to the quashing of proceedings in C.C. No. 6095/2025 pending on the file of the VII Additional Civil Judge (Jr. Dn.) & J.M.F.C., Hassan. 6. It is submitted that, in terms of the said settlement, the Petitioner No. 1 has agreed to pay the 2nd Respondent a total sum of Rs. 30,00,000/- (Rupees Thirty Lakhs only) towards maintenance and permanent alimony, in full and final settlement of all her claims. Out of the said amount, a sum of Rs. 19,50,000/- (Rupees Nineteen Lakhs Fifty Thousand only), being Rs. 50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only) by way of cash and Rs. 19,00,000/- (Rupees Nineteen Lakhs only) by way of Demand Draft bearing No. 072770 dated 05.09.2026 drawn on Canara Bank, BNG. Inst. of Technology Branch, Bengaluru, is being paid and handed over by the Petitioner No. 1 to the 2nd Respondent before this Hon’ble Court in the above Criminal Petitionand the 2nd Respondent hereby acknowledges receipt of the same. 7. It is submitted that the balance sum of Rs. 10,50,000/- (Rupees Ten Lakhs Fifty Thousand only), being Rs. 50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only) by way of cash and Rs. 10,00,000/- (Rupees Ten Lakhs only) by way of Demand Draft bearing No. 072769 dated 05.09.2026 drawn on Canara - 8 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010564682025 NC: 2026:KHC:49526 CRL.P No. 12321 of 2025 Bank, BNG. Inst. of Technology Branch, Bengaluru, shall be paid by the Petitioner No. 1 to the 2nd Respondent at the time of reporting the settlement in M.C. No. 5285/2026 pending on the file of the IV Additional Principal Judge, Family Court, Bengaluru, and the movables, valuable articles and personal belongings of the parties shall also be exchanged between them at the time of reporting the said settlement before the Family Court. 8. It is submitted that, in view of the settlement so arrived at between the parties, the 2nd Respondent hereby withdraws the entire allegations made by her in the complaint dated 09.08.2025, upon which Crime No. 6095/2025 came to be registered, and states that she does not wish to prosecute the same. The 2nd Respondent further states that she has no objection whatsoever for the quashing of the proceedings in C.C. No. 6095/2025 pending on the file of the VII Additional Civil Judge (Jr. Dn.) & J.M.F.C., Hassan. WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that this Hon’ble Court may be pleased to quash the proceedings in C.C. No. 6095/2025 pending on the file of the VII Additional Civil Judge (Jr. Dn.) & J.M.F.C., Hassan, arising out of the complaint of the 2nd Respondent, in the interest of justice and equity. 5. On enquiry with all the parties, they submit that they have voluntarily entered into the settlement. There is no undue influence or coercion brought upon them. Respondent no.2 on enquiry submits that she has agreed to settle the dispute between herself and the petitioners by receiving a permanent alimony of - 9 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010564682025 NC: 2026:KHC:49526 CRL.P No. 12321 of 2025 Rs.30,00,000/-, out of which she has already received Rs.50,000/- by cash, and today a demand draft for a sum of Rs.19,00,000/- drawn on bearing No.072770 dated 05.09.2026 drawn on Canara Bank, BNG. Institute of Technology Branch, Bengaluru, has been handed over to respondent no.2, which she confirms the receipt. 6. As per the joint memo, the balance sum of Rs.10,50,000/- would be required to be paid at the time of settlement of M.C.No.5285/2026. Hence, the parties having agreed that on the payment of the aforesaid sum of Rs.19,50,000/-, the above proceedings have to be withdrawn and/or quashed. This Court, in order to facilitate the compromise which has been arrived at, passes the following: ORDER i. Criminal petition is allowed. - 10 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010564682025 NC: 2026:KHC:49526 CRL.P No. 12321 of 2025 ii. The proceedings in Crime No.63/2025 now pending in C.C.No.6095/2025 on the file of VII Additional Civil Judge (Jr. Dvn.) & J.M.F.C., Hassan, is hereby quashed. Sd/- (SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE GJM List No.: 2 Sl No.: 6