- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2500 CRL.A No. 667 of 2020 C/W CRL.A No. 714 of 2020 CRL.A No. 735 of 2020 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 19TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 667 OF 2020 (A) C/W CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.714 OF 2020 (A) CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.735 OF 2020 (A) IN CRL.A No. 667/2020 BETWEEN: SRI.H.P.SHIVANNA S/O PUTTAIAH H.K, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, R/AT NO.203, 8TH CROSS, RAILWAY HBCS, OPP: RTO OFFICE, ULLALA MAIN ROAD, BENGALURU-560 056. …APPELLANT (BY SRI. PRASHANTH M M., ADVOCATE) AND: SMT.R.REKHA W/O MAHESH, AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, R.M.FITNESS, HUB, SMV 3RD BLOCK, 60 FT ROAD, ABOVE THE STATE BANK OF INDIA, ULLALA, BENGALURU-560 056. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI.H.K.HONNEGOWDA.,ADVOCATE FOR R1 AND R2) THIS CRL.A. IS FILED U/S.378(4) OF THE CR.P.C PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER OF ACQUITTAL DATED 09.03.2020 PASSED BY THE XXII A.C.M.M., BANGALORE IN Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2500 CRL.A No. 667 of 2020 C/W CRL.A No. 714 of 2020 CRL.A No. 735 of 2020 C.C.NO.2675/2018 - ACQUITTING THE RESPONDENT/ACCUSED FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 138 OF N.I.ACT AND ETC. IN CRL.A NO. 714/2020 BETWEEN: SRI.H.P.SHIVANNA S/O PUTTAIAH H.K AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, R/AT NO.203, 8TH CROSS, RAILWAY HBCS, OPP: RTO OFFICE, ULLALA MAIN ROAD, BENGALURU-560 056. ...APPELLANT (BY SRI. PRASHANTH M.M., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. RM FITNESS HUB SMV 3RD BLOCK 60FT ROAD, ABOVE THE STATE BANK OF INDIA ULLALA, BENGALURU-560 056. BY ITS PROPRITRIX, SMT.R.REKHA 2. SMT R. REKHA W/O MAHESH AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, R M FITNESS, HUB, SMV 3RD BLOCK, 60FT ROAD ABOVE THE STATE BANK OF INDIA, ULLALA, BENGALURU-560 056. ...RESPONDENTS (BY SRI.H.K.HONNEGOWDA., ADVOCATE FOR R1 AND R2) THIS CRL.A IS FILED U/S 378(4) OF THE CR.P.C PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 09.03.2020, PASSED BY THE XXII A.C.M.M., AT BENGALURU IN C.C.NO.2674/2018, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2500 CRL.A No. 667 of 2020 C/W CRL.A No. 714 of 2020 CRL.A No. 735 of 2020 ACQUITTING THE RESPONDENT/ACCUSED FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 138 OF N.I.ACT AND ETC. IN CRL.A NO. 735/2020 BETWEEN: SRI.H.P.SHIVANNA S/O PUTTAIAH H.K AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, R/AT NO.203, 8TH CROSS, RAILWAY HBCS, OPP: RTO OFFICE, ULLALA MAIN ROAD, BENGALURU-560 056. ...APPELLANT (BY SRI. PRASHANTH M M., ADVOCATE) AND: SMT R.REKHA W/O MAHESH, AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, R.M.FITNESS, HUB, SMV 3RD BLOCK, 60 FT ROAD, ABOVE THE STATE BANK OF INDIA. ULLALA, BENGALURU-560 056. ...RESPONDENT (BY SRI.H.K.HONNEGOWDA., ADVOCATE) THIS CRL.A IS FILED U/S 378(4) OF THE CR.PC PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 09.03.2020, PASSED BY THE XXII A.C.M.M., AT BENGALURU IN C.C.NO.2670/2018 ACQUITTING THE RESPONDENT/ACCUSED FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 138 OF N.I.ACT AND ETC. THESE APPEALS, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2500 CRL.A No. 667 of 2020 C/W CRL.A No. 714 of 2020 CRL.A No. 735 of 2020 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA ORAL JUDGMENT 1. These appeals are filed by the appellant/complainant being aggrieved by the Judgment of acquittal dated 09.03.2020 passed in CC.No.2675/2018, CC.No.2674/2018 and CC.No.2670/2018 by the XXII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru (for short "the trial Court"). 2. The Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of CELESTIUM FINANCIAL v. A GNANASEKARAN ETC. reported in 2025 SCC ONLINE SC 1320, at paragraph 10 of the judgment, has observed as under: "10. As already noted, the proviso to Section 372 of CrPC was inserted in the statue book only with effect from 31.12.2009. The object and reason for such insertion must be realised and must be given its full effect to by a court. In view of the aforesaid discussion, we hold that the victim of an offence has the right to prefer an appeal under the proviso to Section 372 of CrPC, irrespective of whether he is a complainant or not. Even if the victim of an offence is a complainant, he can still proceed under the proviso to Section 372 and need not advert to sub-section (4) of Section 378 of Cr.PC." - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2500 CRL.A No. 667 of 2020 C/W CRL.A No. 714 of 2020 CRL.A No. 735 of 2020 3. In the light of the Hon'ble Supreme Court's recent clarification of the legal position, it is now evident that the appellant, being the complainant under Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, is also entitled to file an appeal against the judgment of acquittal passed by the trial Court before the Sessions Court, since he is considered to be a victim. If this Court were to proceed to hear and decide these appeals at this stage, it could deprive the parties of an available forum, i.e. this Court, for further challenge. 4. Similar view has been taken by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in CHARBEL INDIA V. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH reported in 2025 SCC ONLINE AP 2815; by the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in MANORAMA KANKANE v. NARENDRA KUMAR SHUKLA rendered in Criminal Appeal No.5910 of 2025 decided on 03rd July, 2025; and in the case of LATE KISAN SEWA KENDRA v. PRITAM SINGH reported in 2025 SCC ONLINE MP 4818; and in SMT. URMIT MADRAH v. SAMARPAN JAIN rendered Criminal Appeal No. 11872 of 2022 decided on 21st July, 2025; the decision of High Court of Chattisgarh in NEELAM SAHU v. NARADNAGWANSHI rendered - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2500 CRL.A No. 667 of 2020 C/W CRL.A No. 714 of 2020 CRL.A No. 735 of 2020 in ACQA No. 340 of 2018 decided on 16th July, 2025; and in SMT. KIRTI KURIAN v. AJAY SINGH rendered in ACQA No. 198 of 2019 decided on 16th July, 2025; the judgment of this Court in the case of SIDAGONDAPPA v. SHAFI AHAMAD rendered in CRL.A. No. 20021/2018 decided on 31st July, 2025 and in SRI T.H. LENKAPPA v. SRI SANJAY AND ANOTHER rendered in Criminal Appeal No.146 of 2015 decided on 23rd July, 2025; the decision of High Court of Delhi in the case of D.K. ASSOCIATES v. SHANKAR AND ANOTHER rendered in Criminal Appeal No.694 of 2016 decided on 13th November, 2025 and the decision rendered by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the case of M/S. ANANYA ENTERPRISES v. SRI G.S. GOPALAKRISHNA rendered in Criminal Appeal No.100171 of 2016 decided on 24th November, 2025. An overall assessment of the aforestated decisions reveals that the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of CELESTIUM FINANCIAL (supra) has been relied upon by this Court, as well as other High Courts across the country. 5. Considering the above, it is deemed fit that these appeals be transferred to the concerned appellate Court of - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2500 CRL.A No. 667 of 2020 C/W CRL.A No. 714 of 2020 CRL.A No. 735 of 2020 Sessions and be considered as an appeal under the proviso to Section 413 of BNSS, 2023 (formerly Section 372 of Cr.PC) and numbered accordingly. Accordingly, I proceed to pass the following: O R D E R i. Registry is directed to transfer the entire record of the case, including the requisitioned copies of the trial court Records, to the concerned Court, who may assign it to the concerned Appellate Court having the jurisdiction and for which purpose, it would be listed before the concerned Court; ii. The concerned transferee Court is directed to issue Court notice to both the parties to appear before the concerned Court, and the concerned Court, thereafter, shall proceed with the case in accordance with law; iii. In case there are applications pending for condonation of delay or any other pending applications, the same also be transferred to be considered by the learned Judge of transferee Court, in accordance with law; iv. Considering the matter has been pending for considerable time, the Appellate Court is - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:2500 CRL.A No. 667 of 2020 C/W CRL.A No. 714 of 2020 CRL.A No. 735 of 2020 requested to make an endeavour to dispose of the matters as expeditiously as possible; v. The appellant is permitted to carry out necessary amendment in the cause-title and also the provisions thereof; vi. It is made clear that this Court has not made any observations as to the merits of the case and all rights and contentions of the parties are left open to be agitated before the Court concerned. 6. In the light of the above observation and directions, appeals stand disposed of. Sd/- (G BASAVARAJA) JUDGE PHM List No.: 2 Sl No.: 9