- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11302-DB CRL.A No. 2065 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 24TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P.SANDESH AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.2065 OF 2025 (21(NIA)) BETWEEN: 1. MR. MEHBOOB PASHA @ ABDULLAH AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS S/O. LATE BURHANUDDIN RESIDENT OF 6TH MAIN NEAR GAS BUNK, BANNERGHATTA ROAD GURAPANAPALYA BENGALURU-560 029. 2. MR. KHAJA MOIDEEN @ JALAL AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS S/O. LATE CHINNATHAMBI AMBALAM RESIDENT OF 27 SALAMATH PUDHU NAGAR KOLLUMEDU TALUK KATTUMANNAR KOVIL DISTRICT CUDDALORE, TAMIL NADU. ALSO AT PERMANENT ADDRESS THARAGAR STREET, HANYANKUDI DISTRICT SIVAGANGAI TAMIL NADU-630 606. 3. MR. ABDUL SAMAD AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS S/O. LATE SULTHAN RESIDENT OF NO.5 MATHINA NAGAR STREET PARANGIPETTAI CUDDALORE DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU ALSO AT PERMANENT ADDRESS: NO.21/29 Digitally signed by ANJALI M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11302-DB CRL.A No. 2065 of 2025 NAGUTHA MARAICAR STREET PARANGIPETTAI, CUDDALOR DISTRICT TAMIL NADU - 608 502. 4. MR. Y. THOWFEEK @ MUHAMMAD FARKHAN S/O. YOUSUF AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS RESIDENT OF NO.88 ATHANKARAI STREET, MALLICK DINAR NAGAR ELANKADAI, KOTTAR, NAGERCOIL KANYAKUMARI TAMIL NADU-629 002. 5. MR. SYED ALI NAVAZ @ SYED MOHAMMED @SIRAZ ALI @ FAHIM KHAN AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS S/O. SYED MOHAMMED RESIDENT OF NO.104/15, AMAL COMPOUND MALIKDINAR NAGAR, ELANKADAI, KOTAR KANYAKUMARI TAMIL NADU-629 002. 6. MR. JAFFAR ALI @ UMAR @ ABDUL RAHIM AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS S/O. MOHAMMED HALICK RESIDENT OF NO.15/16, REDDIYA STREET MELAPATTAMBAKKAM TOWN NELLIKUPPAM PS CUDDALORE, TAMIL NADU-608 502. 7. MR. ABDUL SHAMEEM @ MUHAMMAD HABEED AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS S/O. P. ABDUL HANEEFA RESIDENT OF NO.1/183-A BATHAR STREET, THIRUVITHANCODE KALKULAM TALUK, KANYAKUMARI DISTRICT TAMIL NADU-629 002. 8. MR. IMRAN KHAN @ IMRAN S/O. USMAN GHANI KHAN AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS RESIDENT OF C/O. 51 - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11302-DB CRL.A No. 2065 of 2025 4TH MAIN, METRO LAYOUT NAYANDAHALLI, BENGALURU ALSO AT PERMANENT ADDRESS NO.68 4TH MAIN, FIRST CROSS KUTHAL ROAD, SADATH NAGAR MANDYA DISTRICT-571 401. 9. MR. MOHAMMED HANEEF KHAN AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS S/O. ABDUL HAMEED RESIDENT OF C/O. FAROOQ TIMBER GALLI 6TH MAIN ROAD, GURAPPANAPALYA BENGALURU ALSO AT PERMANENT ADDRESS NO.17 BEEDI COLONY, KEREANGALA CHIKKAMANDYA, MANDYA-571 401. 10. MR. MOHAMMED MANSOOR ALI KHAN AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS S/O. ABDUL HAMEED RESIDENT OF NO.20/1, 3RD FLOOR MARKET ROAD, NEW GURAPPANAPALYA BENGALURU. ALSO AT PERMANENT ADDRESS NO.9 2ND FLOOR, 1ST STAGE AFZAL LAYOUT, ASHWATH NAGAR NEAR SAYEEDA MASJID BENGALURU-560 029. 11. MR. SALEEM KHAN @ KOLAR SALEEM AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS S/O. ASLAM KHAN RESIDENT OF C/O. ABDUL SATTAR OPPOSITE MUTTON SHOP BEEDI COLONY, RAHAMATH NAGAR KOLAR-563 101. 12. MR. ABDUL MATEEN AHMED TAHA @ ABDUL MATHEEN TAHA - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11302-DB CRL.A No. 2065 of 2025 @ MATHEEN @ TAHA AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS S/O. MANSOOR AHMED, RESIDENT OF NO.92/2/2274/711/4 FISH MARKET ROAD, BIG SOUP THIRTHAHALLI SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT-577 432. 13. MR. HUSSAIN SHARIFF S/O. AHMED SHARIFF AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS RESIDENT OF DOOR NO.58 4TH CROSS, ST. THOMAS SCHOOL ROAD BTM LAYOUT, BENGALURU-560 029. ALSO AT PERMANENT ADDRESS NO.27 15TH CROSS, NEAR ABDUL HUSSAIN MASJID LAKKASANDRA BENGALURU-560 030. 14. MR. EJAZ PASHA @ AZAZ PASHA AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS S/O. ABDUL SATTAR RESIDENT OF NO.424, 2ND CROSS MARUTHI SAWMILL ROAD THANISANDRA MAIN ROAD BENGALURU-560 077. ALSO AT: PERMANENT ADDRESS: UNNANALLI VILLAGE MAGADI TALUK-562 120. 15. MR. ZABIULLA AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS S/O. A. ISMAIL RESIDENT OF 175/2 ASHWATHKATTA ROAD OPPOSITE GANESHA TEMPLE OLD GURAPPANAPALYA, BTM LAYOUT SUGUNAPALYA BENGALURU-560 029. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11302-DB CRL.A No. 2065 of 2025 16. MR. MUSSAVIR HUSSAIN SHAZIB @ SHAZIB @ MUSSAVIR AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS S/O. LATE MOHAMMAD NORULLA RESIDENT OF T-1B-P-13, MASJID ROAD THIRTHAHALLI SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT-577 432. 17. MR. SYED FASIUR REHAMAN @ SYED FASEEH UR REHMAN AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS S/O. SYED FAZULUR RAHAMAN RESIDENT OF 14 P AND T DRIVERS COLONY AYOTHIDASS NAGAR, D.J. HALLI ARABIC COLLEGE, TANNERY ROAD BENGALURU-560 045. 18. MR. MOHAMMED ZAID AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS S/O. ABDUL SUBAN RESIDENT OF 6TH MAIN ROAD 1ST FLOOR, NEW GURAPPANAPALYA NEAR TIMBER GALLI BANNERGHATTA MAIN ROAD BENGALURU - 29. ALSO AT PERMANENT ADDRESS: 1ST CROSS PRASHANTHNAGAR CHIKKABALLAPUR ROAD KOLAR-563 101. 19. MR. M. SADIQ BASHA AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS S/O. T.A. MASTHAN RESIDING AT NO.40, 2ND MAIN ROAD SONNANAHALLI, VIVEK NAGAR BENGALURU-560 047. 20. MR. SIRAJUDEEN @ SHIHABUDEEN @ KHALID @ RAJESH AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS S/O. SYEDALAVI RESIDENT OF NO.6 - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11302-DB CRL.A No. 2065 of 2025 TIRUMARAI NAGAR EXTENSION KURICHI, PIRIVU, PODANUR (PS) COIMBATORE DISTRICT TAMIL NADU-641 023. …APPELLANTS (BY SRI SIRAJUDDIN AHMED, ADVOCATE) AND: NATIONAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY 13TH MAIN ROAD HAL STAGE 2 INDIRANAGAR BENGALURU REPRESENTED BY SPL.SPP HIGH COURT BUILDINGS BENGALURU-560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI PRASANNA KUMAR P., SPL.PP) * * * THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 21(4) OF NIA ACT, PRAYING TO QUASH THE CHARGES AND SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 23-9-2025 PASSED BY THE XLIX ADDITIONAL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE (SPECIAL COURT FOR THE TRIAL OF NIA CASES) (CCH-50) AT BENGALURU, FRAMING CHARGES AGAINST THE APPELLANTS IN SPL.C NO.320 OF 2020 AS THE SAID CHARGES ARE BASED ON INSUFFICIENT INADMISSIBLE, AND UNCORROBORATED EVIDENCE AND ARE A RESULT OF MISAPPLICATION OF LAW. THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P.SANDESH and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11302-DB CRL.A No. 2065 of 2025 ORAL JUDGMENT (PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P.SANDESH) This appeal is filed by accused Nos.1 to 13, 15 to 17, and 19 to 22 praying to quash the charges framed by the trial Court, and to set aside the plea dated 23.09.2025 passed by the learned XLIX Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge (Special Court for the trial of NIA cases) (CCH-50) at Bengaluru, particularly the framing of charges against the appellants in Special Case No.320 of 2020. 2. Learned counsel appearing for the appellants would vehemently contend that the trial Court has framed the charges without any material and has failed to consider that there are no materials on record. 3. Per contra, learned counsel appearing for the respondent brought to the notice of this Court that accused No.11 had been granted bail and the same was challenged before the Apex Court by the NIA. Accused No.20, whose bail was rejected by this Court vide impugned judgment dated - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11302-DB CRL.A No. 2065 of 2025 21.04.2022, had also challenged the same before the Apex Court. 4. The Apex Court, while considering Criminal Appeal No.3645 of 2025 filed by the NIA challenging the grant of bail in favour of accused No.11 and the appeal filed by accused No.20 challenging the rejection of his bail, dismissed both the appeals. The Apex Court further directed the trial Court to dispose of the matter within a period of two years, taking note of the fact that the accused persons have been in custody for about five and a half years without trial and that nearly 100 witnesses are to be examined. The parties were also directed to cooperate for expeditious disposal of the case. Learned counsel further submits that accused No.11 as well as accused No.20 are also appellants herein and, in view of the directions issued by the Apex Court, the present appeal has become infructuous. 5. Having heard learned counsel for the appellants and learned counsel appearing for the respondent, and considering that this appeal is filed challenging the framing of charges against the appellants, it is noticed that the Apex Court, while - 9 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:11302-DB CRL.A No. 2065 of 2025 dismissing the appeals filed by the NIA as well as accused No.20, has directed the trial Court to dispose of the matter within two years. 6. Learned counsel appearing for the NIA would also submit that already eight witnesses have been examined and the examination of other witnesses is yet to be completed. Learned counsel appearing for the appellants also submits that they will cooperate in view of the direction issued by the Apex Court. When such submissions are made before this Court, the present appeal does not survive for consideration with regard to the framing of charges, particularly when a specific direction has been issued to dispose of the matter on merits within a time-bound period by conducting the trial. Hence, the appeal is dismissed. Sd/- (H.P.SANDESH) JUDGE Sd/- (VENKATESH NAIK T) JUDGE AM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 12