Dismissed

Sri Venkateshalu Naidu v. State by Madiwala Police Station

Karnataka HC19 Jun 2023CRL.P/462/2023

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

In a Cr.P. under Section 482 Cr.P.C., petitioners sought quashing of a charge sheet in a dowry death case involving Sections 498A, 304B IPC and Dowry Prohibition Act. The High Court found no merit and rejected the petition to prevent prejudice during trial, remitting the matter for judicial trial.

What did the court decide?

Quashing of proceedings in S.C. No.339/2020 was rejected.

Sri Venkateshalu Naidu Vs State by Madiwala Police Station — Dowry and Cruelty | Karnataka HC (2023)

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NC: 2023:KHC:21127 CRL.P No. 462 of 2023

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 19^TH DAY OF JUNE, 2023

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BEFORE

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THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA

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CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 462 OF 2023

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BETWEEN:

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SRI VENKATESHALU NAIDU AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS S/O DEVARAJULU NAIDU

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SMT. DEVAKI AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS W/O DEVARAJULU NAIDU

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SRI DEVARAJULU NAIDU AGED ABOUT 64 YEARS S/O LATE CHEMGAMA NAIDU

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Digitally signed by PADMAVATHI B K Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

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ALL ARE R/AT NO.47, KRISHNA RESIDENCY, CHANNASANDRA, RAJA RAJESHWARINAGAR, BENGALURU – 560 098.

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…PETITIONERS

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(BY SRI. MUKKANNAPPA S. B., ADVOCATE)

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AND:

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STATE BY MADIWALA POLICE STATION BANGALORE CITY REPRESENTED BY SPP, HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU – 560 001.

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NC: 2023:KHC:21127 CRL.P No. 462 of 2023

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2. VENKATESH

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AGED ABOUT 26 YEARS S/O DAMODAR NAIDU HAPPY TO STAY P.G., GREEN GALNE LAYOUT NEAR HDFC BANK BELLANDURU SARJAPURA ROAD BENGALURU – 560 048.

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…RESPONDENTS

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(BY SRI MAHESH SHETTY, HCGP FOR R-1; R-2 SERVED)

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THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED UNDER SECTION 482 OF CR.P.C., PRAYING TO QUASH THE CHARGE SHEET FILED BY THE RESPONDENT IN S.C.NO.339/2020 AGAINST THE PETITIONERS FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 498A, 304B OF IPC AND SEC.3, 4 OF D.P ACT UNDER THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE.

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THIS CRIMINAL PETITION, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:

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ORDER

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The petitioners are before this Court calling in question the proceedings in S.C.No.339/2020 registered for offences punishable under Sections 498A, 304B read with Section 34 of IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.

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Heard the learned counsel Sri S.B.Mukkannappa

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appearing for the petitioners and the learned High Court Government Pleader Sri. Mahesh Shetty for respondent No.1.

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NC: 2023:KHC:21127 CRL.P No. 462 of 2023

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Facts in brief, as projected by the prosecution are

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as follows:

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The petitioners are accused Nos.1, 2 and 3. The second respondent is the complainant, the brother of one S.Neelavathi. The first petitioner and S.Neelavathi get married on 01.06.2017. The relationship between the first petitioner and his wife appears to have flounder. It transpires that on several grievances, the wife leaves the matrimonial house and begins to reside in a pay-in-guest accommodation, Bengaluru. The averments is that the first petitioner later files M.C No.811/2019 seeking annulment of marriage. On 15.05.2019, it transpires that the wife of the first petitioner booked a OYO room at Madiwala, Bangalore, writes a suicide note and hangs herself in a sealing fan in a room and commits suicide.

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On the incident of commission of suicide, the brother of the deceased - the second respondent then registers a complaint on 17.05.2019, which becomes a crime, in Crime No.142/2019. The Police after investigation have filed a charge sheet before the concerned Court and on the committal, the proceedings are now pending before the learned Sessions Judge in S.C. No.339/2020. The third petitioner - the

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4 - NC: 2023:KHC:21127 CRL.P No. 462 of 2023

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father-in-law files an application before the learned Sessions Judge under Section 227 of the Cr.P.C., seeking his discharge from the array of the accused. This is turned down by the concerned Court. Turning down of the application leads all the accused to this Court in the subject petition.

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The learned counsel appearing for the petitioners would contend that the wife had left the matrimonial house long ago and there was no connection between the family and the wife of the first petitioner. She commits suicide in a different place. Therefore, there can be no link in the chain of events to allege the offences against the petitioners. He would submit that the third petitioner in particular has done no wrong, for him to be an accused in the aforesaid Sessions case. He would seek quashment of the entire proceedings.

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On the other hand, the learned High Court Government Pleader taking this Court through the contents of the charge sheet and the statements of the witnesses, would seek to contend that, it is a matter of trial for the petitioners to come out clean.

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NC: 2023:KHC:21127 CRL.P No. 462 of 2023

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I have given my anxious consideration to the

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contentions of respective learned counsel and have perused the material on record.

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The afore-narrated facts are not in dispute. The marriage between the first petitioner and the sister of the first informant takes place on 01.06.2017. Grievances/allegations against the petitioners galore. Therefore, the wife leaves the matrimonial house, does not go back to the parent’s house but seeks to stay in a pay-in-guest accommodation. On 07.02.2019, the husband files a petition before the Family Court in M.C.No.811/2019 seeking annulment of marriage.

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Notice is issued on the said petition. On 15.05.2019, it is the case of the prosecution that the wife books a OYO room and hangs herself and before so doing scribes a note. The note is in minute detail of all the happenings in the life of the deceased. It is then the brother of the deceased files the complaint. Since the entire issue springs from the complaint, the same insofar as it is germane, it is extracted for the purpose of the quick reference.

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NC: 2023:KHC:21127 CRL.P No. 462 of 2023

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NC: 2023:KHC:21127 CRL.P No. 462 of 2023

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£À£Àß CPÀÌ¤UÉ J®ègÀÆ ¸ÉÃj ºÉaÑ£À ªÀgÀzÀQëuÉ vÀgÀÄªÀAvÉ MvÁÛ¬Ä¹ ºÉÆqÉAiÀÄÄªÀÅzÀÄ, ¨ÉÊAiÀÄÄåªÀÅzÀÄ ªÀiÁr zÉÊ»PÀ ºÁUÀÄ ªÀiÁ£À¹PÀ »A¸ÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¤ÃqÀÄwÛzÀÄÝzÀjAzÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ¸ÀÄªÀiÁgÀÄ 8 wAUÀ½AzÀ DPÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß MAnAiÀiÁV ¦.f.AiÀÄ°ènÖgÀÄªÀÅzÀjAzÀ CªÀgÀ »A¸ÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß vÁ¼À,ÁgÀzÉ £À£Àß CPÀÌ £ÉÃtÄºÁQPÉÆAqÀÄ ªÀÄÈvÀ¥ÀnÖgÀÄvÁÛ¼É. DzÀÝjAzÀ £À£Àß CPÀÌ£À ¸Á«UÉ PÁgÀtgÁzÀ UÀAqÀ ªÉAPÀmÉÃ±À®Ä£ÁAiÀÄÄØ, CvÉÛ zÉÃªÀQ, ªÀiÁªÀ zÉÃªÀgÁdÄ®Ä £ÁAiÀÄÄØ, UÀAqÀ£À CPÀÌ ªÀÄªÀÄvÀ, ªÀÄªÀÄvÁ¼À UÀAqÀ ¥ÉÃªÀiï, UÀAqÀ£À aPÀÌªÀÄä ¸ÀA¥ÀÆtð ªÀÄvÀÄÛ DAn ¸ÀÄeÁvÀ gÀªÀgÀÄUÀ¼À ªÉÄÃ,É PÁ£ÀÆ£ÀÄ jÃw PÀæªÀÄ dgÀÄV¸À¨ÉÃPÉAzÀÄ PÉÃ½PÉÆ¼ÀÄîvÉÛÃ£É. ”

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The complaint then becomes a crime, in Crime No.142/2019 for the afore-quoted offences. The Police begin to investigate, record statement of witnesses and draws up charge sheet against the petitioners. The summary of the charge sheet as obtaining in Column No.7 reads as follows:

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“F zÉÆÃµÁgÉÆÃ¥Àt ¥ÀnÖAiÀÄ CAPÀt 3 gÀ°è £ÀªÀÄÆ¢¹gÀÄªÀ J 1 DgÉÆÃ¦AiÀÄÄ ªÀÄÈvÉ ²ÃªÀÄw ¤Ã,ÁªÀw- 25 ªÀµÀð, FPÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¢£ÁAPÀ: 01-06-2017 gÀAzÀÄ ªÀÄzÀÄªÉ ªÀiÁrPÉÆArzÀÄÝ, ªÀÄzÀÄªÉAiÀÄ ¸ÀªÀÄAiÀÄzÀ°è ªÀÄÈvÀ¼À vÀªÀgÀÄ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄªÀgÀÄ J 1 DgÉÆÃ¦UÉ 50 UÁæA vÀÆPÀªÀÅ¼Àî PÀwÛ£À ZÉÊ£ÀÄ, GAUÀÄgÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ¨Áæ¸ï,ÉÃmï ºÁUÀÆ 80 ¸Á«gÀ £ÀUÀzÀÄ ºÀtªÀ£ÀÄß ªÀgÀzÀQëuÉAiÀiÁV PÉÆnÖzÀÄÝ, ªÀÄzÀÄªÉAiÀiÁzÀ 4 wAUÀ¼ÀÄ ªÀiÁvÀæ UÀAqÀ ºÉAqÀw C£ÉÆåÃ£ÀåªÁVzÀÄÝ, D £ÀAvÀgÀ J 1 DgÉÆÃ¦ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ CAPÀt 4 gÀ°è £ÀªÀÄÆ¢¹gÀÄªÀ J 2 ªÀÄvÀÄÛ J 3 DgÉÆÃ¦UÀ¼ÀÄ ªÀÄÈvÉ ¤Ã,Á gÀªÀjUÉ 50 ®PÀë ºÉaÑ£À ªÀgÀzÀQëtÂ

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NC: 2023:KHC:21127 CRL.P No. 462 of 2023

¶59

vÉUÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ §gÀÄªÀAvÉ ºÉÆqÉAiÀÄÄªÀÅzÀÄ ¨ÉÊAiÀÄÄªÀÅzÀÄ ªÀiÁr zÉÊ»PÀ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ªÀiÁ£À¹PÀ QgÀÄPÀÄ¼À ¤Ãr, ¸ÀÄªÀiÁgÀÄ 8 wAUÀ½AzÀ ªÀÄÈvÀ¼À£ÀÄß ¸ÁQë- 3 gÀªÀgÀ ¦.fAiÀÄ°èlÄÖ «bÉÒÃzÀ£ÀPÁÌV £ÉÆÃnÃ¸ï PÀ¼ÀÄ»¹zÀÝjAzÀ ªÀÄÈvÀ¼ÀÄ EzÀjAzÀ wÃªÀæ ªÀÄ£À£ÉÆAzÀÄ ¢£ÁAPÀ : 15-05-2019 gÀAzÀÄ ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ £ÀUÀgÀ ªÀÄrªÁó ªÀiÁgÀÄw £ÀUÀgÀ

¶60

ªÀÄÄRågÀ¸ÉÛ, 1 £ÉÃ ªÉÄÃ£ï, 11 £ÉÃ PÁæ¸ï£À°ègÀÄªÀ ªÀ¹ðn ¥ÀèeÁzÀ NAiÉÆÃUÉ §AzÀÄ gÀÆA£ÀÄß ¨ÁrUÉUÉ ¥ÀqÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ DgÉÆÃ¦UÀ¼ÀÄ »A¸É ¤ÃqÀÄwÛzÀÝ §UÉÎ vÉ®ÄUÀÄ ¨sÁµÉAiÀÄ°è qÉvï £ÉÆÃmï §gÉ¢lÄÖ gÀÆA£À ¨ÁV®Ä ºÁQPÉÆAqÀÄ ¹Ã°AUï ¥sÁå¤UÉ ªÉÃ,ï PÀnÖPÉÆAqÀÄ PÀÄwÛUÉUÉ £ÉÃtÄ ºÁQPÉÆAqÀÄ ªÀÄÈvÀ¥ÀnÖgÀÄªÀÅzÀÄ vÀ¤SÉ¬ÄAzÀ zÀÈqsÀ¥ÀnÖgÀÄvÀÛzÉ.

¶61

DzÀÝjAzÀ J 1 jAzÀ J 3 ªÀgÉV£À DgÉÆÃ¦UÀ¼À «gÀÄzÀÝ ªÉÄÃ®ÌAqÀ PÀ®A UÀ¼À ¥ÀæPÁgÀ zÉÆÃµÁgÉÆÃ¥Àt ¥ÀnÖAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ªÀiÁ£Àå £ÁåAiÀiÁ®AiÀÄPÉÌ ¤ªÉÃ¢¹PÉÆArgÀÄvÉÛ.”

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The contention now is that the petitioners are in no way responsible for the death of the wife. The death note forms the part of the charge sheet. A perusal at the complaint, the death note and the charge sheet would clearly indicate the offences against the petitioners being met, albeit, prima facie.

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In the teeth of the aforesaid facts which would require all the evidence, as the life of the wife, is lost. It is for the petitioners - the husband, mother-in-law and father-in-law

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NC: 2023:KHC:21127 CRL.P No. 462 of 2023

¶66

to come out clean in the trial. Any further reference made to the statements made or the death note, would prejudice the case of the petitioners in the trial. Therefore, I refrain from making any observations. Finding no merit in the petition, the petition stands rejected.

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Sd/JUDGE

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KG List No.: 1 Sl No.: 17 CT:SS

Sri Venkateshalu Naidu v. State by Madiwala Police Station

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Sri Venkateshalu Naidu v. State by Madiwala Police Station

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

A compact analysis

Issues for consideration

Statutes considered

Parties & counsel

Coram

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