The High Court quashed criminal proceedings against the petitioner accused No.3 in a cheating case involving marriage promise. The court found no prima-facie material or specific role imputed to her in the complaint compared to other accused.
The proceedings in C.C. No. 16404/2018 are quashed in so far as they concern accused No.3.
This page shows the compact analysis of this judgement. The full analysis — procedural history, issue-by-issue holdings with ratio and obiter, advocates, and paragraph-level evidence for every claim — is being added to the record in batches and will appear here when this judgement has been through it.
CRL.P No. 9540 of 2018
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 31ST DAY OF MAY, 2023
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 9540 OF 2018
BETWEEN:
SRI. SHANTAMMA D/O VEERANNA BHARAMSHETTY AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS ATHASHRI HOMES NO.B-114, 6TH CROSS PRITHVI LAYOUT NEAR DEENS ACADEMY WHITEFIELD BENGALURU - 560 066
…PETITIONER
(BY SMT. SHWETHA ANAND, ADVOCATE)
Digitally signed by CHAITHRA A Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
AND:
CRL.P No. 9540 of 2018
60TH CROSS ROAD M.E.I LAYOUT BENGALURU - 560 073
…RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI.VINAYAKA V.S, HCGP FOR R.1; SRI.JAGADEESHA B.N, ADVOCATE FOR R.2)
THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED U/SEC.482 CR.P.C BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING THAT THIS HONBLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO QUASH THE PROCEEDINGS IN C.C.NO.16404/2018 IN CR.NO.516/2017, INITIATED AGAINST THE PETITIONER FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/SEC 417, 506 AND 504 R/W 34 OF IPC BY THE BAGALGUNTE POLICE STATION, BENGALURU.
THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR FURTHER HEARING, THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:
ORDER
The captioned criminal petition is filed by the petitioner - accused No.3 seeking quashing of the proceedings pending in C.C.No.16404/2018 on the file of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru, which is registered in Crime No.516/2017 for the offence punishable under Sections 417, 506, 504 read with Section 34 of IPC by the Bagalgunte Police Station, Bengaluru.
CRL.P No. 9540 of 2018
Respondent No.2 lodged a complaint before respondent No.1 alleging that accused No.1 - Puneeth along with his mother visited to the house of brother-in-law of respondent No.2 and after brief interaction, accused No.1 expressed his willingness to marry respondent No.2. Respondent No.2 also expressed her willingness to marry accused No.1 and family members of accused and complainant resolved to perform the marriage on 19.11.2017. It is further case of the prosecution that accused No.1 having assured that he would marry respondent No.2 - complainant, however, retracted from the marriage promise and expressed his unwillingness to marry respondent No.2 - complainant. Respondent No.2 - complainant, though tried to persuade accused No.1 and also appraised accused No.1 that her family members have already raised loans by mortgaging lands and that they have already purchased jewelries required for performing
CRL.P No. 9540 of 2018
the marriage, accused No.1 threatened respondent No.2 - complainant and expressed that he will not change his decision and therefore, a crime came to be registered against accused No.3/petitioner and other accused.
CRL.P No. 9540 of 2018
relevant portion of the complaint in so far as accused No.3 is concerned.
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CRL.P No. 9540 of 2018
15.11.2017 ರಂದು ಪ1�ೕತರವರನು: ಕ9ೆ, ನ��ಬZರನು: ಪರಸ[ರ �ಾತ?ಾಡಲು ಅವ3ಾಶ �ಾ�3ೊಟ�ರು . ?ಾನು ಪ1�ೕತರವರ ]ೊ�ೆ �ಾತ?ಾಡಲು "ೋ0ಾಗ ಅವ*�ೆ ಮ�ೆ� Bೇ�3ೊಂCೆ . ನನ:ನು: ಮದು�ೆ ಆಗುವಂ�ೆ 3ೇF3ೊಂCೆ . ಆದ9ೆ ಪ1�ೕತರವರು ನನ�ೆ Rೕವ Bೆದ3ೆ "ಾ^ದರು . �ನ:ನು: �ಾಯುಸು�ೆ�?ೆಂದು "ೇ½ದರು . "ಾಗೂ ನನ: ಬ�ೆ_ ನನ: ೕಲದ ಬ�ೆ_ ತaಾ[$ �ಾತ?ಾ�ದರು _._ �ೕನು ನನ:ನು: ]ೈD�ೆ "ಾ^ದರು ?ಾನು �ನ:ನು: ಬದುಕಲು Eಡುವ1+ಲ(�ೆಂದು ನನ�ೆ Bೆದ*3ೆ "ಾ^ದರು _._ ಅವರ �ಾP ಬಸಮ�ನವರು �ನ: ಬದುಕು "ಾಳ6 �ಾಡು�ೆ�ೕ?ೆಂದು Bೆದ*3ೆ "ಾ^ದರು _._ Sಾವತು� Bೇ3ಾದರು ಪ1�ೕತ "ಾಗೂ ಅವರ ಕುಟುಂಬದವರು ನಮ�ೆ �ೊಂದ9ೆ ಉಂಟು �ಾಡಬಹು0ೆಂದು ನಮ�ೆ "ೆದ*3ೆ 3ಾಡು7�0ೆ _. "_ ನನಗೂ "ಾಗೂ ನನ: ಕುಟುಂಬದವ*ಗೂ ನಂE, �d�ಾಥf �ಾ�3ೊಂಡು ಮದು�ೆಯು ಹತ% ಬಂ0ಾಗ , ನನ: ಮದು�ೆ ಆಗುವ1+ಲ(�ೆಂದುನನ�ೆ gೕಸ�ಾ�ರುವ"ಾಗೂ aಾ%ಣ Bೆದ3ೆ "ಾ^ 3ೆಟ� ಪದಗFಂದ �ಂ+,ದ ಪ1�ೕತ ಇತನ �ಾP hರುದi ಕ%ಮ 3ೈ�ೊಂಡು ನನಗೂ ನಮ� ಕುಟುಂಬದವ*ಗೂ ರjYೆಯನು: �ೕ�?ಾkಯ ಒದ$ಸBೇ3ಾ$hನಂ7ಸು7�0ೆ8?ೆ ."
the complaint lodged by respondent No.2 - complainant, this Court would find that even if these allegations are accepted, the complaint does not indicate any overt acts in so far as accused No.3 is concerned. The entire complaint
is silent in so far as accused No.3 is concerned. In fact, serious allegations are attributed only towards accused
CRL.P No. 9540 of 2018
Nos.1 and 2. Having taken cognizance of the allegations made in the complaint, which is culled out supra, I am of the view that even if allegations are accepted, no offence is made out against accused No.3. There is absolutely no prima-facie materials in so far accused No.3 is concerned and therefore, to meet the ends of justice, I am of the view that the proceedings are liable to be quashed only in so far as accused No.3 is concerned, failing which, it clearly amounts to abuse of process. If no specific role is assigned in the complaint as against accused No.3 is concerned and if there are no prima-facie materials indicating that accused No.3 has also instigated accused No.1 to retract from the marriage promise, gross injustice would be meted out to accused No.3 as she has to undergo long ordeal of trial.
CRL.P No. 9540 of 2018
ORDER
The Criminal Petition is allowed .
The proceedings pending in C.C.No.16404/2018 on the file of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru, which is registered in Crime No.516/2017 for the offence punishable under Sections 417, 506, 504 read with Section 34 of IPC by the Bagalgunte Police Station, Bengaluru, are hereby quashed in so far as accused No.3 is concerned.
Sd/JUDGE
NBM
List No.: 1 Sl No.: 15
2 issues framed by the court
Whether criminal proceedings under Sections 417, 506, and 504 read with Section 34 of IPC are liable to be quashed in respect of accused No.3 based on the absence of prima-facie material.
Whether the impugned prosecution case indicates any overt acts or specific role attributed to the petitioner accused under Section 482 Cr.P.C.
2 provisions across 2 enactments
Shantamma
The State of Karnataka
Nandhini
SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM
As recorded by the court registry
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
