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Santhosh v. State of Karnataka

Karnataka HC15 Oct 2025CRL.P/11559/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Quashing of FIR; CRL.P 11559/2025; Karnataka High Court; Mohammad Nawaz J.; S. 482 Cr.PC; S. 528 BNSS; FIR Crime No.257/2025 Chintamani Rural Police Station; Sections 189(2), 132, 126(2), 190 BNS 2023; unlawful assembly; lorry accident 10.07.2025 HMS Tea Hotel Chinnasandra; Crime No. 255/2025; Section 281 BNS; Ashoka Leyland Lorry AP 39 VA 762; omnibus allegations; statutory duty of police to investigate cannot be curtailed; liberty to challenge charge-sheet; petition disposed; I.A.No.1/2025 disposed.

What did the court decide?

No quashing relief granted; the petition seeking quashing of the entire investigation in FIR Crime No.257/2025 was disposed of with observations, with liberty reserved to the petitioners to challenge the charge-sheet, if any, filed against them. I.A.No.1/2025 was also disposed of. ¶66

Santhosh Vs State of Karnataka — Karnataka HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the FIR in Crime No.257/2025 registered at Chintamani Rural Police Station, Chikkaballapura, under Sections 189(2), 132, 126(2) and 190 of BNS 2023, and the entire investigation therein pending before the Addl. Civil Judge (Jr.Dn.) and JMFC Court, Chintamani, ought to be quashed at the instance of accused Nos. 1 to 7.

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Court's answer

From the complaint averments omnibus allegations are made against the petitioners; however, with the investigation in progress, the statutory duty of the police to conduct investigation and file an appropriate report cannot be curtailed, and accordingly the FIR-stage prayer to quash the entire investigation is not carried out, the petition being merely disposed of.

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Ratio / Principle

The petitioners are at liberty to challenge the charge-sheet, if any, filed against them.

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Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Criminal Petition No. 11559 of 2025, High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru (Mohammad Nawaz, J.), dated 15 October 2025: Petition under S. 482 of Cr.PC (filed under S. 528 BNSS) by accused Nos. 1 to 7 praying to quash the entire investigation in FIR Crime No.257/2025 of Chintamani Rural Police Station, Chikkaballapura, registered under Sections 189(2), 132, 126(2) and 190 of BNS 2023 and pending before the Addl. Civil Judge (Jr.Dn.) and JMFC Court, Chintamani. Background: an accident on 10.07.2025 near HMS Tea Hotel, Chinnasandra Village, was reported by the first petitioner himself, leading to Crime No. 255/2025 (S. 281 BNS 2023) against the driver of Ashoka Leyland Lorry AP 39 VA 762; the petitioners were thereafter alleged to have formed an unlawful assembly, damaged the lorry windshield, obstructed the public and tried to stop the police from discharging their duties, which they contend is a false case. Finding omnibus allegations in the complaint but noting the investigation in progress, the Court held that the statutory duty of the police to conduct investigation and file an appropriate report cannot be curtailed, reserved to the petitioners liberty to challenge the charge-sheet, if any, and disposed of the petition (I.A.No.1/2025 also disposed of).

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NC: 2025:KHC:41146 CRL.P No. 11559 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

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DATED THIS THE 15^TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025

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BEFORE

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MOHAMMAD NAWAZ CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 11559 OF 2025

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BETWEEN:

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SANTHOSH

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SON OF CHANNAKESHAVAPPA

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AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS

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RESIDING AT VENKATAPURA VILLAGE,

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CHINNASANDRA, CHICKBALLAPURA - 563 128.

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SUDHAKARA

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SON OF CHANNAKRUSHNAPPA

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AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS,

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RESIDING AT VENKATAPURA VILLAGE, CHINNASANDRA, CHICKBALLAPURA - 563 128.

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SUBRAMANI

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Digitally signed by LAKSHMI T Location: High Court of Karnataka

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SON OF NARAYANAPPA

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AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS,

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RESIDING AT VENKATAPURA VILLAGE,

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CHINNASANDRA, CHICKBALLAPURA - 563 124.

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PAVAN

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SON OF MANJUNATH

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AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS,

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RESIDING AT VENKATAPURA VILLAGE,

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CHINNASANDRA, CHICKBALLAPURA - 563 124.

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SRI.SHABAR

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SON OF CHANNAKRUSHNAPPA V N

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NC: 2025:KHC:41146 CRL.P No. 11559 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, RESIDING AT VENKATAPURA VILLAGE, CHINNASANDRA, CHICKBALLAPURA - 563 128.

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SRI. RAVI SON OF CHANNAKESHAVAPPA AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS, RESIDING AT VENKATAPURA VILLAGE, CHINNASANDRA, CHICKBALLAPURA - 563 128.

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SRI. CHANNAKRISHNAPPA SON OF NARAYANAPPA,

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AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS, RESIDING AT VENKATAPURA VILLAGE, CHINNASANDRA, CHICKBALLAPURA - 563 128.

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…PETITIONERS

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(BY SRI. AKKIMANJUNATH GOWDA K, ADVOCATE)

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AND:

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STATE OF KARNATAKA

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BY CHINTAMANI RURAL POLICE STATION CHICKBALLAPURA REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE

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SRI. DEEPAK KUMAR K SON OF NOT KNOWN TO PETITIONER AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS CPC-183, CHINTAMANI CITY POLICE STATION, CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT - 563 128.

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…RESPONDENTS

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(BY SRI. JAGADEESHA B.N, ADDL. SPP)

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3 - NC: 2025:KHC:41146 CRL.P No. 11559 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE ENTIRE INVESTIGATION IN FIR IN CR.NO.257/2025 P/U/S. 189(2), 132, 126(2), 190 OF BNS PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE ADDL. CIVIL JUDGE (JR.DN.) AND JMFC CORUT, CHINTAMANI, CHIKKABALLAPURA DIST AGAINST THE PETITIONER.

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THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY,

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ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MOHAMMAD NAWAZ

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ORAL ORDER

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The registration of the FIR in Crime No.257/2025 at Chintamani Rural Police Station, Chikkaballapura, under Sections 189(2), 132, 126(2) and 190 of BNS 2023, is sought to be quashed in this petition preferred by the petitioners.

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Petitioners are arraigned as accused Nos.1 to 7 in

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the FIR. It is contented by the learned counsel for the petitioners that an accident which took place on 10.07.2025 at 08.50 p.m. near HMS Tea Hotel, Chinnasandra Village, Kadapa-Bangalore Main Road,

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4 - NC: 2025:KHC:41146 CRL.P No. 11559 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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Chintamani Taluk was reported to the police by the first petitioner. On the basis of his complaint, a case was registered in Crime No. 255/2025 at Chintamani Rural Police Station, Chickballapura for an offence punishable under Section 281 of the BNS 2023, against the driver of Ashoka Leyland Lorry bearing registration No.AP 39 VA 762. He contended that the police have registered a false case against the petitioners, alleging that after the accident, the petitioners have formed an unlawful assembly and damaged the windshield of the Lorry, obstructed the movement of the public and made an attempt to stop the police from discharging their duties etc.

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From the complaint averments, it is seen that

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omnibus allegations are made against the petitioners. However, the investigation is in progress. The statutory duty of the police to conduct investigation and to file an appropriate report cannot be curtailed. Further, the

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NC: 2025:KHC:41146 CRL.P No. 11559 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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petitioners are also at liberty to challenge the charge

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sheet, if any, filed against them.

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