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Numan Zahoor v. the State of Karnataka

Karnataka HC4 Sept 2025CRL.P/12692/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Quashing of FIR; compounding of offence; Section 115(2) BNS compoundable; Section 118(1) BNS bleeding injury; Section 482 Cr.P.C. inherent jurisdiction; Section 528 BNSS; Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; settlement/compromise affidavit by complainant; withdrawal of allegations; quietus to dispute; abuse of process; young college-going students; Sadashivanagar Police Station Bengaluru; 1st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate; Karnataka High Court 2025.

What did the court decide?

Criminal Petition allowed; proceedings in Crime No.184/2025 on the file of the I Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru District, registered by Sadashivanagar Police Station for offences under Sections 115(2), 118(1) and 126(2) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, quashed. ¶48

Numan Zahoor Vs the State of Karnataka — Karnataka HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the criminal proceedings in Crime No.184/2025 (offences punishable under Sections 115(2), 118(1), 126(2) r/w Section 3(5) of BNS, 2023) pending before the 1st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru, should be quashed in exercise of the inherent jurisdiction under Section 482 Cr.P.C., in view of the settlement and compounding between the parties.

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Court's answer

Since the complainant admitted he had not sustained any bleeding injury, and the offence punishable under Section 115(2) of the BNS is compoundable, the parties were permitted to compound the said offence.

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Ratio / Principle

Given the complainant's categorical statement that he sustained no bleeding injury and that no weapons were used, continuation of the criminal proceedings would amount to abuse of process of law; the Court exercised its inherent jurisdiction under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. to quash the proceedings to secure the ends of justice.

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Key takeaways

Bearing in mind that the petitioners/accused Nos.1 to 3 are young college-going students, and their age and future prospects, permitting the parties to compound the offences and put an end to the criminal proceedings would meet the ends of justice.ratio¶44

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Criminal Petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. (filed under Section 528 BNSS) allowed; FIR in Crime No.184/2025 of Sadashivanagar Police Station, Bengaluru, for offences punishable under Sections 115(2), 118(1), 126(2) r/w Section 3(5) of BNS, 2023, quashed. On a joint application supported by affidavits, the complainant stated the incident of 05.07.2025 occurred among childhood friends without intention or motive, the complaint was lodged in haste, and he suffered no injuries. Holding the offence under Section 115(2) BNS compoundable, the Court permitted compounding; noting no bleeding injury despite the FIR under Section 118(1) BNS and that no weapons were used, the Court found continuation of proceedings would be an abuse of process and, considering the accused are young college-going students whose future prospects were relevant, exercised inherent jurisdiction under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to quash the proceedings to secure the ends of justice.

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NC: 2025:KHC:35145 CRL.P No. 12692 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 4^TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025

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BEFORE

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12692 OF 2025

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BETWEEN:

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NUMAN ZAHOOR AGED ABOUT 20 YEARS S/O ZAHOOR AHMAD R/AT SHALIMAR, SRINAGAR, JAMMU AND KASHMIR - 191 121.

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JUNAID MANZOOR WANI S/O MOHAMMED MANZOOR WANI

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AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS, R/AT NO. 259, NURSINGH GARD, KARANAGAR, SRINAGAR, JAMMU AND KASHMIR - 190 010.

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Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka

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UMAN SHAFI @ SUHAIB SHAH S/O MOHAMMED SHAFI GASSI AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS

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R/AT NO. 238, MAIN ROAD NATIPORA, MEHBOOB COLONY, SECTOR A, SRINAGAR, JAMMU AND KASHMIR - 190 015.

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…PETITIONERS

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(BY SRI. LETHIF B, ADVOCATE)

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2 - NC: 2025:KHC:35145 CRL.P No. 12692 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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AND:

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THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY SADASHIVANAGAR POLICE STATION, BENGALURU DISTRICT, REP. BY SPP, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BANGALORE - 560 001.

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MOHAMMED AMAN RATHORE S/O IRFAN RATHORE AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, R/AT NO. 13/A, 2ND FLOOR, ITI LAYOUT, MATTIKERE, BANGALORE - 560 054

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…RESPONDENTS

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(BY SRI. M.R. PATIL, HCGP FOR R1; SRI. VIKRAM H.BHAT, ADVOCATE FOR R2)

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THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR IN CR.NO.184/2025 ON THE FILE OF 1^ST ACJM, BENGALURU DISTRICT FOR THE O/P/U/S 115(2), 118(1), 126(2) R/W 3(5) OF BNS OF SADASHIVANAGAR P.S, BENGALURU, WHICH IS PRODUCED AT ANNEXURE-A.

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THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM

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NC: 2025:KHC:35145 CRL.P No. 12692 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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ORAL ORDER

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This petition is filed seeking to quash the proceedings pending in Crime No.184/2025 on the file of 1^st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru, for the offence punishable under Sections 115(2), 118(1), 126(2), Sections 3(5) of BNS, 2023.

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Today, an application supported by affidavits has been filed jointly by the accused as well as the second respondent-complainant. In his affidavit, the complainant has specifically stated that all the accused are his childhood friends and though an incident was alleged to have occurred on 05.07.2025, the same took place without any intention or motive. He has further clarified that the complaint was lodged in haste, without understanding its consequences. At paragraph No.5 of the affidavit, the complainant has categorically affirmed that he did not suffer any injuries in the alleged incident and, with a view to maintain cordial and harmonious relations

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NC: 2025:KHC:35145 CRL.P No. 12692 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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with the accused, he wishes to withdraw the allegations

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made in the complaint and give a quietus to the dispute.

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This Court has personally queried the second respondent-complainant, who has appeared and submitted that he has not sustained any injuries, much less any bleeding injury, in the alleged incident. He has further reiterated that in view of the settlement, he intends to withdraw all allegations made in the complaint.

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Though the FIR was registered for the offence punishable under Section 118(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the complainant has admitted that he has not sustained any bleeding injury. In such circumstances, the offence punishable under Section 115(2) of the BNS being compoundable, the parties are permitted to compound the said offence.

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Having regard to the categorical statement of the complainant that he has not sustained any bleeding injury and that no weapons were in fact used in the alleged

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5 - NC: 2025:KHC:35145 CRL.P No. 12692 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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occurrence, this Court is of the opinion that continuation of the criminal proceedings would amount to abuse of process of law. To secure the ends of justice, this Court deems it appropriate to exercise its inherent jurisdiction under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. to quash the proceedings.

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This Court has also kept in view the fact that the petitioners/accused Nos.1 to 3 are young college-going students. Bearing in mind their age and future prospects, this Court is of the further opinion that permitting the parties to compound the offences and put an end to the criminal proceedings would meet the ends of justice.

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For the foregoing reasons, this Court proceeds to pass the following:

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ORDER

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(i) The Criminal Petition is allowed;

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(ii) Consequently, the proceedings in Crime No.184/2025 on the file of the I Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru District, registered by

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NC: 2025:KHC:35145 CRL.P No. 12692 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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Sadashivanagar Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 115(2), 118(1), and 126(2) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya

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Sanhita, 2023, are hereby quashed.

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Sd/(SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM) JUDGE

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