Mr.Nkhil P Vs State by North Women Police Station — Dowry and Cruelty | Karnataka HC (2025)

Mr.Nkhil P Vs State by North Women Police Station — Dowry and Cruelty | Karnataka HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petition dismissed as withdrawn, reserving liberty to the petitioners to file a petition afresh challenging the charge sheet; the pending I.A. does not survive for consideration.

Issue for consideration

Whether FIR No. 0080/2024 registered by North Women Police Station, Bangalore City under S. 3(5), 85, 351(2) of BNS, 2023 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 should be quashed (prayed for in the petition but not adjudicated, as the petition was withdrawn). +1 more

Ratio / Principle

The criminal petition is dismissed as withdrawn.

Key takeaways

The withdrawal is permitted with the liberty reserved as sought by the petitioners, i.e., liberty to file a petition afresh challenging the charge sheet.ratio¶¶37
The pending interlocutory application (I.A.) does not survive for consideration following withdrawal of the petition.ratio¶¶38

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

CRL.P No. 12985 of 2024 (NC: 2025:KHC:9075), High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru (Hemant Chandangoudar, J.), decided 03.03.2025: Four petitioners (Nikhil P, Vijayambika, Punnia Moorthy and Shilpa Devanand) filed a criminal petition under S. 482 Cr.PC (also styled as filed u/s 528 BNNS) praying to quash FIR No. 0080/2024 of North Women Police Station, Bangalore City, registered on 04.09.2024 under S. 3(5), 85 and 351(2) of BNS, 2023 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, pending before the Hon'ble XXXII Addl. Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Bangalore City. At the admission stage, learned counsel for the petitioners filed a memo seeking leave to withdraw the petition, reserving liberty to file a petition afresh challenging the charge sheet; the memo was placed on record. The Court dismissed the petition as withdrawn, reserving the liberty sought, and observed that the pending I.A. did not survive for consideration. The merits of the FIR-quashing prayer were not adjudicated. No precedent was cited and no costs or quantum were awarded.

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NC: 2025:KHC:9075 CRL.P No. 12985 of 2024

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 3^RD DAY OF MARCH, 2025

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12985 OF 2024

BETWEEN:

MR. NIKHIL P AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS S/O MR PUNYAMURTHY RESIDING AT NO 59, GROUND FLOOR, 4TH EAST CROSS, NAKSHATHRA LAYOUT, BANGALORE-560077

WRONGLY MENTIONED IN FIR, RESIDING AT FLAT NO.408, SAKETH HILLSIDE FLUVIUM BLOCK, HOSAKEREHALLI, BASASHANKARI, 3^RD STAGE, BENGALURU-560085.

Digitally signed by R HEMALATHA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

MRS VIJAYAMBIKA W/O MR PUNNIA MOORTHY, AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS RESIDING AT HENNUM, BENGALURU ROAD, BANGALORE-560 077.

WRONGLY MENTIONED IN FIR, RESIDING AT FLAT NO.408, SAKETH HILLSIDE GURUDATTA LAYOUT, HOSAKEREHALLI, BENGALURU-560085.

MR PUNNIA MOORTHY S/O NEELAMAGAN, AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS RESIDING AT HENNUR, BAGALURU ROAD

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NC: 2025:KHC:9075 CRL.P No. 12985 of 2024

BANGALORE-560077

WRONGLY MENTIONED IN FIR, RESIDING AT 388, RAMANJUN GUDISAI, POOVAN KOTTADI, SOUTH END OF ERIKARAI, KALLARAPADI, TAMIL NADU-606 702.

SHILPA DEVANAND W/O DEVANAND A AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, RESIDING AT NAGAWARA, THANISANDRA, BENGALURU-560032.

WRONGLY MENTIONED IN FIR, RESIDING AT NO.15/1, 1^ST FLOOR, 1^ST B MAIN, BINNY MILL ROAD, GANGANAGAR EXTENSION, RT NAGAR, BENGALURU-560032.

…PETITIONERS

(BY SRI. POOJA V., ADVOCATE)

AND:

STATE BY NORTH WOMEN POLICE STATION, BANGALORE REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT, BANGALORE-56001

MRS MEENA KUMARI N AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS D/O NAGARAJ, RESIDING AT NO 261, GROUND FLOOR, 9TH MAIN, NTI LAYOUT, VIDHYARANYAPURA BENGALURU-560092,.

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI. M R PATIL, HCGP FOR R-1)

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NC: 2025:KHC:9075 CRL.P No. 12985 of 2024

THIS CRL.P FILED U/S 482 CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNNS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR NO.0080/2024 FILED BY NORTH WOMEN PS, BANGALORE CITY AND SAME BEING REGISTERED ON 04.09.2024 U/S 3(5), 85, 351(2) OF BNS, 2023 AND SECTION 3 AND 4 OF DOWRY PROHIBITION ACT 1961 PENDING ON THE FILE OF HONBLE XXXII ADDL. CHIEF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE COURT AT BANGALORE CITY INITIATED THERETO AGAINST THE PETITIONERS.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR

ORAL ORDER

Learned HCGP accepts notice for the respondent-State.

Learned counsel for the petitioners files a memo seeking leave of this Court to withdraw the petition reserving

liberty to file a petition afresh challenging the charge sheet.

Memo is placed on record.

Accordingly, petition is dismissed as withdrawn

reserving liberty as sought for.

Pending I.A. does not survive for consideration.

Sd/(HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR) JUDGE

RKA