Criminal Petition (CRL.P No. 9549 of 2025) under Section 482 Cr.P.C. (captioned as filed under Section 528 BNSS) by a serving Police Sub-Inspector, arrayed as Accused No.1, seeking quashing of FIR dated 03.05.2025 in Crime No.5/2025 of Lokayuktha Police, Davanagere, for offence under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, pending before the Prl. District and Sessions Judge and Special Court, Davanagere. Petitioner contended that demand and acceptance of illegal gratification were absent and that money was handed to Accused No.2. Held: (i) the investigation being at a premature stage, the Court cannot conclusively adjudicate the sufficiency of material; (ii) in PC Act cases, inherent jurisdiction under Section 482 Cr.P.C. must be exercised with great caution and only in the rarest of rare cases where manifest injustice or abuse of process is clearly demonstrable; (iii) whether the petitioner demanded or accepted illegal gratification is a matter for fair and impartial investigation; no compelling reason to quash the FIR at the preliminary stage. Petition dismissed without expressing any opinion on merits, with liberty reserved to approach the Court after filing of the charge sheet. Coram: Sachin Shankar Magadum, J. (single Judge).
