Partly allowed

Ms. Sanjana Raghunath, v. Mohammad Mohsin, I.A.S.

Karnataka HC16 Sept 2026CCC/1110/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The High Court of Karnataka heard a civil contempt petition alleging non-compliance with an earlier order directing the State to pay Rs.10 lakh compensation to a student wrongly denied admission under the P-V category. The respondents belatedly paid the amount and tendered an unconditional apology, blaming inter-departmental miscommunication. The court accepted compliance but imposed a cost of Rs.1,000 on the respondents for the unjustified delay, directing deposit with KSLSA within one week.

What did the court decide?

Cost of Rs.1,000 imposed on the respondents, to be deposited with KSLSA within one week; compliance of earlier order accepted; case consigned with direction to report compliance on 23.09.2026.

Ms. Sanjana Raghunath, Vs Mohammad Mohsin, I.A.S. — Education and Admissions | Karnataka HC (2026)

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HC-KAR

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NC: 2026:KHC:50501-DB CCC No. 1110 of 2025

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CNR: KAHC010566192025

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 16^TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 PRESENT

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI

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AND

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THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE GEETHA K.B. CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 1110 OF 2025

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BETWEEN:

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MS. SANJANA RAGHUNATH, D/O RAGHUNATH S.K. AGED ABOUT 19 YEARS, NO.G-204, PURVA FAIRMONT APARTMENT, II SECTOR, 24^TH MAIN, HSR LAYOUT, BENGALURU – 560 102.

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…COMPLAINANT

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(BY SRI SRIKANTH M.P.,ADVOCATE)

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AND:

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Digitally signed by REKHA R Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

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MOHAMMAD MOHSIN, I.A.S., PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, MEDICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, VIKASA SOUDHA, DR.AMBEDKAR ROAD, BENGALURU – 560 001.

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THE STATE OF KARNATAKA MEDICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, VIKASA SOUDHA, DR.AMBEDKAR ROAD, BENGALURU – 560 001. REP BY PRINCIPAL SECRETARY

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HC-KAR

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NC: 2026:KHC:50501-DB CCC No. 1110 of 2025

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CNR: KAHC010566192025

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SRI.CHETHAN.R COMMISSIONER

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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AND SPORTS DEPARTMENT BENGALURU

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…ACCUSED

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(BY SRI.NAMITHA MAHESH, AGA FOR PROFORMA R2 & A1; SMT. SUMANA BALIGA M FOR A3 (VK NOT FILED))

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THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, 1971, BY THE COMPLAINANT, WHEREIN PRAYS THAT THE HONBLE COURT BE PLEASED TO INITIATE APPROPRIATE ACTION AGAINST THE ACCUSED FOR WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE OF THE ORDER DATED 01.10.2024 PASSED IN WP NO.18327/2023 (EDN-RES) BY THIS HONBLE COURT AND ORDER DATED 02.05.2025 AS PASSED IN RP NO.509/2024 OF THIS HONBLE COURT.

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THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR FRAMING OF CHARGES, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI AND

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HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE GEETHA K.B.

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ORAL ORDER

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(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI)

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Counsel for the complainant appears Online and the

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counsel for the accused is present.

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Disobedience of the order dated 01.12.2024 passed in W.P.No.18327/2023 is alleged. By the order of 01.12.2024, this Court observed that the categorization of

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HC-KAR

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NC: 2026:KHC:50501-DB CCC No. 1110 of 2025

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CNR: KAHC010566192025

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the petitioner as P-V was wrong in view of the Karnataka Selection of Candidates for Admission to Government Seats in Professional Educational Institutions Rules, 2006 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Rules, 2006') and the same is unsustainable. A Circular dated 23.06.2023 was declared as without competence and contrary to Rule 9(1)(B) of the Rules, 2006. The Court observed that the petitioner was denied an opportunity to be admitted as P-V candidate. The petitioner was held entitled to compensation of Rs.10,00,000/- and accordingly, the writ was allowed with a direction to respondent-State to pay compensation.

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The affidavit filed on 15.09.2026 by Sri M.C.Ramesh working as Deputy Director contains no mention of which department the deponent is a Deputy Director of.

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Be that as it may, it has been stated in the affidavit that the demand draft has been received by the

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4 - NC: 2026:KHC:50501-DB CCC No. 1110 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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CNR: KAHC010566192025

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complainant on 10.09.2026. It is stated that the delay is caused due to miscommunication between the department of the State as this respondent was under bona fide belief that the Secretary, Medical Education would comply with the same and the respondent had not received any notice or copy of the contempt petition or the affidavit submitted by the Medical Education Department.

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That, in our opinion, is hardly a ground to delay the payment of the compensation directed by this Court by the order of 01.10.2024. The deponent of the affidavit, apart from making the bald statement regarding some alleged miscommunication between the department of the State, has made no averment in the affidavit nor has enclosed document therein evincing any communication between departments. Therefore, while accepting compliance as well as the unconditional apology tendered, we deem it fit to impose cost of Rs.1,000/- on the

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HC-KAR

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NC: 2026:KHC:50501-DB CCC No. 1110 of 2025

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CNR: KAHC010566192025

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accused, which shall be deposited before KSLSA within one week.

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The case is consigned . However, Office is directed to report compliance of this order regarding deposit of cost on 23.09.2026. For that purpose only, the case shall be listed.

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It shall be open for the State Government to recover

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this amount of cost from the concerned person.

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Sd/(JAYANT BANERJI) JUDGE

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Sd/(GEETHA K.B.) JUDGE

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CT-RS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 44

Ms. Sanjana Raghunath, v. Mohammad Mohsin, I.A.S.

Case brief

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Ms. Sanjana Raghunath, v. Mohammad Mohsin, I.A.S.

Case brief

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