Santhosh Govindaraj Prabhu Vs N. Jayaram Ias. — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

Santhosh Govindaraj Prabhu Vs N. Jayaram Ias. — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

No contempt proceedings initiated; complaint closed with liberty to the complainants to avail substantive remedies in accordance with law in respect of the endorsement or any other action taken by the concerned authorities.

Issue for consideration

Whether the accused committed wilful disobedience of the order dated 11.10.2023 passed in W.P.No.12527/2022 (LA-BDA), warranting proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. +1 more

Court's answer

In view of the above, the Court did not consider it apposite to initiate any proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

Ratio / Principle

In compliance with the order dated 11.10.2023, the BDA considered the complainants' representation and called upon them for a joint survey to be held on 06.11.2025.

Key takeaways

The complainants did not appear on the survey date and did not submit revenue records; consequently their request was rejected and the rejection was communicated to them by letter dated 13.01.2026.ratio¶43
Closure of the complaint does not preclude the complainants from availing substantive remedies in accordance with law in respect of the endorsement or any other action taken by the concerned authorities.ratio¶45

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Civil Contempt Petition No. 115 of 2025 (Division Bench, High Court of Karnataka, 16.03.2026): Four complainants, through GPA holder Santhosh Govindaraj Prabhu, alleged wilful disobedience by the BDA and its officers of the order dated 11.10.2023 in W.P.No.12527/2022 (LA-BDA), whereby the BDA was directed to consider their application in furtherance of its own endorsement dated 26.02.2014 without insisting on an application in prescribed format. The BDA filed a memo stating that it had considered the representation and called the complainants for a joint survey on 06.11.2025; the complainants neither appeared nor submitted revenue records, and their request was rejected by letter dated 13.01.2026. Holding it not apposite to initiate proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, the Bench (Vibhu Bakhru, CJ and C.M. Poonacha, J) closed the complaint, expressly preserving the complainants' liberty to pursue substantive remedies in respect of the endorsement or any other action of the authorities.

1 -

NC: 2026:KHC:15314-DB CCC No. 115 of 2025

HC-KAR

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

PRESENT

THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE

AND

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 115 OF 2025

BETWEEN:

SANTHOSH GOVINDARAJ PRABHU SON OF LATE GOVINDARAJ PRABHU AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS

RESIDING AT AL MANSOORA P.O. BOX - 311, DOHA, QATAR

PRESENTLY AT: BANGALORE, FLAT NO. S-2 HAYA GREEVA APARTMENT 7^TH CROSS, 6^TH MAIN MALLESHWARAM BANGALORE - 560 056

Digitally signed by VEERENDRA KUMAR K M Location: High Court of Karnataka

SMT. CHANDRAKALA GOVINDARAJ PRABHU W/O LATE GOVINDARAJ PRABHU AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS

SMT. SUCHITRA N . SHENOY AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS W/O H. NAGESH SHENOY

SMT SANDHYA GOVINDARAJ PRABHU D/O LATE GOVINDARAJ PRABHU AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS

2 - NC: 2026:KHC:15314-DB CCC No. 115 of 2025

HC-KAR

ALL Sl.No.2 TO 4 ARE REPRESENTED BY THEIR GPA HOLDER SANTHOSH GOVINDARAJ PRABHU R/AT FLAT NO. S-2 HAYA GREEVA APARTMENT 7^TH CROSS, 6^TH MAIN MALLESHWARAM BANGALORE - 560 056

…COMPLAINANTS

(BY SMT. SUCHETA MAJUMDER, ADVOCATE)

AND:

N. JAYARAM I.A.S., THE COMMISSIONER BENGALURU DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY T. CHOWDAIAH ROAD KUMARA PARK WEST BENGALURU - 560 020

N R UMESH CHANDRA THE LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER BANGALORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY T. CHOWDAIAH ROAD KUMARA PARK WEST BANGALORE - 560 020

…ACCUSED

(BY SRI SHASHANK GOWDA N., ADVOCATE FOR SRI AJAY KUMAR M., ADVOCATE FOR ACCUSED No.1 & ACCUSED No.2 IS SERVED & UNREPRESENTED)

THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, PRAYING TO CALL FOR THE RECORDS IN W.P.NO.12527/2022 FROM THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU b) CALL FOR THE RECORDS IN CCC NO.440/2020 FROM THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU c) APPREHEND THE ACCUSED PERSONS AND DEAL WITH ACCUSED PERSONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW FOR HAVING COMMITTED DELIBERATE DISOBEDIENCE OF THE

3 - NC: 2026:KHC:15314-DB CCC No. 115 of 2025

HC-KAR

ORDERS PASSED BY THIS HON'BLE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU IN W.P.NO.12527/2022 ORDER DATED 11.10.2023 VIDE ANNEXURE-A & ETC.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE

and

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA

ORAL ORDER

(PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE)

The complainant has filed the present complaint alleging

willful disobedience of the order dated 11.10.2023 passed by the learned Single Judge of this Court in W.P.No.12527/2022 (LA-BDA).

In terms of the said order, the accused BDA was directed to consider the application filed by the complainants in furtherance of its own endorsement dated 26.02.2014 without insisting the complainants to file any application in prescribed format.

The learned counsel appearing of the BDA has filed a memo stating that in compliance with the said order, the BDA had considered the representation and had called upon the complainants for a joint survey to be held on 06.11.2025. However, the complainants did not appear on the said date and

4 - NC: 2026:KHC:15314-DB CCC No. 115 of 2025

HC-KAR

also did not submit the revenue records and therefore the request of the complainants was rejected, and this was communicated to the complainants by a letter dated 13.01.2026.

In view of the above, we do not consider it apposite to initiate any proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

However this order will not preclude the complainant from availing of substantive remedies in accordance with law in respect of the endorsement or any other action taken by the concerned authorities.

The complaint is closed with the aforesaid observations.

Sd/(VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE

Sd/(C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE

KMV

List No.: 1 Sl No.: 6