Disposed¶4

Sri Purushothama Prabhu v. Sri Darshan H v

Karnataka HC18 Feb 2026CCC/1272/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Civil contempt; CCC No. 1272 of 2025; Sections 11 and 12, Contempt of Courts Act, 1971; willful disobedience; order dated 08.04.2025 in W.P. No.5118/2025 (KLR-RES); Deputy Commissioner, Dakshina Kannada; Sri Darshan H.V.; certificate of permanent ownership; subject lands 4.45 acres; affidavit of compliance; land value Rs.1,55,77,100/-; complaint closed; substantive remedies preserved; complainant Sri Purushothama Prabhu; Karnataka HC Division Bench; Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru; Justice C.M. Poonacha; decision dated 18.02.2026.

What did the court decide?

No conviction ordered; complaint closed without initiating contempt proceedings, with liberty preserved to the complainant to pursue substantive remedies against the Deputy Commissioner's decision. ¶4

Sri Purushothama Prabhu Vs Sri Darshan H v — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

No conviction ordered; complaint closed without initiating contempt proceedings, with liberty preserved to the complainant to pursue substantive remedies against the Deputy Commissioner's decision.

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Issue for consideration

Whether contempt proceedings under Sections 11 and 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 were warranted against the accused (Deputy Commissioner) for alleged willful disobedience of the order dated 08.04.2025 in W.P. No.5118/2025 (KLR-RES).

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Court's answer

The court was unable to accept that proceedings for willful disobedience of the order dated 08.04.2025 were required to be initiated against the accused.

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Ratio / Principle

The civil contempt complaint (CCC No. 1272 of 2025) was closed.

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Key takeaways

Clarification that the order will not preclude the complainant from availing substantive remedies, if any, if aggrieved by the decision of the Deputy Commissioner.obiter¶5

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Karnataka, Division Bench (Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha; oral order per the Chief Justice), closed a Civil Contempt Petition (CCC No. 1272 of 2025) filed under Sections 11 and 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 by Sri Purushothama Prabhu alleging willful disobedience of the order dated 08.04.2025 passed by a learned Single Judge in W.P. No.5118/2025 (KLR-RES), whereby the Deputy Commissioner, Dakshina Kannada was directed to take a decision on recommendations favouring the complainant for issuance of a certificate of permanent ownership over subject lands measuring 4.45 acres. The accused Deputy Commissioner (Sri Darshan H.V.) filed an affidavit of compliance affirming that the decision had to be taken by the Deputy Commissioner and that the value of the subject land stood determined at Rs.1,55,77,100/-. Holding that contempt proceedings were not required to be initiated against the accused, the Bench closed the complaint and clarified that its order would not preclude the complainant from availing substantive remedies, if any, if aggrieved by the Deputy Commissioner's decision.

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NC: 2026:KHC:10003-DB CCC No. 1272 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 18^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026

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PRESENT

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THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE

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AND

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 1272 OF 2025

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BETWEEN:

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SRI PURUSHOTHAMA PRABHU S/O. LATE DAMODHARA PRABHU AGED ABOUT 68 YEARS RESIDING AT MUNDAKOCHI MAADNURU VILLAGE, KAVU POST PUTTURU TALUK DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT PIN - 574 223

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…COMPLAINANT

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(BY SRI VENUGOPALA M.S., ADVOCATE)

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AND:

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Digitally signed by SRIDEVI S Location: High Court of Karnataka

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SRI DARSHAN H.V. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER STATE BANK ROAD MANGALORE - 575 001

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…ACCUSED

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STATE OF KARNATAKA, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE REPRESENTED BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY VIKASA SOUDHA, BENGALURU - 560 001

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…PRO FORMA RESPONDENT

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(BY SRI S.H. RAGHAVENDRA, AGA)

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2 - NC: 2026:KHC:10003-DB CCC No. 1272 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, 1971, PRAYING TO PASS AN ORDER CONVICTING THE ACCUSED FOR HAVING COMMITTED OF THE ORDER PASSED BY THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE OF THIS HON'BLE COURT IN W.P. NO.5118/2025 (KLR-RES) DATED 08.04.2025 VIDE ANNEXURE-A.

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

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA

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ORAL ORDER

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

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The complainant has filed present complaint alleging willful disobedience of the order dated 08.04.2025 passed in W.P.No.5118/2025 (KLR-RES), whereby the Deputy Commissioner was directed to take a decision on the recommendations made in favour of the complainant for issuance of a certificate of permanent ownership in respect of the subject lands measuring 4.45 acres.

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The accused has filed an affidavit of compliance affirming that the decision has to be taken by the Deputy Commissioner and

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NC: 2026:KHC:10003-DB CCC No. 1272 of 2025

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HC-KAR

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the value of the subject land has been determined at Rs.1,55,77,100/-.

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In view of the above, we are unable to accept that the proceedings for willful disobedience of the order dated 08.04.2025

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are required to be initiated against the accused.

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The complaint is accordingly closed.

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However, we clarify that this order will not preclude the complainant to avail of substantive remedies, if any, if the complainant is aggrieved by the decision of the Deputy Commissioner.

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Sd/(VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE

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Sd/(C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE

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SD List No.: 1 Sl No.: 23

Sri Purushothama Prabhu v. Sri Darshan H v

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Sri Purushothama Prabhu v. Sri Darshan H v

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

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What the court decided

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