J Ramesh Vs Sri M B Rajesh Gowda — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

J Ramesh Vs Sri M B Rajesh Gowda — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Contempt proceedings closed; liberty reserved to the complainant to take appropriate steps in accordance with law if the directions in WA No.889 of 2025 (The Commissioner, BDA vs. J Ramesh) are not complied with.

Issue for consideration

Whether the accused (BDA officials) committed wilful disobedience of the order dated 29.03.2021 passed by this Court in WP No.4180/2017.

Court's answer

The contempt proceedings are closed.

Ratio / Principle

The closure rested on the respondent/BDA's submission that there was no wilful disobedience of the Single Judge's order and that the delay was caused because the complainant had not paid the amounts for the excess/marginal land in Site No.973, I Block, Sir.M.Visweshwaraiah Layout, Bengaluru; accordingly no finding of wilful disobedience was recorded against the accused.

Key takeaways

The complainant is at liberty to take appropriate steps in accordance with law in the event the directions passed the same day in WA No.889 of 2025 (The Commissioner, BDA vs. J Ramesh) are not complied with.ratio¶40

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Karnataka (Division Bench: Anu Sivaraman and Tara Vitasta Ganju, JJ.; judgment authored by Tara Vitasta Ganju, J.), by oral judgment dated 25.04.2026, closed Civil Contempt Petition No. 234 of 2022 filed under Article 215 of the Constitution of India and Sections 11 and 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, alleging wilful disobedience of the Single Judge's order dated 29.03.2021 in W.P.No.4180/2017 (LA-BDA). The respondent/BDA represented that there was no wilful disobedience and that the delay occurred because the complainant had not paid the amounts for the excess/marginal land in Site No.973, I Block, Sir.M.Visweshwaraiah Layout, Bengaluru. Accepting this position, the Court closed the contempt proceedings, while expressly reserving the complainant's liberty to take appropriate steps in accordance with law in the event the directions passed the same day in WA No.889 of 2025 (The Commissioner, BDA vs. J Ramesh) are not complied with. No adjudication of contempt or quantum findings appear in the judgment.

NC: 2026:KHC:23081-DB CCC No. 234 of 2022

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 25^TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026

PRESENT HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN

AND

HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE TARA VITASTA GANJU CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 234 OF 2022

BETWEEN:

J RAMESH AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, S/O JAYARAMAN C/O S R SUBBARAYULU NO.6, 6TH MAIN SAMPIGE LAYOUT VIJAYANAGAR NORTH, BANGALORE-560 079

…COMPLAINANT

(BY SRI. RAVINDRANATH A., ADVOCATE)

AND:

SRI M B RAJESH GOWDA

Digitally signed by RAKSHA Location: High Court of Karnataka

THE COMMISSIONER BANGALORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY T CHOWDAIAH ROAD KUMARA PARK WEST BANGALORE -560 020

SMT BASANTHI, KAS LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER BANGALORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY T CHOWDAIAH ROAD KUMARA PARK WEST BANGALORE-560 020

DR MADHU

DEPUTY SECRETARY-1 BANGALORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY T CHOWDAIAH ROAD KUMARA PARK WEST BANGALORE-560 020

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NC: 2026:KHC:23081-DB CCC No. 234 of 2022

HC-KAR

MAJOR SRI MANIVANNAM P., IAS THE COMMISSIONER BENGALURU DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY T.CHOWDAIAH ROAD, KUMARA PARK WEST, BENGALURUR-560020

SMT. KRIPALINI G.K., IAS THE LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER BENGALURU DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY T.CHOWDAIAH ROAD, KUMARA PARK WEST, BENGALURUR-560020

SRI UMESH D.S., KAS, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY-1 BENGALURU DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY T.CHOWDAIAH ROAD, KUMARA PARK WEST, BENGALURUR-560 020

…ACCUSED

(BY SRI. B VACHAN, ADVOCATE)

THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 215 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, SECTION 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, 1971, PRAYING TO INITIATE CONTEMPT OF COURT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE ACCUSED FOR DISOBEYING THE ORDER PASSED BY THIS COURT ON 29.03.2021 IN WP NO.4180/2017 UNDER ANENXURE-B.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN and

HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE TARA VITASTA GANJU

ORAL JUDGMENT

(PER: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE TARA VITASTA GANJU)

This Contempt of Court case is filed alleging wilful

disobedience of the Order of the learned Single Judge

dated 29.03.2021, passed in W.P.No.4180/2017 (LA-BDA).

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NC: 2026:KHC:23081-DB CCC No. 234 of 2022

HC-KAR

It is submitted by the respondent/BDA that there

was no wilful disobedience of the Order of the learned Single Judge and the delay was caused merely in view of the fact that the amounts for the excess / marginal land in Site No.973, I Block, Sir.M.Visweshwaraiah Layout, Bengaluru, were not paid by the complainant.

In view of the aforegoing, the contempt proceedings are closed . It is however made clear that the complainant is at liberty to take appropriate steps in accordance with law, in the event the directions passed today in WA No.889 of 2025 captioned The Commissioner, BDA vs. J

Ramesh are not complied with.

Sd/(ANU SIVARAMAN) JUDGE

Sd/(TARA VITASTA GANJU) JUDGE

PN/JJ

List No.: 3 Sl No.: 2

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