Disposed¶55

Sri P K Pounraj v. Sri Krishna Annayya Gowda

Karnataka HC17 Feb 2026CCC/398/2024

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

CCC No. 398 of 2024; High Court of Karnataka; civil contempt; willful disobedience; Contempt of Courts Act Sections 11 and 12; Article 215 Constitution of India; Crl.P.No.7582/2018; order dated 25.09.2023; release of iron ore; Ankola; Assistant Conservator of Forest Krishna Annayya Gowda; Range Forest Officer G.V. Naik; State of Karnataka proforma respondent; compliance affidavits; affidavit of K.C. Jayesh; communication dated 16.02.2026; Additional Advocate General I. Tharanath Poojary; contempt proceedings closed; notice discharged; framing of charges; Anu Sivaraman; Vijaykumar A. Patil; P K Pounraj; M/s. Satya Granites; Dharmapuri.

What did the court decide?

No contempt charges framed; contempt proceedings closed and the notice issued to the accused stands discharged. ¶55

Sri P K Pounraj Vs Sri Krishna Annayya Gowda — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

No contempt charges framed; contempt proceedings closed and the notice issued to the accused stands discharged.

¶55

Issue for consideration

Whether the accused committed willful disobedience of the final order dated 25.09.2023 passed by the learned Single Judge in Crl.P.No.7582/2018, warranting initiation of contempt proceedings against them. +1 more

¶37

Court's answer

The Court took into account the affidavit of Sri K.C. Jayesh, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Ankola, filed by the learned Additional Advocate General, annexing a communication dated 16.02.2026 wherein the decision was taken to release the iron ore as directed by the learned Single Judge, together with the compliance affidavits previously filed by the accused.

¶49

Ratio / Principle

In view of the aforesaid affidavit and taking note of the submission of the learned Additional Advocate General, the contempt proceedings were closed and the notice issued to the accused stands discharged.

¶54

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Civil Contempt Petition No. 398 of 2024, High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru (Division Bench: Anu Sivaraman and Vijaykumar A. Patil JJ.; oral judgment per Vijaykumar A. Patil J.), filed under Sections 11 and 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act r/w Article 215 of the Constitution of India by Sri P K Pounraj, proprietor of M/s. Satya Granites, Dharmapuri, alleging willful disobedience by the Assistant Conservator of Forest and Range Forest Officer, Ankola, of the final order dated 25.09.2023 passed by the learned Single Judge in Crl.P.No.7582/2018 concerning release of iron ore. The accused had filed various compliance affidavits; the learned Additional Advocate General further filed an affidavit of Sri K.C. Jayesh, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Ankola, annexing a communication dated 16.02.2026 recording the decision to release the iron ore as directed by the learned Single Judge. Taking these into account, the Division Bench closed the contempt proceedings and discharged the notice issued to the accused. Judgment delivered when the petition came on for framing of charges.

¶1

¶2

NC: 2026:KHC:10270-DB CCC No. 398 of 2024

¶3

HC-KAR

¶4

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 17^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 PRESENT

¶5

THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN

¶6

AND

¶7

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIJAYKUMAR A. PATIL CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO.398 OF 2024

¶8

BETWEEN:

¶9

SRI P K POUNRAJ

¶10

S/O SRI. KUPPASWAMY DEVAR

AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS

PROPRIETOR

M/S. SATYA GRANTITES

NO.69,

ADHIMMAN BYPASS RAOD,

¶16

DHARMAPURI - 636 701,

¶17

Digitally signed by RAKSHA Location: High Court of Karnataka

¶18

TAMIL NADU

¶19

(BY SRI. VIKRAM H. BHAT, ADV. FOR

¶20

SMT. VAISHALI HEGDE, ADVOCATE)

¶21

…COMPLAINANT

¶22

AND:

¶23

SRI. KRISHNA ANNAYYA GOWDA

¶24

ASSISTANT CONSERVATOR OF FOREST ANKOLA SUB-DIVISION

¶25

ANKOLA 581 319.

¶26

¶27

NC: 2026:KHC:10270-DB CCC No. 398 of 2024

¶28

HC-KAR

¶29

SRI. G.V. NAIK

¶30

RANGE FOREST OFFICER ANKOLA RANGE ANKOLA 581319.

¶31

…ACCUSED

¶32

STATE OF KARNATAKA

¶33

REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY

¶34

FOREST DEPARTMENT M. S. BUILDING DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BANGALORE 560 001

¶35

…PROFORMA RESPONDENT

¶36

(BY SRI. SATISH K., ADV. FOR A1; SRI. I. THARANATH POOJARY, AAG WITH SRI. KIRAN KUMAR, HCGP FOR PROFORMA R3; SRI. AKASH B. SHETTY, ADV. FOR A2)

¶37

THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, R/W ARTICLE 215 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO INITIATE CONTEMPT OF COURT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE ACCUSED FOR WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE OF THE FINAL ORDER DATED 25.09.2023 PASSED BY THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE OF THIS COURT IN CRIMINAL PETITION NO.7582/2018.

¶38

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR FRAMING OF CHARGES, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

¶39

¶40

NC: 2026:KHC:10270-DB CCC No. 398 of 2024

¶41

HC-KAR

¶42

CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIJAYKUMAR A. PATIL

¶43

ORAL JUDGMENT

¶44

(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIJAYKUMAR A. PATIL)

¶45

This contempt petition is filed alleging willful disobedience of the order dated 25.09.2023 passed by the learned Single Judge in Crl.P.No.7582/2018.

¶46

The accused have filed various compliance

¶47

affidavits.

¶48

3. Learned Additional Advocate General

¶49

Sri I. Tharanath Poojary, appearing for the accused filed an affidavit of Sri K.C. Jayesh, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Ankola and submits that a communication is sent on 16.02.2026, which is annexed to the affidavit, wherein decision is taken to release the iron ore as directed by the learned Single Judge.

¶50