M/S Smartworks Coworking Spaces Limited Vs Mr. B K… — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

M/S Smartworks Coworking Spaces Limited Vs Mr. B K… — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

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NC: 2026:KHC:14499-DB CCC No. 48 of 2025

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 11^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. 48 OF 2025

BETWEEN:

M/S. SMARTWORKS COWORKING SPACES LIMITED HAVING ITS REGISTERE OFFICE AT: UNIT No.305/310, PLOT No.9, 10 AND 11

VARDHMAN TRADE CENTRE NEHRU PLACE, NEW DELHI - 110 019 ALSO AT: PRESTIGE ZEENATH, RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY ROAD, SAMPANGI RAMA NAGAR BENGALURU - 560 001 REPRESENTED BY ITS AUTHORISED REPRESENTATIVE

MR BASAVARAJ CHANNAVEERAPPA MOORASHILLIN

…COMPLAINANT

Digitally signed by AMBIKA H B Location: High Court of Karnataka

(BY SRI DHANANJAY V. JOSHI, SENIOR ADVOCATE A/W

SRI. SWAROOP S., ADVOCATE)

AND:

MR. B.K. NAGRAJ REDDY

S/O LATE KRISHNA REDDY AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS R/AT BELLANDUR VILLAGE VARTHUR HOBLI, BANGALORE EAST TALUK BENGALURU - 560 103

…ACCUSED

(BY SRI SUNIL S. RAO, ADVOCATE FOR SRI T. SESHAGIRI RAO., ADVOCATE)

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THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTION 11 AND 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, 1971, PRAYING TO HOLD THE ACCUSED GUILTY OF CONTEMPT OF COURT FOR WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE OF THE ORDER AND JUDGMENT OF THIS HON'BLE COURT DATED 24.04.2024 AND 05.07.2024 PASSED IN W.P.NO.11798/2024 AND FURTHER BE PLEASED TO PUNISH THE ACCUSED WITH IMPRISONMENT OF SIX MONTHS IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW AND 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 petition alleging wilful disobedience of the orders dated 24.04.2024 and 05.07.2024 passed by the learned Single Judge of this Court in W.P.No.11798/2024 (GM-CPC).

The complainant claims to be a tenant in respect of the premises, which are described in the order dated 24.04.2024 as under:

"Schedule A - The Commercial Building Complex in the name and style "Vaishanavi Tech Park" (VTP)

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constructed on the land bearing survey no. 16/1 measuring 3 Acres 30 Guntas, and survey No. 17/2 measuring 1 Acre 35 Guntas together admeasuring 5 Acres 25 Guntas situate at Ambalipura Village, Varthur Hobli, Bangalore East Taluk comprising of three blocks ie. South Tower Block A comprising of Ground Floors Ten Upper Floors, Central Tower comprising of Ground Floor Two Upper Floors, and North Tower comprising of Ground Floors Eight Upper Floors and 2 Common Basement.

Schedule B - Built-up area comprising of 3,95,944 Sq. Ft. spread across the South Tower and part of Central Tower of VTP.

Schedule C - Built-up area comprising of 3,03,394 Sq. ft. North Tower and part of Central Tower of VTP."

The complainant had filed a suit being Com.O.S. No.114/2024 before the XI Additional District and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru to protect its possession and also filed an application in the said suit seeking permission to deposit the rents payable in the Court in respect to the subject property.

It was not disputed that the complainant is in possession of the subject property pursuant to the lease deeds executed in its favour by M/s.Vaishanavi Infrastructure Private Limited (arrayed as defendant No.1 in the said suit).

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The accused claims that M/s.Vaishanavi Infrastructure Private Limited does not have any right, title or interest in the subject property, which is in possession of the complainant.

The complainant operates a co-working space and has granted licenses for using the said premises. The accused has issued notices to the customers of the complainant calling upon them to hand over the vacant possession of the premises.

According to the complainant, this constitutes a wilful disobedience of the orders passed by this Court in W.P.No.11798/2024 inasmuch as the same amounts to interference with the complainant's possession of the premises.

The learned counsel for the accused states that the court has not interdicted the accused from seeking recourse to his remedies, and the notices issued are only in furtherance of the remedies that the accused proposes to initiate for recovery of possession of the premises in question.

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As noted, in terms of the order dated 05.07.2024 passed in W.P.No.11798/2024, the disobedience of which is also alleged, the operation of the said order was confined till the disposal of the application filed by the complainant in Com.O.S.No.114/2024 under Order 35 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.

The said application (I.A.3) in Com.O.S.No.114/2024 was disposed of by an order dated 30.07.2025 and the accused has been restrained from obstructing the complainant's peaceful possession and enjoyment of the subject property or portion thereon, without following due process of law.

Concededly, the accused is now at liberty to claim rights in respect of the subject property, including possession thereof.

Whilst it would have been apposite for the accused to have mentioned the interim order passed by this Court in W.P.No.11798/2024, in its notice to various customers of the complainant, we are unable to accept that the import of the said orders was to restrain the accused from availing of legal remedies. Since the notices issued were in furtherance of the same, we are

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unable to accept that the same constitutes wilful disobedience of

the orders of this Court.

The complaint is accordingly closed.

We clarify that this order does not preclude any parties from

availing any substantive remedies.

Sd/(VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE

Sd/(C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE

KPS List No.: 2 Sl No.: 20