Smt Deepika D Hegde Vs State of Karnataka — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

Smt Deepika D Hegde Vs State of Karnataka — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

None; the present complaint is closed without initiating contempt proceedings or punishment.

Issue for consideration

Whether the civil contempt complaint alleging wilful disobedience of the order dated 23.08.2021 in W.P.No.13175/2021 (GM-MM-S) remains maintainable after the respondents considered the complainant's request and accepted the deemed extension of quarry lease, subject to conditions she disputes as not in conformity with Rule 8-A.

Court's answer

The respondents have since considered the complainant's request and have accepted the deemed extension of quarry lease, albeit subject to certain conditions which the complainant contends are not in conformity with Rule 8-A of the Rules.

Ratio / Principle

Since the directions given to the respondents to consider the complainant's request for deemed extension have been considered, the present contempt complaint is not maintainable.

Key takeaways

If the complainant is aggrieved by the condition imposed by the respondents, it is open to her to avail appropriate remedies.obiter¶5

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Civil contempt petition (CCC No. 888 of 2022, filed under Section 2B r/w Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971) by Smt. Deepika D Hegde against State officers - Sri D.S. Ramesh (Director, Department of Mines and Geology), Sri Sandeep G.U. (Senior Geologist) and Sri Ashish Reddy M.V. (Deputy Conservator of Forest, Kundapura) - alleging wilful disobedience of the High Court's order dated 23.08.2021 in W.P.No.13175/2021 (GM-MM-S), which had directed consideration of her prayer for deemed extension of quarry lease under sub-rule (4) of Rule 8-A, Karnataka Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1994. Finding that the respondents had since considered the request and accepted the deemed extension (albeit subject to conditions she contends conflict with Rule 8-A), the Bench (Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru authoring, with Justice C.M. Poonacha) held the complaint no longer maintainable and closed it on 06.01.2026, observing that the complainant may avail appropriate remedies against the imposed conditions.

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NC: 2026:KHC:490-DB CCC No. 888 of 2022

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 6^TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026

PRESENT

THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE

AND

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA CIVIL CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 888 OF 2022

BETWEEN:

SMT. DEEPIKA D HEGDE W/O SRI DINESH HEGDE AGED 31 YEARS R/AT JAYARATHNA HOME MOLAHALLI POST, KUNDAPUR UDUPI DISTRICT DAKSHINA KANNADA - 576 222

…COMPLAINANT

(BY SRI I.THARANATH POOJARY, SENIOR ADVOCATE FOR SMT. MONIKA JULIET R., ADVOCATE)

Digitally signed by PRABHAKAR SWETHA KRISHNAN

Location: High Court of Karnataka

AND:

STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY ITS SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES VIKASA SOUDHA

BENGALURU - 560 001

…PRO FORMA RESPONDENT

SRI D.S. RAMESH

AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY KHANIJA BHAVAN, RACE COURSE ROAD BENGALURU - 560 001

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NC: 2026:KHC:490-DB CCC No. 888 of 2022

HC-KAR

SRI SANDEEP G.U. AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS SENIOR GEOLOGIST DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY RAJATHADRI MANIPALA UDUPI - 576 104

SRI ASHISH REDDY M.V. AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS DEPUTY CONSERVATOR OF FOREST KUNDAPURA DIVISION KUNDAPURA - 576 201

…ACCUSED

(BY SRI K.S. HARISH, GOVERNMENT ADVOCATE)

THIS CCC IS FILED UNDER SECTION 2B R/W SECTION 12 OF THE CONTEMPT OF COURTS ACT, 1971 PRAYING TO INITIATE CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE ACCUSED FOR HAVING DELIBERATELY AND WILFULLY DISOBEYED THE ORDER PASSED BY THIS HON'BLE COURT W.P.NO.13175/2021 DATED 23.08.2021 VIDE ANNEXURE-A AND PUNISH THE ACCUSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW.

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

3 - NC: 2026:KHC:490-DB CCC No. 888 of 2022

HC-KAR

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 wilful disobedience of the order dated 23.08.2021 passed in W.P.No.13175/2021 (GM-MM-S).

In terms of the said order, the respondents were directed to consider the complainant's (writ petitioner) prayer for grant of deemed extension of quarry lease in accordance with sub-rule (4) of Rule 8-A of the Karnataka Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1994, [ Rules ].

The respondents have since considered the complainant's request and have accepted the deemed extension of quarry lease albeit subject to certain conditions which according to the complainant are not in conformity with Rule 8-A of the said Rules.

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NC: 2026:KHC:490-DB CCC No. 888 of 2022

HC-KAR

Since the directions given to the respondents to consider the

complainant's request for deemed extension has been considered, the present complaint is not maintainable.

If the complainant is aggrieved by the condition imposed by the respondents, it is open for the complainant to avail appropriate remedies.

In view of the above, the present complaint is closed.

Sd/(VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE

Sd/(C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE

KPS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 25