Afzal Pasha Vs the State of Karnataka — Dowry and Cruelty | Karnataka HC (2026)

Afzal Pasha Vs the State of Karnataka — Dowry and Cruelty | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Criminal petition disposed of (ORDER clause (i)); proceedings in C.C.No.59683/2023 pending before the XI Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru, stand quashed (ORDER clause (ii)), following the parties' Lok Adalath settlement and request to compound.

Issue for consideration

Whether the criminal proceedings in C.C.No.59683/2023 (offences punishable under Section 498A IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961), pending before the XI Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru, ought to be terminated/quashed in view of the amicable settlement of the matrimonial dispute between the parties and their joint request for permission to compound the offences.

Ratio / Principle

The parties having arrived at a settlement of their marital dispute (through the compromise before the Lok Adalath in C.Misc.No.276/2023), and the allegations not being against the State, the Court deemed it appropriate to accept the application and terminate the proceedings against the petitioners.

Key takeaways

The criminal petition is disposed of and the proceedings in C.C.No.59683/2023, pending before the XI Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru, stand quashed.ratio¶65

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Karnataka High Court (M. Nagaprasanna, J.), 20-02-2026, CRL.P No. 13736 of 2025 (NC: 2026:KHC:10747): Quash petition under S.482 Cr.P.C. (cause title also cites filing u/S 528 'BNNS' as printed) by Afzal Pasha (husband) and four family members against proceedings in C.C.No.59683/2023 (arising out of Cr.No.154/2023, Respondent No.1 police) pending before the XI Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru City, for offences punishable under Section 498A IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. Counsel for the petitioners and respondent No.2 (wife) jointly reported that the spouses had settled their matrimonial dispute amicably before the Lok Adalath in C.Misc.No.276/2023 (Family Court) and sought permission to compound the offences; the compromise terms (Kannada) inter alia record payment of Rs.4,00,000/- by draft No.768080 dated 05-06-2025. HOLDING: the parties having arrived at a settlement, and it being a marital dispute with allegations not against the State, the Court accepted the application and terminated the proceedings against the petitioners. ORDER: criminal petition disposed; proceedings in C.C.No.59683/2023 stand quashed.

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NC: 2026:KHC:10747 CRL.P No. 13736 of 2025

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 20^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 13736 OF 2025

BETWEEN:

AFZAL PASHA

S/O CHAND PASHA AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS FLAT NO.101, 1^ST FLOOR MSG ORCADE APARTMENT

GOLD, NATIVE GOWNAPALLI VILLAGE SRINIVASPURA TALUK KOLAR – 563 101 KARNATAKA.

CHAND PASAH

Digitally signed by SANJEEVINI J KARISHETTY Location: High Court of Karnataka

S/O HAMMED SAB AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS FLAT NO.101, 1^ST FLOOR MSG ORCADE APARTMENT

GOLD, NATIVE GOWNAPALLI VILLAGE SRINIVASPURA TALUK KOLAR – 563 101 KARNATAKA.

NUSRATH UNISSA W/O CHAND PASHA AGE ABOUT 52 YEARS FLAT NO.101, 1^ST FLOOR MSG ORCADE APARTMENT

GOLD, NATIVE GOWNAPALLI VILLAGE

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NC: 2026:KHC:10747 CRL.P No. 13736 of 2025

HC-KAR

SRINIVASPURA TALUK KOLAR – 563 101 KARNATAKA.

IMRAN PASHA

S/O CHAND PASHA AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS FLAT NO.101, 1^ST FLOOR MSG ORCADE APARTMENT GOLD, NATIVE GOWNAPALLI VILLAGE SRINIVASPURA TALUK KOLAR – 563 101 KARNATAKA.

BABAJAN I S/O IBRAHIM K., AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS R/AT NO.5, 1232 WARD NO.29, AGRAHARA MAIN ROAD NAKUDIPETE, CHINTAMANI TOWN CHIKKABALLAPURA – 562 101.

…PETITIONERS

(BY SRI NARAYANA REDDY J., ADVOCATE)

AND:

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER HENNUR POLLICE STATION BANASWADI SUB-DIVISION BENGALURU REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING COMPLEX BENGALURU – 560 001.

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NC: 2026:KHC:10747 CRL.P No. 13736 of 2025

HC-KAR

BIBI FATHIMA

W/O AFZAL PASHA AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS R/AT FLAT NO.101 1^ST FLOOR NEAR ST. ROCK CHURCH MEGANAPALYA, CHELEKERE BENGALURU – 560 043.

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP FOR R1)

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNNS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE ENTIRE PROCEEDINGS IN C.C.NO.59683/2023 (ARISING OUT OF CR.NO.154/2023) ON THE FILE OF THE HON’BLE XI A.C.J.M AT BENGALURU CITY FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 498A OF IPC AND SEC.3,4 OF D.P ACT INITIATED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.1 POLICE.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA

ORAL ORDER

The petitioners – husband and his family members are before this Court calling in question proceedings in C.C.No.59683/2023, pending before the XI Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Section 498A of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.

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HC-KAR

Learned counsel for the petitioners and respondent No.2 in unison submit that the parties to the lis were before the concerned family Court in C.Misc.No.276/2023 and have settled their matrimonial dispute amicably by drawing up certain terms and conditions before the Lok Adalath and therefore, they are before this Court seeking permission to compound the offences. The parties have filed a photocopy of the compromise petition entered into between them in C.Misc.No.276/2023 before this Court to that effect.

The compromise petition filed before the Lok Adalath reads as follows:

“3) ಅ��ಾರ�ಾದ �ಾನು ಎದುರು�ಾರ�ಂದ �ಾಶ�ತ �ೕವ�ಾಂಶದ ಪ��ಾರದ ಹಣ�ಾ� gÀÆ.4,00,000/- UÀ¼À£ÀÄß ಎದುರು�ಾರ�ಂದ r.r.¸ÀASÉå.768080 gÀ r.r.¢£ÁAPÀ: 0506-2025 gÀ ಯೂ�ಯ� ಾ!ಂ"ನ #.#.ಯನು$ ಈ ಅ��ಯ&' ಅಂದ(ೆ *+,ನ,..ನಂ.276/2023 ರ ಪ+ಕರಣದ&' ಪ0ೆದು1ೊಂ#ರು2ಾ3(ೆ .

ಅ��ಾರರು �ೆಣೂ4ರು 5&ೕ. 6ಾ7ೆ , ೆಂಗಳ:ರು ಇ&' ಸ&'=ದ> ¹.Dgï.154/2023 ¹.¹.£ÀA.59683/2023 ರ&' ಸ&'=ರುವ *+,ನ- ?ಕದ>@ಯನು$ Aಂಪ0ೆಯಲು ಒDE1ೊಂ#ರು2ಾ3(ೆ �ಾಗೂ ಎದುರು�ಾರರು Fೌರ�ಾ��ತ ಪ+Hಾನ Iೆ .ಎಂ.ಎJ.=. �ಾ!Kಾಲಯ, 1ೋLಾರ ಇ&' ಸ&'=ರುವ ಓ.ಎ..ನಂ.269/2024 ಈ �ಾ�ೆಯನು$ ಸಹ ಎದುರು�ಾರರು Aಂಪ0ೆಯಲು ಒDE1ೊಂ#ರು2ಾ3(ೆ .

ಅ��ಾರರು ಮತು3 ಎದುರು�ಾರರ �ಾಂಪತ! �ೕವನOಂದ KಾವP�ೇ ಸಂ2ಾನQರುವPOಲ'.

ಅ��ಾರರು ಮತು3 ಎದುರು�ಾರರುಗಳR ಈಗ �ಾ!Kಾಲಯದ&' EvÀåxÀðPÉÌ ಾ* ಇರುವ ಓ.ಎ..ನಂ.09/2025 gÀ �ಾ�ೆಯನು$ (ಾ�ೕSಾ#1ೊಂಡು, Q�ಾಹ QUೆVೕದನ ಪ0ೆಯಲು ಉಭಯತ+ರೂ ಸ�-ಇUೆYZಂದ ಒDEರು2ಾ3(ೆ .

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NC: 2026:KHC:10747 CRL.P No. 13736 of 2025

HC-KAR

ಅ��ಾರರು ಮತು3 ಎದುರು�ಾರರುಗಳR ಈ (ಾ�ಒಪEಂದದ ನಂತರ ಇನು$ ಮುಂ�ೆ KಾವP�ೇ ಅ��ಗಳ�ಾ$ಗ&ೕ �ಾ�ಾ ಆಗ&ೕ, ಅ\ೕಲ�ಾ$ಗ&ೕ, ಸ�Kಾ��ತ�ಾದ ಮತು3 D2ಾ+��ತ�ಾದ ಆ=3ಗಳ @ೕLೆ KಾವP�ೇ ಪ+ಕರಣವನು$ ಪರಸEರ ಒಬ^�Fೊಬ^ರು ಸ&'ಸುವPOಲ'�ೆ೦ದು ಒDE1ೊಂ#ರು2ಾ3(ೆ .

ಅ��ಾರರು ಮತು3 ಎದುರು�ಾರರುಗಳR ಅವರವರ ಇಷaದ ಪ+1ಾರ, ಮದು�ೆKಾ� ಅವರ �ೈಯು*3ಕ �ೕವನವನು$ ಪ+2ೆ!ೕಕ�ಾ� ರೂD=1ೊಳcಲು ಒDE1ೊಂ#ರು2ಾ3(ೆ .

ಅ��ಾರರು ಮತು3 ಎದುರು�ಾರರುಗdFೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಪಟa ವಸು3ಗಳನು$ ಈFಾಗLೇ Aಂಪ0ೆದು1ೊಂ#ರು2ಾ3(ೆ . ಇನು$ KಾವP�ೇ ವಸು3ಗಳR ಾ* ಇರುವPOಲ',

ಇನು$ ಮುಂ�ೆ ಅ��ಾರರು ಮತು3 ಎದುರು�ಾರರು ಪರಸEರ KಾವP�ೇ �ೕವ�ಾಂಶ 1ೋ� KಾವP�ೇ �ಾ!Kಾಲಯದ&' ಅ��ಯನು$ ಸ&'ಸುವPOಲ'�ೆಂದು ಒDEರು2ಾ3(ೆ .

ಅ��ಾರರು ಮತು3 ಎದುರು�ಾರರು ಇನು$ ಮುಂ�ೆ KಾವP�ೇ Qಷಯದಲೂ' ಒಬ^�Fೊಬ^ರು ಪರಸEರ ತಂgೆ ತಕ(ಾ�Fೆ �ೋಗುವPOಲ'�ೆಂದು ಒDE1ೊಂ#ರು2ಾ3(ೆ .

ಅ��ಾರರು ಮತು3 ಎದುರು�ಾರರು Kಾರ ಒ2ಾ3ಯಕೂh, iೆ+ೕರ7ೆFೆ ಒಳFಾಗ�ೆ ಸ�ಇUೆYZಂದ ಸ&'=ದ ಒಪEಂದಪತ+�ಾ�ರುತ3�ೆ .”

In the light of the fact that the parties have arrived at settlement and since it is a marital dispute, I deem it appropriate to accept the application and terminate the proceedings against the petitioners, as the allegations are not against the State.

For the aforesaid reasons, I pass the following:

ORDER

(i) The criminal petition is disposed.

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HC-KAR

(ii) The proceedings in C.C.No.59683/2023, pending before the XI Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru, stand quashed.

Sd/-

(M.NAGAPRASANNA)

JUDGE

NVJ List No.: 1 Sl No.: 127