Disposed

Ratnakar Manja Poojari v. State of Karnataka

Karnataka HC20 Feb 2026CRL.P/16909/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Three combined petitions were filed to quash complaints in Criminal Case No. 13/2025 charging the petitioners under various sections of BNS 2023 and deposit schemes acts. The High Court held that as the investigation is in progress, it is of no avail to entertain the petitions. The matter is disposed of while reserving liberty for the petitioners to approach the Court once the final report is file

What the court decided

AI extract

Ratnakar Manja Poojari Vs State of Karnataka — Corruption | Karnataka HC (2026)

¶1

NC: 2026:KHC:10561 CRL.P No. 16909 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 14054 of 2025 WP No. 11657 of 2025

¶2

¶3

HC-KAR

¶4

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

¶5

BEFORE

¶6

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 16909 OF 2025 C/W

¶7

CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 14054 OF 2025

¶8

WRIT PETITION NO. 11657 OF 2025 (GM-RES) IN CRL.P No. 16909/2025

¶9

BETWEEN:

¶10

RATNAKAR MANJA POOJARI S/O KARIYA MANJA POOJARI, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, R/O T-11 84/B, KUNDAPURA, VTC TALLUR, TALLUR DISTRICT, UDUPI, KARNATAKA - 576 230.

¶11

…PETITIONER

¶12

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

¶13

(BY SRI. DEVIPRASAD SHETTY, ADVOCATE)

¶14

AND:

¶15

STATE OF KARNATAKA

¶16

BY KUNDAPURA POLICE STATION, KUNDAPURA TALUK, UDUPI DISTRICT - 576 201, REPRESENTED BY SPP, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA.

¶17

SRI. SHRIDHAR NAVADA S/O MANJUNATH NAVADA AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS,

¶18

¶19

NC: 2026:KHC:10561 CRL.P No. 16909 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 14054 of 2025 WP No. 11657 of 2025

¶20

HC-KAR

¶21

R/O H NO.625/0-415, PRATHAMNESH RESIDENCE, BENGAL ROAD, KASABA VILLAGE, KUNDAPURA TALUK, UDUPI DISTRICT - 576 201.

¶22

…RESPONDENTS

¶23

(BY SRI. B.N. JAGADEESHA, ADDL. SPP FOR R1)

¶24

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 OF CR.P.C (U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR IN CR.NO.13/2025 IN THE COURT OF PRL.DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, UDUPI, KUNDAPURA P.S., UDUPI DISTRICT, REGISTERED AGAINST THE PETITIONER FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 316(2), 318(2), 319(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), 61(2), 190 OF BNS, 2023, U/S 9 OF THE KPIDFE ACT, 2004, U/S 3,21(1)(2) OF THE BANNING OF UNREGULATED DEPOSIT SCHEMES ACT, 2019.

¶25

IN CRL.P NO. 14054/2025

¶26

BETWEEN:

¶27

AVINASH PINTO S/O THIMOTHI PINTO, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS R/A NO.11-210/9(1), BETHEL VIEW, KAKKEBETU, MANGALORE, KULASHEKAR, D.K.DISTRICT- 575 005

¶28

...PETITIONER

¶29

(BY SRI. BALAKRISHNA M.R, ADVOCATE)

¶30

AND:

¶31

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY KUNDAPURA POLICE STATION, UDUPI DISTRICT. REPRESENTED BY ITS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,

¶32

¶33

NC: 2026:KHC:10561 CRL.P No. 16909 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 14054 of 2025 WP No. 11657 of 2025

¶34

HC-KAR

¶35

HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU - 560 001.

¶36

SRIDHAR NAVADA, S/O MANJUNATH NAVADA, AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS, R/A NO.625/0-4/5, PRATEMESH RESIDENCY, BENIGAL ROAD, KUNDAPURA KASABA GRAMA, KUNDAPURA TALUK,UDUPI - 576201

¶37

...RESPONDENTS

¶38

(BY SRI. B.N. JAGADEESHA, ADDL. SPP FOR R1)

¶39

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR AND COMPLAINT IN CR.NO.13/2025 REGISTERED FOR THE ALLEGED O/P/US/ 316(2), 318(2), 319(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), 61(2), 191 OF BNS, 2023 SEC. 9 OF THE KPID ACT, 2004 AND SEC.3, 21(1)(2) OF THE BUDS ACT BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT / KUNDAPURA PS AND NOW PENDING ON THE FILE OF HONBLE PRL.DIST. AND SESSIONS JUDGE UDUPI.

¶40

IN WP NO. 11657/2025

¶41

BETWEEN:

¶42

MR DAYANANDA POOJARY AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS SON OF RAMA BILAVA RESIDING AT NO. B-402 4^TH FLOOR, B BLOCK N R ORCHID GARDENIA RACHENAHALLI VILLAGE BENGALURU NORTH DR. SHIVARAMA KARANTH NAGAR, BENGALURU - 560 077.

¶43

NC: 2026:KHC:10561 CRL.P No. 16909 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 14054 of 2025 WP No. 11657 of 2025

¶44

¶45

HC-KAR

¶46

EMAIL: [email protected]

¶47

...PETITIONER

¶48

(BY SRI. C.N. NANDAKUMAR, SR. SOUNSEL FOR SRI. VISHWAS N, ADVOCATE)

¶49

AND:

¶50

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY KUNDAPURA POLICE STATION UDUPI DISTRICT, REPRESENTED BY HCGP HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU - 560 001.

¶51

MR. SHRIDHAR NAVADA AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS SON OF MANJUNATH NAVADA RESIDING AT H. NO. 625/0-4/5 PRATHAMESH RESIDENCE, BENGAL ROAD, KASABA VILLAGE KUNDAPURA TALUK, UDUPI KARNATAKA - 576 201.

¶52

...RESPONDENTS

¶53

(BY SRI. B.N. JAGADEESHA, ADDL. SPP FOR R1; R2 SERVED AND UNREPRESENTED)

¶54

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA R/W SEC. 528 OF THE BNSS,2023 PRAYING TO I) ISSUE AN APPROPRIATE WRIT, ORDER OR DIRECTION QUASHING THE COMPLAINT DATED 12.02.2025 (ANNEXURE B) LODGED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.2 AND THE RESULTANT FIRST INFORMATION REPORT DATED 12.02.2025 (ANNEXURE A) IN CRIME NO. 0013/2025 REGISTERED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.1 KUNDAPURA POLICE STATION, UDUPI FOR THE OFFENCES

¶55

5 - NC: 2026:KHC:10561 CRL.P No. 16909 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 14054 of 2025 WP No. 11657 of 2025

¶56

HC-KAR

¶57

PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 316(2), 318(2), 319(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), 61(2), AND 190 OF THE BHARATIYA NYAYA SANHITA, 2023 SECTION 9 OF THE KARNATAKA PROTECTION OF INTEREST OF DEPOSITORS IN FINANCIAL ESTABLISHMENT ACT, 2004 AND SECTION 3 AND 21(1)(2) OF THE BANNING OF UNREGULATED DEPOSIT SCHEMES ACT, 2019, PENDING ON THE FILES OF THE LD. PRINCIPAL DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, UDUPI DISTRICT AT UDUPI, AND ETC.,

¶58

THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

¶59

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA

¶60

ORAL ORDER

¶61

Heard Sri. C. K. Nandakumar, learned Senior counsel along with Sri. Vishwas N., learned counsel, Sri. Balakrishna M.R., learned counsel, Sri. Deviprasad Shetty, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners in the respective petitions and Sri. B.N. Jagadeesha, learned Additional Special Public Prosecutor appearing for respondent No.1

¶62

The learned Additional Special Public Prosecutor submits that the investigation is in progress and role of each of the petitioners would be found only after the completion of investigation.

¶63

6 - NC: 2026:KHC:10561 CRL.P No. 16909 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 14054 of 2025 WP No. 11657 of 2025

¶64

HC-KAR

¶65

The issue relates to the offences punishable under Sections 316(2), 318(2), 319(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), 61(2) and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 ('the BNS' for short), Sections 3 and 21(1)(2) of the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act, 2019 ('the BUDS Act' for short) and Section 9 of the Karnataka Protection of Interest Depositors in Financial Establishment Act, 2004. In the light of the offences being thus and the investigation being in progress, it would be of no avail for this Court to now entertain the petition and draw the prima facie findings unless the final report is placed before the concerned Court and the concerned Court would take cognizance of the offence, as the submission of the learned counsel appearing for the petitioners is that the petitioners are all Directors, who have resigned long before the emergence of the complaint except accused No.5, who has also resigned, but at a later point in time, which is refuted by the learned Additional Special Public Prosecutor contending that the incident of crime has begun in the year 2013 and not after the dates on which they have resigned. Be that as it may.

¶66

NC: 2026:KHC:10561 CRL.P No. 16909 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 14054 of 2025 WP No. 11657 of 2025

¶67

¶68

HC-KAR

¶69

In that light, these petitions stand disposed, reserving liberty to the petitioners to knock at the doors of this Court once the final report is filed before the concerned Court and the

¶70

final report goes against the petitioners.

¶71

Sd/(M.NAGAPRASANNA)

¶72

JUDGE

¶73

JY List No.: 1 Sl No.: 13

Ratnakar Manja Poojari v. State of Karnataka

Case brief

What is this about?

What the court decided

Ratnakar Manja Poojari v. State of Karnataka

Case brief

What is this about?

What the court decided

A compact analysis

Issues for consideration

Statutes considered

Parties & counsel

Coram

Case details

Similar cases

Dr.Shivakumar a M @ Shivakumar Alle Vs the Police Sub Inspector

Sri. Vinod Kumar Vs Smt. Madhura

G Balaraj Vs Smt C L Uma

Yeshas Kumar Vs State of Karnataka

M. Ramaiah Vs Narasimhaiah

Sri Purushottama Vs the State of Karnataka