Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd. v. Mrs Shantha B Seethimani
Case brief
What is this about?
NC: 2026:KHC:10709 — Karnataka HC, CRL.A No. 497 of 2014 (A), G Basavaraja J, decided 19-02-2026. HDFC Ltd. (appellant/complainant, adv. B S Mahendra) v. Shantha B Seethimani (resp., adv. Suresh D Deshpande). Appeal u/s 378(4) CrPC against acquittal dated 26.02.2014 in CC No.15151/2008, XXI Addl. CMM Bengaluru. Following Celestium Financial v. A Gnanasekaran (2025 SCC OnLine SC 1320) and ten referred High Court decisions (Charbel India - AP; Manorama Kankane & Lata Kisan Sewa Kendra - MP; Urmit Madrah; Neelam Sahu & Kirti Kurian - ACQA; Sidagondappa, T.H. Lenkappa, Ananya Enterprises - Karnataka; D.K. Associates - Delhi), the complainant under S.138 NI Act is treated as a 'victim' entitled to appeal under proviso S.372 CrPC / proviso S.413 BNSS 2023; appeal transferred to Principal District & Sessions Judge to be numbered accordingly; merits left open; appeal disposed. Keywords: victim's right of appeal, proviso to Section 372 CrPC, proviso to Section 413 BNSS 2023, Section 378(4) CrPC, Section 138 NI Act, transfer to Sessions Court.