Allowed¶39

Sri M R Ramakrishna Murthy v. Sri P Narasimhamurthy

Karnataka HC18 Feb 2026CRL.RP/1700/2023

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Compounding of offence under Section 147 NI Act in cheque dishonour case; Section 138 NI Act conviction set aside on amicable settlement; complainant received ₹3 lakhs cash; application under Section 147 NI Act r/w Section 482 Cr.P.C; revision under Section 397/401 Cr.P.C; acquittal; bail bonds cancelled; CRL.RP No. 1700 of 2023; Chikkaballapura; High Court of Karnataka 18.02.2026; S Vishwajith Shetty, J.; NC: 2026:KHC:10310.

What did the court decide?

Permission to compound the offence granted; judgments of conviction and sentence passed by the courts below set aside; petitioner acquitted of the offence punishable under Section 138 N.I. Act; bail bonds, if any, cancelled ¶39

Sri M R Ramakrishna Murthy Vs Sri P Narasimhamurthy — Cheque Dishonour | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

¶39

Issue for consideration

Whether, in view of the amicable settlement reached between the parties during the pendency of the revision petition, the parties should be permitted to compound the offence under Section 147 of the N.I. Act for which the petitioner was convicted and sentenced by the courts below.

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Court's answer

The dispute having been amicably settled during the pendency of the revision petition, the Court held that the prayer to permit compounding of the offence needed to be granted and consequently the impugned judgments of conviction and sentence needed to be set aside.

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Ratio / Principle

By operative order clause (i), the parties were permitted to compound the offence for which the petitioner had been convicted and sentenced by the courts below, and the criminal revision petition was allowed.

¶39

Key takeaways

By operative order clause (ii), the judgments of conviction and sentence passed by the courts below were set aside, the petitioner was acquitted of the offence punishable under Section 138 N.I. Act, and his bail bonds, if any, stood cancelled.ratio¶40
The Court recorded that the respondent/complainant, who was present in person and identified by the petitioner's counsel, acknowledged receipt of Rs.3 lakhs in cash from the petitioner pursuant to the settlement.ratio¶27

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru (S Vishwajith Shetty, J.), CRL.RP No. 1700 of 2023, decided 18.02.2026 — Revision under Section 397 r/w 401 Cr.P.C against conviction under Section 138 N.I. Act (C.C.No.259/2013, I Addl. CJ & JMFC Chikkaballapura, 28.12.2020; confirmed in CRL.A.No.3/2021, III Addl. D&S Judge, 21.10.2023). During pendency the parties amicably settled the dispute, the complainant acknowledging receipt of ₹3 lakhs in cash, and jointly applied under Section 147 N.I. Act r/w Section 482 Cr.P.C to compound the offence. Permission to compound granted; judgments of conviction and sentence set aside; petitioner acquitted under Section 138 N.I. Act; bail bonds, if any, cancelled; revision petition allowed.

¶1

¶2

NC: 2026:KHC:10310 CRL.RP No. 1700 of 2023

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HC-KAR

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 18^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL REVISION PETITION NO. 1700 OF 2023

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BETWEEN:

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SRI M.R. RAMAKRISHNA MURTHY S/O LATE RAMANNA AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS R/AT MYLAPPANAHALLI VILLAGE, NANDI HOBLI CHIKKABALLAPUR TALUK AND DISTRICT - 562 103.

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…PETITIONER

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(BY SRI SRINIVASAN T, ADV.)

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AND:

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Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

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SRI P. NARASIMHAMURTHY S/O PASAMANABHACHAR AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS R/AT SOOLAKUNTE VILLAGE AVALAGURKI POST CHICKBALLAPUR TALUK - 562 101.

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…RESPONDENT THIS CRL.RP IS FILED U/S.397 R/W 401 CR.P.C PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE JUDGMENT DATED 21.10.2023 IN CRL.A.NO.3/2021 RENDERED BY THE III ADDITIONAL DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, CHIKKABALLAPURA, CONSEQUENTLY SET ASIDE THE JUDGMENT DATED 28.12.2020 IN C.C.NO.259/2013 RENDERED BY THE I ADDITIONAL CIVIL JUDGE AND J.M.F.C., CHIKKABALLAPURA AND ACQUIT THE PETITIONER.

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

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NC: 2026:KHC:10310 CRL.RP No. 1700 of 2023

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HC-KAR

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY

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ORAL ORDER

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Accused is before this Court in this Criminal revision petition filed under Section 397 read with 401 of Cr.P.C, with a prayer to set aside the judgment and order dated 28.12.2020 passed in C.C.No.259/2013 by the Court of I Addl. Civil Judge & JMFC, Chikkaballapura and the judgment and order passed in Criminal Appeal No.3 of 2021 dated 21.10.2023 passed by the Court of III Addl. District & Sessions Judge, Chikkaballapura.

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Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that during the pendency of the revision petition, dispute between the parties has been amicably settled and the parties have filed an application under Section 147 of N.I. Act R/w section 482 of Cr.P.C, with a prayer to permit the parties to compound the offence for which the petitioner has been convicted and sentenced by the Courts below.

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Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that respondent / complainant has received a sum of ₹3 lakhs in cash from the petitioner. The respondent, who is present in

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NC: 2026:KHC:10310 CRL.RP No. 1700 of 2023

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HC-KAR

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person before the Court is identified by the learned counsel for

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the petitioner and respondent acknowledged that he has received a sum of Rs.3 lakhs from the petitioner in cash. The application filed by the parties under Section 147 of N.I. Act is taken on record. The same is signed by the parties and also by the learned advocate for the petitioner. The respondent has signed and acknowledged the receipt of ₹3 lakhs from the petitioner in cash. In paragraph nos.1 and 2 of the application filed under Section 147 of the N.I. Act, it is stated as follows:

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"1) We are the petitioner and respondent to this petition. We have amicably settled and compromised the dispute between us as per the compromise petition.

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We pray that the Hon'ble Court be pleased to permit us to compound the offence and consequently dismiss the complaint and this petition as not pressed in the interest of Justice and Law.

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We state that the contents of the compromise petition and this affidavit are true and correct"

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4. Considering the fact that the dispute between the

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parties has been amicably settled during the pendency of this

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¶34

NC: 2026:KHC:10310 CRL.RP No. 1700 of 2023

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HC-KAR

¶36

revision petition, I am of the opinion that the prayer made in the application to permit the parties to compound the offence for which the petitioner has been convicted and sentenced by the Courts below needs to be granted and consequently the impugned judgment and order of conviction and sentence passed by the Courts below needs to be set aside.

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5. Accordingly the following:-

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ORDER

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i. Parties are permitted to compound the offence for which the petitioner has been convicted and sentenced by the courts below. Consequently, this Criminal revision petition is allowed .

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ii. The impugned judgment and order of conviction and sentence passed by the Courts below against the petitioner are set aside and he is acquitted of the offence punishable under Section 138 of N.I. Act. His bail bonds, if any stands cancelled.

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Sd/(S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE

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NMS/List No.: 1 Sl No.: 40

Sri M R Ramakrishna Murthy v. Sri P Narasimhamurthy

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Sri M R Ramakrishna Murthy v. Sri P Narasimhamurthy

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Why is it important?

What the court decided

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