Dismissed¶54

The Karnataka Upa-Lokayukta v. Sri Suresh S/O Huchappa Kokare

Karnataka HC6 Feb 2026WP/102096/2024

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Keywords: Karnataka Upa-Lokayukta; Karnataka Lokayukta; Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal Belagavi; Application No.20594/2022; order dated 23.03.2023 quashed; writ petition dismissed; Articles 226 and 227 Constitution of India; certiorari; Articles of Charge outside officer's tenure; District Officer Minority Welfare Department; Post-Matric Minorities' Girls Hostel Dharwad; Stock Register irregularities consumables; July 2016 to August 2017 period; tenure-specific disciplinary responsibility; WP No. 102096 of 2024 (S-KAT); decided 06.02.2026; bench M.I. Arun and B. Muralidhara Pai; pending I.As disposed.

What did the court decide?

None; the writ petition was dismissed, and pending interlocutory applications stood disposed of as not surviving for consideration. ¶54

The Karnataka Upa-Lokayukta Vs Sri Suresh S/O… — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

None; the writ petition was dismissed, and pending interlocutory applications stood disposed of as not surviving for consideration.

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Issue for consideration

Whether the disciplinary proceedings based on the Articles of Charge against respondent No.1 were sustainable, given that the alleged irregularities in procurement/utilization of consumables do not pertain to his tenure as District Officer (01.04.2017 to 10.07.2017). +1 more

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Court's answer

The Articles of Charge issued to respondent No.1, alleging irregularities in procurement/utilization of certain consumables, do not pertain to the period 01.04.2017 to 10.07.2017 during which respondent No.1 served as District Officer of the Minorities Welfare Department, Dharwad.

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Ratio / Principle

Since the irregularities found by the Upa-Lokayukta in its investigation do not pertain to the period during which respondent No.1 served as District Officer of the Minorities Welfare, Dharwad District, the writ petition lacks merit.

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Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Karnataka, Dharwad Bench (per M.I. Arun, J.; coram also B. Muralidhara Pai, J.; 06.02.2026) dismissed a writ petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution filed by the Karnataka Upa-Lokayukta seeking certiorari to quash the order dated 23.03.2023 of the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal, Belagavi in Application No.20594/2022, whereby disciplinary proceedings against respondent No.1, a District Officer in the Minority Welfare Department, were quashed. The proceedings arose from a suo motu Upa-Lokayukta investigation into irregularities (July 2016 to August 2017) in maintenance of the Stock Register for consumables at Post-Matric Minorities' Girls Hostel, Dharwad. The Court held that the Articles of Charge did not pertain to the period 01.04.2017 to 10.07.2017 during which respondent No.1 actually served as District Officer; since the detected irregularities fell outside his tenure, the petition lacked merit and was dismissed, pending I.As being disposed of as not surviving.

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NC: 2026:KHC-D:1726-DB WP No. 102096 of 2024

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HC-KAR

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 6^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026

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PRESENT

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN

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AND

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B. MURALIDHARA PAI

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WRIT PETITION NO. 102096 OF 2024 (S-KAT)

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BETWEEN:

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THE KARNATAKA UPA – LOKAYUKTA, REPRESENTED BY ITS REGISTRAR, M S BUILDING, BENGALURU – 560 001.

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… PETITIONER

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(BY SRI. ANIL KALE, ADVOCATE)

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AND:

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SRI. SURESH, S/O. HUCHAPPA KOKARE, AGE: 35 YEARS, OCC: DISTRICT OFFICER, MINORITY WELFARE DEPARTMENT, KOPPAL, R/O: AROGYA BADAVANE, NEAR BAGYA NAGAR CROSS, KOPPAL – 583 231.

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Digitally signed by VISHAL NINGAPPA PATTIHAL Location: High Court of Karnataka, Dharwad Bench, Dharwad

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THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, MINORITY WELFARE DEPARTMENT, HAZ WAKF, 2^ND FLOOR, VIKAS SOUDHA, BENGALURU – 560 001.

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THE DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF MINORITIES, VASANT NAGAR, BENGALURU – 560 052.

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… RESPONDENTS

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(BY SRI. D. NAGARAJ, ADV. FOR SRI. SOURABH HEGDE, ADVOCATE FOR R1 SRI. SHARAD V. MAGADUM, AGA FOR R2 & R3)

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THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF CERTIORARI AND QUASH THE ORDER DATED 23-03-2023 PASSED BY THE KARNATAKA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL, BELAGAVI IN

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NC: 2026:KHC-D:1726-DB WP No. 102096 of 2024

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HC-KAR

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APPLICATION NO.20594/2022 PRODUCED AT ANNEXURE-A, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY AND ETC.,

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

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CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B. MURALIDHARA PAI

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ORAL ORDER

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(PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN)

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Aggrieved by the order dated 23.03.2023,

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passed in Application No.20594/2022 by the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Tribunal’, for short) at Belagavi, Karnataka Lokayukta – respondent No.3 therein has filed this writ petition.

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A suo-motu investigation was taken up by the petitioner against respondent No.1 and three others on inspection of Post-Matric Minorities’ Girls Hostel, Dharwad, for certain irregularities committed

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during the period July 2016 to August 2017. Respondent No.1 was serving as a District Officer for the period 01.04.2017 to 10.07.2017. The allegations

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3 - NC: 2026:KHC-D:1726-DB WP No. 102096 of 2024

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HC-KAR

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pertain to irregularities in the maintenance of Stock Register in respect of the consumables for the said period.

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Aggrieved by the action initiated by the petitioner-Karnataka Lokayukta, respondent No.1 preferred an application before the Tribunal. The said application has been allowed and the proceedings against respondent No.1 has been quashed. Aggrieved by the same, the present writ petition is filed by the Karnataka Lokayukta.

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The case of the petitioner is that, the

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irregularities in purchase of various consumables are for the period from July 2016 to August 2017 and that the first respondent had assumed charge of District Officer, Minorities Welfare Department, Dharwad, for the period 01.04.2017 to 10.07.2017 and that he his responsible for certain irregularities committed when he was in the Office, and that the

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NC: 2026:KHC-D:1726-DB WP No. 102096 of 2024

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HC-KAR

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Tribunal has allowed the application without

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considering the said fact.

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Per contra, counsel for the first respondent

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justifies the order passed by the Tribunal and prays for dismissal of the writ petition.

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The petitioner, to justify the proceedings

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against the first respondent, has relied upon the Articles of Charge issued to the first respondent and other persons, who were said to be in-charge of the hostel during the relevant period. However, the Articles of Charge alleging irregularities in procurement of utilization of certain consumables does not pertain to the period from 01.04.2017 to 10.07.2017, the period during which the first respondent served as District Officer of the Minorities Welfare Department, Dharwad.

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