Sri. Gururaj D K Vs the State of Karnataka — Matrimonial and Divorce | Karnataka HC (2026)

Sri. Gururaj D K Vs the State of Karnataka — Matrimonial and Divorce | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Entire FIR in Crime No.0179/2023 of Bhadravathi Old Town Police Station quashed insofar as (qua) the three petitioners are concerned; criminal petition disposed of in consequence of the parties' settlement.

Issue for consideration

Whether the registration of the crime in Crime No.0179/2023 (offences under Sections 420, 504, 506 read with Section 34 IPC) against the petitioners, on the complaint of respondent No.2, can be questioned and terminated/quashed, given that the parties have settled all their disputes before the Family Court in M.C.No.1559/2022 with a settlement term of closure of the present proceedings.

Court's answer

In light of the settlement arrived at between the parties (recorded in the compromise petition in M.C.No.1559/2022, one term of which is closure of the present proceedings), the Court deemed it appropriate to terminate the proceedings pending against these petitioners in the subject petition.

Ratio / Principle

Registration of the crime in Crime No.179/2023, pending on the file of Additional Civil Judge (Jr.Dn) & JMFC-2 Court, Bhadravathi, Shimoga District, stands quashed qua the petitioners, and the criminal petition is disposed of accordingly.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Karnataka, Bengaluru (Hon'ble Mr. Justice M. Nagaprasanna, single Bench) — Writ Petition No.1523 of 2026 (GM-RES), decided 21 January 2026, filed under Article 226 of the Constitution praying to quash the entire FIR in Crime No.0179/2023 of Bhadravathi Old Town Police Station (offences under Sections 420, 504, 506 read with Section 34 IPC, on the complaint of respondent No.2 Smt. Shanthamma) insofar as the three petitioners are concerned. The parties had earlier settled all their disputes before the Family Court in M.C.No.1559/2022 through a compromise petition filed under Order XXIII Rule 3 read with Section 151 CPC (dated 15.12.2025), one term of the settlement being closure of the present proceedings; the petitioner-husband paid Rs.22,00,000/- (demand draft No.929534 dated 11/12/2025, DCB Bank) towards marriage expenditure and the respondent-wife waived alimony. Holding that the recorded settlement justified terminating the proceedings, the Court quashed the FIR qua the petitioners and disposed of the criminal petition.

Procedural history

How this case reached the court

AI extract

Order under challenge
Registration of FIR in Crime No.0179/2023 by the SHO, Bhadravathi Old Town Police Station, for offences punishable under Sections 420, 504, 506 read with Section 34 IPC, registered on the complaint of Smt. Shanthamma (respondent No.2) against petitioner Sri Gururaj and others; pending investigation.¶¶28
Bhadravathi Old Town Police Station; pending on the file of Additional Civil Judge (Jr.Dn) & JMFC-2 Court, Bhadravathi, Shimoga District
Prior proceeding
Parties to the lis were earlier before the Family Court in M.C.No.1559/2022 (annulment petition under Section 12(1)(c) Hindu Marriage Act for the marriage performed on 25.11.2020) and settled their disputes there by terms of settlement, one term being closure of the present criminal proceedings.¶¶30
Prior proceeding
Compromise petition (dated 15.12.2025, Bengaluru) filed under Order XXIII Rule 3 read with Section 151 CPC recording the full settlement: annulment of marriage agreed, respondent declared not entitled to alimony and gave up her claims; petitioner voluntarily paid Rs.22,00,000/- towards marriage expenditure by demand draft No.929534 dated 11/12/2025 drawn on DCB Bank Limited, Rajajinagar Branch, Bengaluru.¶¶48
Prior proceeding
Settlement term: parties to co-operate with each other in getting the other proceedings detailed in the compromise petition withdrawn/quashed/compounded as settled out of court, within a month; belongings of each party to be returned upon closure of the cases.¶¶53
Prior proceeding
CC No.2257/2022 pending before XXXII ACMM, Bengaluru, commenced on the complaint of the petitioner (husband, in the annulment case) against the respondent (wife) and her mother Smt. Shanthamma.¶¶37
Prior proceeding
Crime No.38/2022 pending investigation, Bhadravathi Rural Police Station, on the file of Addl Civil Judge (Jr Dvn) and JMFC II, Bhadravathi, Shimogga District, registered on the complaint of the respondent against the petitioner and others.¶¶38
Prior proceeding
Crime No.179/2023 (the FIR challenged in this writ petition), pending investigation, Bhadravathi Old Town Police Station, on the file of Addl Civil Judge (Jr Dvn) and JMFC II, Bhadravathi, Shimogga District, registered on the complaint of Smt. Shanthamma, mother of the respondent, against Sri Gururaj (petitioner) and others.¶¶39
Prior proceeding
Cri Misc No.175/2022 pending before II Additional Civil Judge and JMFC, Bhadravathi, seeking maintenance under the DV Act, initiated by the respondent against the petitioner and others.¶¶40
Prior proceeding
Crl Misc No.180/2024 pending before II Addl Civil Judge and JMFC, Bhadravathi, seeking maintenance under the DV Act, initiated by the respondent against the petitioner and others.¶¶45