Mr. Ramaswami Lamani, Vs State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

Mr. Ramaswami Lamani, Vs State of Karnataka — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ petition dismissed as withdrawn at the orders stage on a memo filed by learned counsel for the petitioners, with liberty to file necessary application for amendment in W.P.No.28331/2025; all contentions of the parties kept open; pending interlocutory application(s), if any, stand disposed of accordingly. No relief adjudicated on merits.

Issue for consideration

Whether the investigation report dated 22/09/2014 (Annexure-L) and the consequential communications dated 17/02/2020 and 28/10/2020 (Annexures M and M1), recommending termination of the petitioners and initiation of criminal proceedings, should be quashed. +3 more

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ Petition No. 22246 of 2025 (S-RES), High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru (NC: 2026:KHC:26808), decided 05/06/2026 by Ashok S. Kinagi, J. Three petitioners (Ramaswami Lamani, Siddanna Waleekar, and Veeresh C Madiwalar @ Veeresh Chowdappa Madiwalar), describing themselves as residents of BESCOM quarters at Tumkur, filed this petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India against the State of Karnataka (Energy Department), the Managing Director BESCOM, the Commissioner and Director of the Department of Skill Development and Livelihood, the Executive Engineer (V), O and M Tumkur Division BESCOM, and Mr. AS. Holla, retired Joint Director and Investigation Officer. They sought (i) quashing of an investigation report dated 22/09/2014 (Annexure-L) prepared under the authority of the 3rd respondent's department and of consequential communications dated 17/02/2020 and 28/10/2020 (Annexures M and M1) recommending their termination and initiation of criminal proceedings; (ii) mandamus for disposal of their representations dated 07/07/2025, certification of the genuineness of marks cards issued pursuant to directions in W.P. No. 45517/2014 (order dated 8/1/2015) and release of withheld originals; (iii) mandamus to act upon domestic enquiry reports dated 29/04/2023 by Sri H.M. Nanjundaswamy, retired District Judge, in Departmental Enquiry Nos. 76/2021 and 79/2021, said to fully exonerate them; and (iv) consequential service benefits including back-wages and continuity of service. At the orders stage, learned counsel for the petitioners filed a memo seeking leave to withdraw with liberty to file an amendment application in W.P.No.28331/2025. The petition was dismissed as withdrawn with that liberty; all contentions were kept open and no issue was adjudicated on merits.

1 - NC: 2026:KHC:26808 WP No. 22246 of 2025

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 5^TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI

WRIT PETITION NO. 22246 OF 2025 (S-RES)

BETWEEN:

MR. RAMASWAMI LAMANI AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS, S/O. BHEEMAPPA LAMANI, R/O. BESCOM QUARTERS, CHELUR, GUBBI TALUK, TUMKUR-572117.

Digitally signed by SUNITHA K S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

MR. SIDDANNA WALEEKAR AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, S/O. BHEEMASHYA, R/O. BESCOM QUARTERS, HORAPETE CIRCLE, TUMKUR-572102. R/O AMINGAD, HUNAGUNDA TALUK, BAGALKOTE-587112

MR. VEERESH C MADIWALAR @ VEERESH CHOWDAPPA MADIWALAR, AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, S/O. CHOWDAPPA MADIWALAR, R/O. BESCOM QUARTERS, SHIVAKUMAR SWAMY CIRCLE, KOTITOP ROAD, TUMKUR-572102.

…PETITIONERS

(BY SRI. KRISHNA S VYAS., ADVOCATE)

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AND:

STATE OF KARNATAKA, ENERGY DEPARTMENT, VIKAS SOUDHA, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560001. REPRESENTED BY ITS PRL. SECRETARY

THE MANAGING DIRECTOR, BESCOM, KR CIRCLE, BENGALURU-560001

THE COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND LIVELYHOOD, BANNERGATTA ROAD, BENGALURU-560029

THE DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND LIVELYHOOD, BANNERGATTA ROAD, BENGALURU-560029

THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER (V) AND APPOINTING AND DISCIPLINARY AUTHORITY, O AND M TUMKUR DIVISION, BESCOM OFFICE, TUMKUR-572102.

MR. AS. HOLLA RETD., JOINT DIRECTOR, (EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING) AND INVESTIGATION OFFICER, BANNERGATTA ROAD, BENGALURU-560029.

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI. G RAMESH NAIK, AGA FOR R1, R3 & R4 SRI. SRIRANGA S., SR. COUNSEL FOR

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SMT. SUMANA NAGANAND, ADVOCATE FOR R2 & C/R5 IN CP 8045/2025 AND CP8043/2025. GOVERNMENT ADVOCATE SERVED)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE INVESTIGATION REPORT DATED 22/09/2014 VIDE ANNEXURE-L, PREPARED BY AN OFFICER ACTING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE 3^RD RESPONDENT DEPARTMENT, AND THE CONSEQUENTIAL COMMUNICATION BEARING No.UTAE/TA/VRUPAVI/NAIJATE/VIVA-115/2017-18 DATED 17/02/2020 AND UTAE/TA/VRUPAVI/NAIJATE/VIVA-115/201718 DATED 28/10/2020 VIDE ANNEXUURE-M AND M1 RESPECTIVELY ISSUED BY THE 4^TH RESPONDENT TO THE 5^TH RESPONDENT, RECOMMENDING TERMINATION PETITIONERS AND INITIATION OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS. II. ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE 3^RD AND 4^TH RESPONDENTS TO AND CONSIDER DISPOSE OF THE REPRESENTATIONS DATED 07/07/2025 SUBMITTED BY THE PETITIONERS, COPIES OF WHICH ARE AS ANNEXURES N TO N2, AND CONSEQUENTLY:

A. DECLARE AND CERTIFY THE GENUINENESS OF THE MARKS CARDS ISSUED TO THE PETITIONERS PURSUANT TO THE DIRECTIONS OF THIS HON’BLE COURT IN W.P. NO. 45517/2014, AND DATE 8/1/2015 ANNEX-B. RELEASE THE ORIGINAL MARKS CARDS OF THE PETITIONERS, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY BEING UNLAWFULLY WITHHELD

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III. ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE 5TH RESPONDENT EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, TUMKUR DIVISION, BESCOM - TO ACCEPT AND ACT UPON THE DOMESTIC ENQUIRY REPORTS DATED 29/04/2023, PASSED BY THE ENQUIRY OFFICER, SRI H.M. NANJUNDASWAMY, RETIRED DISTRICT JUDGE, WHICH FULLY EXONERATE THE PETITIONERS OF ALL CHARGES. COPIES OF THE SAID ENQUIRY REPORTS ARE PRODUCED AS ANNEXURES G TO G2; DEPARTMENTAL EXQUIRY No.76/2021 AND DEPARTMENTAL ENQUIRY No.79/2021.

IV. ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE 2ND RESPONDENT - MANAGING DIRECTOR, BESCOM AND THE 5TH RESPONDENT TO GRANT ALL CONSEQUENTIAL SERVICE BENEFITS TO THE PETITIONERS FROM THE DATE OF THEIR ORIGINAL ENTITLEMENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: A. SANCTION AND DISBURSAL OF BACK-WAGES

B. CONTINUITY OF SERVICE FOR ALL PURPOSES INCLUDING PROMOTION, SENIORITY, PENSIONARY AND TERMINAL BENEFITS AND

C. RESTORATION OF ALL STATUTORY AND FINANCIAL ENTITLEMENTS, INCLUDING ANNUAL INCREMENTS, LEAVE ENCASHMENT AND ALL OTHER ADMISSIBLE BENEFITS AS PER APPLICABLE RULES.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI

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ORAL ORDER

Learned counsel for the petitioners filed a memo

seeking leave of this Court to withdraw the writ petition

with liberty to file necessary application for amendment in W.P.No.28331/2025.

The memo is placed on record.

Accordingly, the writ petition is dismissed as

withdrawn with the aforesaid liberty.

All the contentions of the parties are kept open.

Pending interlocutory application/s, if any, shall

stand disposed of accordingly.

Sd/(ASHOK S.KINAGI) JUDGE

SKS

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