Sri Kamesh Kumar Ramalingam Vs Union of India — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

Sri Kamesh Kumar Ramalingam Vs Union of India — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petition dismissed as withdrawn with liberty to initiate appropriate proceedings as permissible under law.

Issue for consideration

Whether a writ of habeas corpus should be issued to produce the minor child Dhanyashri Kamesh (holder of United States passport no. 673963526) before the Court from the alleged wrongful custody of respondent No. 7 or any other persons who allegedly wrongfully abducted her.

Court's answer

Learned counsel for the petitioner sought leave to withdraw the petition, supported by a memo recording the petitioner's email instructions dated 04.02.2026 and praying for liberty to initiate appropriate proceedings permissible under law; in view of the memo, the petition was dismissed as withdrawn with liberty as sought for. The habeas corpus/custody question was not decided on merits.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Karnataka, Bengaluru (Neutral Citation: NC: 2026:KHC:6684-DB) - Writ Petition (Habeas Corpus) No. 69 of 2025 - Division Bench of Anu Sivaraman and Vijaykumar A. Patil, JJ.; oral judgment per Vijaykumar A. Patil J.; decided 05.02.2026. Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India by Sri Kamesh Kumar Ramalingam, a US-resident father, praying for a writ of habeas corpus to produce the minor child Dhanyashri Kamesh (holding US passport no. 673963526) from the alleged wrongful custody of respondent No. 7 (Smt. Rakshitha Nagaraj) or other persons who allegedly wrongfully abducted her; respondents included the Union Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs, the State of Karnataka (Home Department), the Regional Passport Authority, the Commissioner of Police and the SHO, Magadi Road Police Station. Before orders, learned counsel for the petitioner sought leave to withdraw the petition, supported by a memo citing the petitioner's email instructions dated 04.02.2026 and seeking liberty to initiate appropriate proceedings available under law. The Court dismissed the petition as withdrawn with liberty as sought for. No merits determination was made on the custody/habeas corpus question.

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NC: 2026:KHC:6684-DB WPHC No. 69 of 2025

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 5^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026

PRESENT THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN AND

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIJAYKUMAR A. PATIL WRIT PETITION HABEAS CORPUS NO. 69 OF 2025

BETWEEN:

SRI KAMESH KUMAR RAMALINGAM AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, R/AT 3593, BARTON STREET, TRACY, CALIFORNIA 95377, USA

…PETITIONER

(BY SRI. GAUTAM SHREEDHAR BHARADWAJ, ADVOCATE)

AND:

Digitally signed by BANGALORE ANJANAPPA KRISHNA KUMAR Location: High Court of Karnataka

UNION OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, SOUTH BLOCK, SECRETARIAT BUILDING, RAISINA HILL, NEW DELHI-110001

UNION OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, NORTH BLOCK, CABINET SECRETARIAT, RAISIN HILL, NEW DELHI-110001

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA HOME DEPARTMENT, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, ROOM NO.327-327A, VIDHANA SOUDHA,

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NC: 2026:KHC:6684-DB WPHC No. 69 of 2025

HC-KAR

DR. B. R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560001

THE REGIONAL PASSPORT AUTHORITY REPRESENTED BY ITS REGIONAL PASSPORT OFFICER, 8TH BLOCK, 80FT ROAD, KORAMANGALA, BENGALURU-560095

THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE INFANTRY ROAD, BANGALORE-560001

THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER MAGADI ROAD POLICE STATION, MAGADI ROAD, POLICE QUARTERS, RAJAJINAGAR, BENGALURU-560023

SMT. RAKSHITHA NAGARAJ AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, R/AT NO.642, IST FLOOR, 10TH E MAIN, 6TH BLOCK, RAJAJINAGAR, BENGALURU-560010 KARNATAKA.

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI. SHANTHI BHUSHAN H., DSGI FOR R1 & R2 (MA FOR R1 ONLY); SRI. THEJESH P., HCGP FOR R3 TO R6; SRI. MAHESH C.M., ADV. FOR R7)

THIS WP(HC) IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO A) ISSUE A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS TO PRODUCE THE MINOR CHID, DHANYASHRI KAMESH, HAVING A PASSPORT BEARING NO.673963526 ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATED OF AMERICA, BEFORE THIS COURT FORM THE WRONGFUL CUSTODY OF RESPONDENT NO.7 OR ANY OTHER PERSONS WHO HAVE WRONGFULLY ABDUCTED DHANYASHRI KAMESH AND ETC.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

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NC: 2026:KHC:6684-DB WPHC No. 69 of 2025

HC-KAR

CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIJAYKUMAR A. PATIL

ORAL JUDGMENT

(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIJAYKUMAR A. PATIL)

Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner seeks

leave of the Court to withdraw the petition and has filed a memo to that effect. The memo reads as under;

"It is submitted that the Petitioner has instructed the undersigned Counsel vide Email dated 04.02.2026 seeking leave of this Hon'ble Court to withdraw the present petition with liberty to initiate appropriate proceedings that are available under law.

Wherefore, it is most respectfully prayed that this Hon'ble Court may be pleased to permit the Petitioner to withdraw the present Writ Petition with liberty to initiate appropriate proceedings as permissible under law, in the interest of justice and equity. "

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NC: 2026:KHC:6684-DB WPHC No. 69 of 2025

HC-KAR

In view of the memo, petition is dismissed as

withdrawn with liberty as sought for.

Sd/(ANU SIVARAMAN) JUDGE

Sd/(VIJAYKUMAR A. PATIL) JUDGE

RAK List No.: 2 Sl No.: 1