ORDER :

In these petitions, the petitioners have sought to quash the complaint and the order summoning the accused, dated 01.10.2016 in C.C.No.3133/2016 on the file of the IV Additional Civil Judge (Jr.Dn) & J.M.F.C., Mysuru.

2. The respondent herein filed a private complaint against the petitioners herein seeking action for the offences punishable under Sections 499 and 500 of Indian Penal Code. In the complaint, it was alleged that the petitioners herein got a news item published in ‘Star of Mysore’, an English Daily Evening newspaper on 10.11.2015 under the headlines:

“FORMER MAHAJANA TOURISM DEV. INSTT.

DIRECTOR ACCUSED OF CHEATING

MES accuses Prof. Nagapathi of cheating the

Institute of Rs.3.32 Crore

Mysuru: Nov.10 (RS & DM) – Former Director Mahajana College Tourism Development Institute Prof. K.S. Nagapathi has been accused of cheating Mahajana Educational Society (MES) to the tune of Rs.3.32 Crore.

Prof. Nagapathi is accused of opening separate bank accounts and depositing cash collected from the students in these accounts with the connivance of SBM’s Jayalakshmipuram and Metagalli Branch Managers.

Following a complaint MES Hon. Secretary Dr.T. Vijayalakshi Muralidhar on Nov.