IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 15^TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2025 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR N. V. ANJARIA, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.I.ARUN WRIT PETITION NO. 514 OF 2020 (GM-RES-PIL)

BETWEEN:

MR. PRAKASH KUMARNAIK S/O RAMCHANDRA KUMARNAIK AGE: 45 YEARS OCCUPATION: LEGAL PRACTITIONER R/O: VALMIKI NAGAR, HOUSE NO.1/4, AT PO: GOKAK FALLS, TALUK: GOKAK DISTRICT: BELAGAVI GOKAK - 591 307 KARNATAKA …PETITIONER (BY SRI. AKSHAYA B M, ADVOCATE)

Digitally AND:

signed by H K HEMA Location: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA High Court of REPRESENTED BY CHIEF SECRETARY Karnataka ROOM NO.320, 3^RD FLOOR, VIDHANA SOUDHA BENGALURU - 560 001, KARNATAKA

2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER BELAGAVI DISTRICT BELAGAVI - 590 001 KARNATAKA.

3. THE TAHSILDAR, GOKAK AT: GOKAK, TALUK GOKAK DISTRICT BELAGAVI, GOKAK 591307, KARNATAKA

4. THE COMMISSIONER FOR CANE DEVELOPMENT AND DIRECTOR OF SUGARS GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA

5^TH FLOOR, CBAB COMPLEX, CAUVERY BHAVAN, K.G. ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 009, KARNATAKA

5. KARNATAKA STATE POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD (KSPCB), PARISARA BHAVAN, #49, 4^TH AND 5^TH FLOOR, CHURCH STREET, BANGALORE - 560 001.

KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS MEMBER SECRETARY

6. THE EXCISE COMMISSIONER

2^ND FLOOR, TTMC BUILDING A BLOCK, BMTC, SHANTHINAGAR BANGALORE - 560 027 KARNATAKA

7. THE RESERVE BANK OF INDIA SFIO (SERIOUS FRAUD INVESTIGATION OFFICE)

OPPOSITE TO MARTHA'S HEART CENTRE

10/3/8, NRUPATHUNGA ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 001 KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY REGIONAL DIRECTOR

8. THE STATE BANK OF INDIA LIMITED STRESSED ASSETS MANAGEMENT BRANCH

2^ND FLOOR, OFFICE COMPLEX BUILDING, L.H.O. CAMPUS, NO.65, ST. MARKS ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 001 KARANATAKA REPRESENTED BY BANK/BRANCH MANAGER

9. THE IDBI BANK LIMITED BANGALORE MAIN BRANCH IDBI HOUSE NO.58, MISSION ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 027 KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY BANK/BRANCH MANAGER

10. THE ANDHRA BANK LIMITED NO.2/3, RAJA BUILDING, N.R. ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 002 KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY BANK/BRANCH MANAGER 11. THE KARNATAKA STATE COOPERATIVE APEX BANK LTD NO.1 "UTHUNGA PAMPA MAHAKAVI ROAD, CHAMARAJPET, BANGALORE - 560 018 KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY MANAGING DIRECTOR 12. M/S SOUBHAGYA LAXMI SUGARS LTD A COMPANY REGISTERED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF COMPANIES ACT, 1956 AND HAVING ITS REGD. OFFICE AT: NO.211/2B, FALLS ROAD, GOKAK, TALUK-GOKAK, DISTRICT: BELAGAVI BELAGAVI - 591 307 KARNATAKA ALSO HAVING ITS UNIT AT/PO: HIRENANDI TALUK: GOKAK, DISTRICT BELAGAVI, GOKAK - 591 233 KARNATKAA REPRESENTED BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR

13. MR. VASANTRAO VEERAGONDA PATIL S/O VEERAGONDA PATIL AGE: 50 YEARS OCCUPATION: BUSINESS THE DIRECTOR, M/S SOUBHAGYA LAXMI SUGARS LTD R/O AT/PO: HIRENANDI, TALUK: GOKAK DISTRICT BELAGAVI, GOKAK 591 233 KARNATAKA …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. NILOUFER AKBAR, AGA FOR R1 TO R4 & R6;

MS. M.V.ADITI, ADVOCATE FOR R5;

SRI. VEERENDRA PATIL, ADVOCATE FOR R8;

SRI. T.P.MUTHANNA, ADVOCATE FOR R9; SMT. POORNIMA S, ADVOCATE FOR R11;

SRI. G.R.ANANTHARAM, ADVOCATE FOR R10 & R12;

SRI. S.KALYAN BASAVARAJ, ADVOCATE FOR R13)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 R/W

227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO CONSTITUTE A SPECIAL INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE INTO THE VARIOUS MALPRACTICES COMMITTED BY R-8 TO 11 - BANKS IN ACTIVE COLLUSION WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND RESPONDENT NO.12 COMPANY, ETC THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. JUSTICE N. V. ANJARIA and HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.I.ARUN

ORAL JUDGMENT

(PER: HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. JUSTICE N. V. ANJARIA)

The petition was filed as public interest petition in which, the prayer was inter alia to direct constitution of Special Investigating Committee to investigate into the alleged malpractices committed by respondent Nos.8 to 11-Banks in collusion with the State Government officials.

2. On 06.01.2025, this Court passed the following order, "This public interest petition was filed seeking a prayer to constitute Special Investigating Committee to investigate into the alleged malpractices commi