IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 3^RD DAY OF DECEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR CRL.P. NO.5407/2024 (482(Cr.PC)/528(BNSS))

BETWEEN:

1. MR. NIKHIL S/O MR. SRINIVAS AGED 23 YEARS, R/OF NO.185, 12^TH MAIN, NAGENDRA BLOCK, BANASHANKARI III STAGE BENGALURU-560085.

2. MR. ARAVIND S/O MR. R V VIJAY SHANKAR AGED 27 YEARS R/OF NO.551/51549, 1^ST BLOCK BANASHANKARI III STAGE BENGALURU-560085.

Digitally signed by NANJUNDACHARI

3. MS. C R RASHMITHA Location: HIGH D/O MR. RANGASWAMY COURT OF KARNATAKA AGED 24 YEARS RESIDENT OF 5^TH CROSS BASAVESHWARA STREET JAYANAGAR EXTENSION CHIKKAMAGALURU-577101.

4. MS. RANJITHA W/O MR. ARAVIND AGED 27 YEARS, RESIDENT OF NO.13, HANUMANTHANAGARA BANASHANKARI III STAGE BENGALURU-560085.

…PETITIONERS (BY SRI. I.S PRAMOD CHANDRA, ADV.)

AND:

1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY ALUR POLICE STATION, HASSAN DISTRICT THROUGH THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING DR. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU-560001.

2. MR. T C VENKATESH INSPECTOR OF POLICE ALUR POLICE STATION HASSAN DISTRICT HASSAN-573213. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. M.R. PATIL, HCGP)

THIS CRL.P FILED U/S 482 CR.PC BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING THAT THIS COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO 1) SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 01.06.2023 PASSED BY THE LEARNED CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC AT ALUR IN C.C.NO.151/2023 FOR OFFENCE P/U/S 188 AND 269 OF IPC, SEC. 32 AND 34 OF EXCISE ACT, SEC. 20(B) AND 27(B) OF NDPS ACT AND SEC. 51(B) OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACT, 2005 AND ETC.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR

ORAL ORDER

In this petition, the petitioner seeks the following reliefs:

(a) Set-aside the order dated 01.06.2023 passed by the learned Civil Judge and JMFC at Alur in C.C.No.151/2023 for offences punishable under Secs.188 & 269 of IPC, Secs.32 and 34 of Excise Act, Secs.20(b) and 27(b) of N.D.P.S. Act and Sec.51(b) of Disaster Management Act, 2005; and (b) consequently be pleased to quash the entire Charge sheet and all further proceedings in C.C.No.151/2023 for the offences punishable under Sections 188 & 269 of IPC, Secs.32 and 34 of Excise Act, Secs.20(b) and 27(b) of N.D.P.S. Act and Sec.51(b) of Disaster Management Act, 2005 pending on the file of the learned Civil Judge & JMFC, at Alur, as against the Petitioners herein, in the interest of justice and equity.

2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned High Court Government Pleader for respondents and perused the material on record.

3. A perusal of the material on record will indicate that the petitioners who are arraigned as accused Nos.39, 78, 86 and 96 are before this Court, challenging the impugned proceedings pending against them for the offenses punishable under Sections 188 and 269 of IPC, Sections 32 and 34 of the Karnataka Excise Act, Section 20(b) and 27(b) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Section 51(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The remaining accused persons i.e., accused Nos.68 and 37 in the very same C.C.No.157/2023 approached this Court in Crl.P.No.8789/2023 and in Crl.P.No.2727/2025, wherein this Court quashed the proceedings against these accused persons vide order dated 23.01.2025 and

16.07.2025, respectively.

4. The order in Crl.P.No.2727/2025 reads as under:

“In this petition, petitioner seeks quashing of the proceedings in C.C.No.151/2023 arising out of Crime No.80/2021 registered by the 1^st respondent – police, pending on the file of the Additional Civil Judge and JMFC Court, Alur, for the offences punishable under Sections 188, 269 of IPC and Sections 27(b), 20B of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Section 51(b) of the Disaster Management Act.

2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned HCGP for respondent No.1 and perused the material on record.

3. A perusal of the material on record will indicate that the petitioner was arraigned as accused No.37 in C.C.No.151/2023 along with 138 other accused persons, p