ORAL ORDER

Petitioners – accused Nos.1 to 5 are before this Court calling in question registration of a crime in Crime No.23/2023, pending before the VIII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Nrupatunga Road, Bengaluru, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 376(2)(j), 342, 323, 504, 506 r/w. 34 of the Indian Penal Code (hereinafter referred to as 'the IPC', for short).

2. Heard Sri Sadanand G. Shastri, learned counsel for petitioners, Sri B.N.Jagadeesha, learned Additional State Public Prosecutor for respondent No.1 and Sri H.C.Shivaramu, learned counsel for respondent No.2.

3. Facts adumbrated, are as follows:Respondent No.2 is the complainant-wife of the 1^st petitioner and petitioner Nos.2 to 5 are the family members of petitioner No.1. Both the complainant and respondent No.2 were colleagues in a business venture – Silicon Honda as representatives in the said work place. The two worked together for 4 years, entered into a relationship and later, they got married on 27.01.2023. It is the averment in the petition that as on the marriage day, i.e., on 27.01.2023, it was the complainant’s birthday and while celebrating her birthday in the matrimonial house, p