IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 18^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P. SANDESH CRIMINAL PETITION NO.5918/2024 BETWEEN:

SRI. R.M. AJAY, S/O. R.B. MOHAN REDDY, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, NOW WORKING AS POLICE INSPECTOR, STATE INTELLIGENCE, BENGALURU.

R/AT NO.328/A, 9^TH ‘D’ MAIN ROAD, HRBR LAYOUT, 1^ST BLOCK, KALYAN NAGAR, BENGALURU-560043. … PETITIONER (BY SRI. PRASANNA KUMAR P., ADVOCATE – [THROUGH V.C.])

AND:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, BY ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAU, NOW LOKAYUKTA PS, M.S. BUILDING, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, REP. BY SPL. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560001.

2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, CRIME-I, CITY CRIME BRANCH, BENGALURU-560009.

3. SRI. RAJENDRA D.S., DY. S.P.ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAU, NO.49, KHANIJA BHAVAN, RACE COURSE ROAD, BENGALURU-560001.

… RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. B.B.PATIL, SPECIAL COUNSEL FOR R1;

SRI. TEJAS, HCGP FOR R2;

NOTICE ISSUED TO R3 IS SERVED BUT UNREPRESENTED)

THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS UNDER SECTION 482 OF CR.P.C, PRAYING TO QUASH THE FIR IN CR.NO.17/2020 REGISTERED BY THE RESPONDENTS AS AGAINST THE PETITIONER ARRAIGNING HIM AS ACCUSED NO.2 FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 7A, 13(1)(a) R/W 13(2) OF PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION ACT 1988, PENDING BEFORE THE LEARNED XXIII ADDITIONAL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT BENGALURU (CCH-24) AND TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED CHARGE SHEET DATED 21.06.2025 FILED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.1/POLICE IN CR.NO.17/2020 FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION 7(a) OF PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION ACT, 1988 WHEREIN THE PETITIONER HEREIN HAS BEEN ARRAIGNED AS ACCUSED NO.2 IN SPL.CC.NO.1602/2025, PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE LEARNED XXII ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT BENGALURU (CCH-24) (PRODUCED AS ANNEXURE –‘H’) AND ETC.

THIS CRIMINAL PETITION HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED FOR ORDERS ON 06.03.2026 THIS DAY, THE COURT PRONOUNCED THE FOLLOWING:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P.SANDESH

CAV ORDER

This petition is filed under Section 482 of Cr.P.C. praying to grant the following reliefs:

“ a) Quash the FIR in Crime No.17/2020 registered by the respondents as against the petitioner arraigning him as accused No.2 for the offences punishable under Sections 7A, 13(1)(a) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, For short, ‘PC Act’ pending before the learned XXIII Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge at Bengaluru (CCH-24( and aa) Quash the impugned charge sheet dated 21.06.2025 filed by respondent No.1/Police in Crime No.17/2020 for the offences punishable under Section 7(a) of PC Act, wherein the petitioner herein has been arraigned as accused No.2 in Spl. CC No.1602/2025 pending on the file of learned XXIII Addl. City Civil & Sessions Judge at Bengaluru (CCH-24) (Produced as Annexure-H).

b) Grant such other relief or reliefs as this Hon’ble Court deems fit in the facts and circumstances of the case, in the interest of justice.”

2. The factual matrix of the case of the respondent/Lokayukta is that they have registered the FIR on 21.05.2020 in Crime No.17/2020 for the offences punishable under Sections 7(A), 13(1)(a) read with Section 13(2) of the PC Act against the petitioner, who has been arraigned as accused No.2. This petition was filed to quash the FIR, which is marked as Annexure-A. The certified copy of the complaint in Crime No.17/2020 is produced as Annexure-B, so also the certified copy of the order sheet in Crime No.17/2020 is produced as Annexure-C.

3. The petitioner was working as Police Inspector, Central Crime Branch (CCB), Bengaluru City in the Economic Offences Wing. On 30.03.2020, the first information was filed before Banaswadi PS as against one Surush and others alleging the commission of offence under Section 420 of IPC in regard to manufacture of N-95 Mask in their lab with fake seal and certifications to provide standardization for the said mask. Pursuant to the said first information, a case in Crime No.164/2020 was registered by Banaswadi PS and the same was transferred