IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 24^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 1834 OF 2026 BETWEEN:

1. MR.MANIGANDAN S AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS S/O SHANMUGAM K NO.47, MUNESHWARA LAYOUT M.R. PALYA, R.T. NAGAR BENGALURU - 560 032 …PETITIONER Digitally (BY SRI. DHANANJAYA C.P., ADVOCATE)

signed by SANJEEVINI J KARISHETTY Location: H igh AND:

Court of Karnataka

1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY VIDYARANYAPURA POLICE STATION, REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU - 560 001 2. P. ADHINARAYANA AGED ABOUT 80 YEARS S/O LATE PAKEERAPPA RA/T 30, 1ST CROSS BEHIND NETIVINITY CHURCH VIDYARANYAPURA BENGALURU - 560 098 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. K. NAGESHWARAPPA, HCGP FOR R1)

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNNS) BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING THAT THIS HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO QUASH THE ENTIRE PROCEEDINGS IN C.C.NO.75/2026 (CR.NO.354/2025 VIDYARANYAPURA P.S BENGALURU) PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE COURT OF THE VII ADDL.C.J.M AT BENGALURU FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 85, 108 OF BNS 2023.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA

ORAL ORDER

The petitioner is before the Court calling in question proceedings in C.C.No.75 of 2026 registered for the offences punishable under Sections 85 and 108 of the BNS, which are Sections 498A and 306 of the earlier regime, the IPC.

2. Heard Sri. Dhananjaya C.P., learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Sri. K. Nageshwarappa, learned HCGP appearing for respondent No.1. 3. Facts, in brief, germane are as follows :-

The petitioner is the husband and the complainant is the father of the wife, who is now deceased. The petitioner and the daughter of the complainant get married 15 years prior to the incident and from the wedlock have two children. On a fateful day, the wife is said to have committed suicide i.e., on 18.10.2025. The husband takes the wife to the hospital, who was declared to be brought dead. A complaint comes to be registered by the father against the husband on 18.10.2025, which becomes a crime in Crime No.354/2025 initially for offence punishable under Section 103 of the BNS, 2023, which is Section 302 of the earlier regime, the IPC. The husband was charged of murder. The police conduct investigation and the investigation leads to filing of the charge sheet. In the charge sheet, while drawing, all the other accused are dropped and the petitioner is now the sole accused facing charges of abetment to suicide and cruelty under Sections 108 and 85 of the BNS, which are Sections 306 and 498A of the earlier regime, the IPC. The filing of the charge sheet is what has driven the petitioner to this Court in the subject petition.

4. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would vehemently contend that the petitioner - husband is innocent. The wife committed suicide by hanging and the husband broke open the door, took the wife to the hospital and did all that a caring husband will do and therefore, the proceeding should be quashed against the husband.

5. Learned HCGP on verification of the records would refute the submissions in contending that there is proximity in time with the act of the husband and the death of the daughter of the complainant and therefore, the proceedings must be permitted to be continued.

6. I have given my anxious consideration to the respective submissions made by the learned counsel and have perused the material on record.

7. The afore-narrated facts are a matter of record. The dates would require a skeletal iteration. The relationship between the complainant's daughter and the petitioner is husband and wife. They get married 15 years prior to the incident and have two children from the wedlock. On 18.10.2025 about 5.30 p.m. It transpires that the wife commits suicide by hanging. The husband takes the wife to the hospital, who was declared as brought dead. A complai