IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 17^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 15290 OF 2025 BETWEEN:

1. GANESHA S/O CHANNABASAPPA AGED ABOUT 27 YEARS OCC: AUTORICKSHAW DRIVER R/O JAREKATTE VILLAGE DAVANAGERE TALUK AND DISTRICT – 577 002.

2. VISHWAS S/O CHANNAGOWDA AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS OCC: DRIVER R/O NEAR DEVARAJA ARAS SOCIETY Digitally signed NITTUVALLI by SANJEEVINI J KARISHETTY DAVANAGERE DISTRICT – 577 003.

Location: High Court of Karnataka

3. GOVINDA S/O RAMANNA AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS OCC: BUSINESS R/O HONDADA CIRCLE DAVANAGERE - 577 002.

4. SHIVA S/O DURUGESHAPPA AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS R/O BURAJANAHATTI CHITRADURGA – 577 501.

5. MANJUNATHA S/O MUGAPPA AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS OCC: LABOURER R/O HAGEDIBBA CIRCLE KUMBARAPETE DAVANAGERE - 577 004.

6. PRAVEENA S/O RUDRAPPA AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS OCC: DRIVER R/O NALLURU VILLAGE CHANNAGIRI DAVANAGERE DISTRICT – 577 213.

7. CHETHANA S/O NAGARAJA AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS R/O 60 FEET ROAD, NITTUVALLI PRESENT ADDRESS NO.780/39, ISTARTH NILAYA

1^ST MAIN, 6T, DAVANAGERE – 577 003.

8. JABIULLA HAROGOPPA S/O MEHABOOB SAB @ BABUSAB AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS OCC: LABOURER R/O BODAL ROAD DAVANAGERE – 577 003.

9. RAVICHANDRA S/O. LOKAPPA DOGGALLI AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS R/O JARIKATTE VILLAGE DAVANAGERE – 577 003.

10. HEMANTHA S/O CHANDRAPPA AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS OCC: AUTORIKSHAW DRIVER R/O HOLALKERE ROAD CHITRADURGA – 577 501.

11. AJJAPPA S/O PUTTAPPA AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS R/O 12^TH CROSS, KUVEMPU NAGARA DAVANAGERE – 577 004. 12. CHANDRASHEKARA S/O LATE NANDYAPPA AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS OCC: FARMER R/O SHAMANURU DAVANAGERE – 577 003.

13. ANILKUMAR S/O RUDRAPPA REDDY AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS OCC: FARMER R/O KADLEGUNDI VILLAGE HARIHAR TALUK, DAVANAGERE – 577 215.

14. CHAMANSAB S/O MEHABOOB AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS OCC: LABOURER R/O 10^TH CROSS MADDAKKI BATTI LAYOUT DAVANAGERE – 577 003.

15. LINGRAJA S/O TIPPANNA AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS OCC: FISHERMAN R/O HADADI DAVANAGERE – 577 004.

16. RAJU S/O DURUGAPPA AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS OCC: CONTRACTOR R/O KAVALETTU VILLAGE RANEBENNUR TALUK HAVERI DISTRICT – 581 115.

17. HANUMANTHAPPA S/O SHIVARUDRAPPA AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS OCC: LABOURER R/O NEAR KARIYAMMANA TEMPLE RAMANAGARA, DAVANAGERE – 577 003.

18. HANUMANTHAPPA S/O VENKAPPA AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS OCC: LABOURER R/O SRI RAMANAGARA KARIYAMMA TEMPLES DAVANAGERE – 577 003.

19. MEHABOB S/O EKBAL SAB AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS OCC: LABOURER R/O 3^RD CROSS SHIVANAGARA DAVANAGERE – 577 003.

20. SHIVAPPA S/O HANUMANTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS OCC: FARMER R/O NEAR DURUGAMMA TEMPLE MASURU, HERIKERURU TALUK HAVERI DISTRICT – 581 110.

21. NAGARAJA S/O SHIVARAJAPPA AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS OCC: SOCIAL WORKER R/O RAMANAGARA ROAD DAVANAGERE – 577 003.

…PETITIONERS (BY SRI S.G.RAJENDRA REDDY, ADVOCATE)

AND:

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY CEN CRIME POLICE STATION DAVANAGERE REPRESENTED BY ITS S.P.P., HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU - 560 001.

…RESPONDENT (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP)

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 528 BNSS PRAYING TO QUASH THE ENTIRE PROCEEDINGS IN C.C.NO.3532/2025 ARISING OUT OF CR.NO.29/2025 OF CEN CRIME POLICE STATION, DAVANAGERE, PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE III ADDL. CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC DAVANAGERE, FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 79 AND 80 OF THE KARNATAKA POLICE ACT, SO FAR AS PETITIONERS ARE CONCERNED.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA

ORAL ORDER

The petitioners are before this Court calling in question proceedings in C.C.No.3532/2025 registered for offences punishable under Sections 79 and 80 of the Karnataka Police Act, 1963 ('the KP Act' for short).

2. Heard Sri. S.G. Rajendra Reddy, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners and Sri. Vinay Mahadevaiah, learned High Court Government Pleader appearing for the respondent.

3. The crime that is alleged against these petitioners are for the offence punishable under Sections 79 and 80 of the KP Act, which is non-cognizable and for a non-cognizable offence, the permission/nod of the learned Magistrate is