IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA,AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 19^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE V.SRISHANANDA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 104738 OF 2025 (482(CR.PC)/528(BNSS))

BETWEEN:

MUPPINA BASAVALINGA MAHASWAMI KOTTUR SWAMI MATH BELLARY AGE 32 YEARS, OCC. PONTIFF, R/O. SHRI KOTTUR SWAMI MATH, BELLARY KARNATAKA.

…PETITIONER (BY SRI. MALLIKARJUNASWAMY B. HIREMATH, ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTAP.S. BALLARI R/BY SPL.PP HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH, DHARWAD.

CHANDRASHEKAR 2. SANGAMESH S/O ISHWARAPPA LAXM AN KATTIMANI AGE 42 YEARS, OCC. POLICE INSPECTOR, R/O. KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA STATION, BALLARI KARNATAKA 583 101.

…RESPONDENTS Digitally signed by (BY SRI. SRINIVAS B. NAIK, ADVOCATE)

CHANDRASHEKAR LAXMAN KATTIMANI THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED U/SE. 528 OF BNSS, 2023, Date: 2026.02.24

18:18:58 +0530 SEEKING TO QUASH THE ENTIRE PROCEEDINGS IN CRIME NO.

05/2025 OFFENCES P/U/SEC. 13(1)(C)(D), R/W 13(2) OF PC ACT 1988 AND SEC. 13(1)(A) R/W 13(2) OF PC ACT, 1988 (AMENDMENT 2018) AND SEC. 120(B), 420, 465, 468, 471 OF IPC REGISTERED BY KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTA POLICE STATION, BALLARI WHICH IS PRODUCED AT ANNEXURE-B PENDING ON THE FILE OF SPECIAL COURT AND PRINCIPAL DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE BALLARI INSOFAR AS PETITIONER/ACCUSED NO. 4.

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

ORAL ORDER

(PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE V.SRISHANANDA)

1. Heard Sri Mallikarjunaswamy Hiremath, learned counsel for the petitioner, and Sri Srinivas B. Naik, learned counsel for the respondents.

2. The petitioner is shown as Accused No. 4 in Crime No.5/2025 registered by the Lokayukta Police, Ballari, for the offences punishable under Sections 13(1)(c) and 13(1)(d) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, Section 13(1)(a) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and Sections 120B, 420, 465, 468, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code (for short, “IPC”).

3. The gist of the complaint averments therein reveal that Ballari Viraktamath Noukarara Niyamita is in possession of the following lands situated at Sridhargadda:

4. Likewise, Kotturuswami Matta, Ballari, was in possession of lands situated at Sridhargadda in Survey No.41/A measuring 1 acre 20 cents and Survey No.41/C measuring 41 cents. An application was filed seeking transfer of the said lands in the name of Sangana Basava Swamigalu, Ballari.

5. Upon receipt of the said application, the Tahsildar, Ballari, namely Sri.Pramod, by an order dated 16.04.2016, entered the name of Jagadguru Sangana Basava Swamigalu, Ballari, in respect of lands totally measuring 78.78 acres, which are stated to be inam/government lands.

6. On 14.06.2021, Jagadguru Sangana Basava Swamigalu of Kottur Swami Matha executed a Will appointing the present petitioner as his successor. Upon the demise of Sangana Basava Swamigalu on 22.11.2021, the petitioner became his successor as per said Will.

7. On 18.04.2022, by filing an application, the petitioner sought transfer of the lands to his name pursuant to the Will executed by Sangana Basava Swamigalu.

8. On 20.09.2022, Sri.H. Vishwanath, then Tahsildar of Ballari, entered the name of the present petitioner in Column No.9 of the RTC records.

9. Thereafter, the petitioner is stated to have sold

24 acres 10 cents of land in Survey No.40/C of Sridharagadda Village in favour of Shreyas Gandhi and Smt.Radhika for a total consideration of Rs. 84,35,000/-

under a registered sale deed.

10. According to the complainant, the lands did not belong to Kotturu Swamy Matha, and the revenue records were allegedly manipulated by the revenue officials in active collusion with the previous Swamiji of Kotturu Swamy Matha. Therefore, action was sought against the concerned persons.

11. Based on the said complaint, a case was registered by the Lokayukta Police and is presently under investigation.

12. The petitioner has called in question the very registration of the case on the following grounds:

 The impugned p