IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 23^rd DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P.SANDESH AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.1620/2025 C/W CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.1905/2025 IN CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.1620/2025:

BETWEEN:

1 . SMT. N.V. LAKSHMI, W/O LATE M. JAYARAM, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, R/AT NO.205, SAI DEEP HORIZON APARTMENTS, VINTENAL ROAD, MURUGESHPALYA, BENGALURU-560017. … APPELLANT (BY SRI. LEELADHAR H.P., ADVOCATE)

AND:

1 . STATE OF KARNATAKA, BY HENNUR POLICE STATION, BENGALURU-560043, REPRESENTED BY SPP, HIGH COURTS BUILDING, BENGALURU-560001. 2 . RAJESH @ RAJI, S/O LATE MUNIRAJU, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, R/AT NO.1/52, VENUGOPALA SWAMY ROAD, NEAR SHALINI SCHOOL, LINGARAJAPURAM, BENGALURU-560084.

3 . NAVEEN KUMAR @ NAVEEN, S/O T.N.GOWDA, AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS, R/AT NO.25, 2^ND CROSS, KANAKADAS LAYOUT, NEAR DON BOSCO CHURCH, LINGARAJAPURAM, BENGALURU-560084.

4 . MOHAN, S/O J. OM PRAKASH, AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, R/AT NO.13, 2^ND CROSS, NEAR SHALINI SCHOOL, LINGARAJAPURAM, BENGALURU-560 084.

5 . YOGARAJ @ YOGI @ RAJU, S/O SATHYANARAYANA, AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, R/AT NO.2/15, NEAR SHALINI SCHOOL, LINGARAJAPURAM, BENGALURU-560084. … RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI PATEL, HCGP FOR R1;

SMT. URMILA A. PULLAT, ADVOCATE FOR R2 AND R3;

SRI. CHANDRANNA N., ADVOCATE FOR R4 AND R5)

THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 372 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 419 BNSS) PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE JUDGMENT AND ACQUITTAL DATED 13.06.2025 PASSED BY THE LXVI ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGALURU CITY, IN S.C.NO.1169/2017 AND PASS THE APPROPRIATE ORDERS BY CONVICTING THE ACCUSED PERSONS FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 302, 120B, 450 R/W SECTION 34 OF IPC.

IN CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.1905/2025:

BETWEEN:

1 . STATE OF KARNATAKA, BY HENNUR POLICE STATION, BENGALURU, REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU-560001. … APPELLANT (BY SMT. RASHMI PATEL, HCGP)

AND:

1 . RAJESH @ RAJI, S/O LATE MUNIRAJU, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, R/AT NO.1/52, VENUGOPALA SWAMY ROAD, NEAR SHALINI SCHOOL, LINGARAJAPURAM, BENGALURU-560084.

2 . NAVEEN KUMAR @ NAVEEN, S/O T.N.GOWDA, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, R/AT NO.25, 2^ND CROSS, KANAKADAS LAYOUT, NEAR DON BOSCO CHURCH, LINGARAJAPURAM, BENGALURU-560084.

3 . MOHAN, S/O J. OM PRAKASH, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, R/AT NO.13, 2^ND CROSS, NEAR SHALINI SCHOOL, LINGARAJAPURAM, BENGALURU-560084.

4 . YOGARAJ @ YOGI @ RAJU, S/O SATHYANARAYANA, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, R/AT 2/15, NEAR SHALINI SCHOOL, LINGARAJAPURAM, BENGALURU-560084. … RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. URMILA PULLAT, ADVOCATE FOR R1 AND R2;

SRI. CHANDRANNA N., ADVOCATE FOR R3 AND R4)

THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 372 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 419 OF BNSS) PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE JUDGMENT AND ORDER OF ACQUITTAL DATED 13.06.2025 PASSED IN S.C.NO.1169/2017 BY THE COURT OF THE LXVI ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGLAURU CITY (CCH-67), THEREBY ACQUITTING THE RESPONDENTS/ACCUSED FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 302, 120-B, 450 R/W SECTION 34 OF IPC.

THESE APPEALS HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED FOR JUDGMENT ON 21.01.2026 THIS DAY, THE COURT PRONOUNCED THE FOLLOWING:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P.SANDESH AND HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T

CAV JUDGMENT

(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.P.SANDESH)

1. Heard the learned counsel for the appellant/complainant in Crl.A.No.1620/2025, the learned counsel for the appellant/State in Crl.A.No.1905/2025 and the learned counsel for the respondents in both the appeals.

2. Crl.A.No.1620/2025 is filed by the complainant and Crl.A.No.1905/2025 is filed by the State challenging the judgment of acquittal dated 13.06.2025 passed by the Trial Court in S.C.No.1169/2017 for the offences punishable under Sections 302, 120B, 450 read with Section 34 of IPC.

3. The factual matrix of the case of the prosecution before the Trial Court is that accused No.1 Rajesh was inimical with the deceased Jayaram for the reason that he committed murder of his mother Smt.Chandramma, who is the sister of deceased Jayaram. Accused No.1