IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 25^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 13957 OF 2023 BETWEEN:

SRI SOMASHEKAR L., S/O A.N.LINGAIAH, AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS, R/AT NO. 22, ‘UNNATI’, HONEY GARDEN, OFF KANAKPURA MAIN ROAD, MALLASANDRA, BENGALURU – 560 062.

…PETITIONER (BY SRI SANGAMESH R.B., ADVOCATE)

AND:

Dig itally signed by SANJEEVINI J KARISHETTY 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA Location:

THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY High Court of Karnataka DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, M.S.BUILDING, BENGALURU - 01 REPRESENTED BY ITS SPP HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU – 560 001.

2. DY. DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE OFFICE OF THE DY. DIRECTOR, D-303, ZILLA PANCHAYAT BHAVAN, RAMNAGARA DISTRICT – 562 159 RAMNAGARA.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI CHANNAPPA ERAPPA, HCGP FOR R-1;

R2 SERVED AND UNREPRESENTED)

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 OF CR.P.C., PRAYING TO 1)

QUASH THE PROCEEDINGS IN PRIVATE COMPLAINT PCR NO.30/2023 DATED 23.02.2023, ALLEGING OFFENCES P/U/S 7, 8, 19(a) AND 19(b) OF “FCO 1985” AND U/S 3, 7 AND 8 OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES ACT, 1955, AND WHICH WAS LATER REGISTERED AS C.C.NO.377/2023, DATED 25.03.2023 ON THE FILE OF LEARNED PRINCIPAL CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC