Criminal Law – Dishonour of Cheque – Section 138 N.I. Act – Acquittal – Complainant alleged that accused issued cheque for ₹50,000/- in discharge of a debt – Cheque dishonoured for insufficiency of funds – Trial court acquitted accused holding presumption under Section 139 stood rebutted – On appeal, High Court found that the accused successfully raised a probable defence questioning the financial capacity of the complainant and the existence of any consideration – Held: Trial court’s view was reasonable and supported by DW1's evidence and Exhibit D1 – Acquittal upheld [Paras 2-5, 10, 13, 19] –

Negotiable Instruments Act – Statutory Presumption – Rebuttal – Section 139 N.I. Act – Accused not required to prove case beyond reasonable doubt – Rebuttal by preponderance of probabilities sufficient – Held: Evidence showing lack of financial transaction in mutual exchange deed and inconsistencies in complainant’s account established a probable defence – Statutory presumption rebutted [Paras 8, 10, 12-14, 15] –

Criminal Procedure – Powers of Appellate Court – Appeal against Acquittal – Principles reaffirmed from Chandrappa v. State of Karnataka – Double presumption in favour of acquitted accused – If two views possible, appellate court should not interfere – Held: Trial court’s finding being a possible view, interference unwarranted [Para 18] –

Decision: Appeal dismissed – Acquittal confirmed – No interference warranted by appellate court [Para 19].

Criminal Law – Dowry Death – Presumption under Section 113B – Deceased woman committed suicide within two years of marriage – Evidence by father, mother, brother, and village elder established harassment for dowry of gold and cash – Elders mediated but harassment continued – Held: Death occurred soon after continued cruelty and demand – Presumption under Section 113B of Evidence Act attracted – Conviction under Section 304-B IPC upheld [Paras 19–29, 32].

Dowry Prohibition – Indirect Demand – Sections 3 & 4 – Accused demanded dowry of half tola of gold and Rs. 50,000 through deceased – Demand relayed by deceased to parents and village elders – Held: Demand was proved through credible oral evidence – Conviction under Sections 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act sustained – Demand need not be direct, can be communicated indirectly [Paras 33–36].

Cruelty – Section 498-A IPC – Harassment for dowry constitutes cruelty – Threat by husband to remarry unless dowry fulfilled – Willful conduct of such nature falls within statutory definition of cruelty – Held: Conduct likely to drive deceased to suicide – Conviction under Section 498-A read with Section 34 IPC affirmed [Paras 37–40].

Victim Compensation – Dependent Child – Interpretation of ‘Victim’ under CrPC and Karnataka Victim Compensation Scheme – Minor child of deceased held to be dependent victim – Court invoked Section 357-A CrPC and recommended compensation by DLSA – Rs. 3,00,000 deposited by accused treated as compensation under Section 357(3) CrPC – Further compensation under Scheme not adjustable – To be held in fixed deposit till child attains majority [Paras 41–54].

Appellate Review – Scope and Confirmation – Conviction based on consistent and corroborated evidence – No perversity in findings – No merit in appeal – Trial Court's conclusion confirmed in full [Paras 10–32, 55–56].

Decision:

Appeal dismissed – Conviction and sentence of 7 years' imprisonment confirmed – Rs. 3,00,000 treated as compensation under Section 357(3) CrPC – Additional compensation to be awarded by District Legal Services Authority, Belagavi, under Section 357-A CrPC – Accused directed to surrender within 14 days.

Criminal Law – Rape – Quashment – FIR under Section 64 of BNS registered against petitioner based on allegation of rape after withdrawal of consent during intercourse – Parties met on dating app and were in regular contact over a year – Chats and prior interactions not considered in chargesheet – Held: The relationship was consensual and complaint appears to be an afterthought – Allowing prosecution to continue would amount to abuse of process [Paras 2-9].

Social Media & Consent – Dating App Interactions – Nature of Consent – Petitioner and complainant met via Bumble and stayed in hotel voluntarily – Complainant alleged consent withdrawn midway but subsequent actions (returning home with petitioner, late complaint) weakened the case – Held: Where parties were in long-standing mutual virtual interaction and physical intimacy arose voluntarily, criminal proceedings cannot be sustained merely on belated claims of non-consent [Paras 2-7].

Inherent Powers – Quashing of Proceedings – Abuse of Process – High Court can quash criminal proceedings where factual background, admitted communications, and evidence negate criminal intent or offence – Held: Present prosecution based on personal regret post consensual act and cannot form basis for rape charge [Paras 8-10].

Decision: Petition allowed – FIR in Crime No. 306/2024 and proceedings in C.C. No. 34011/2024 pending before XXX Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru quashed – Writ Petition disposed of accordingly [Para 10].

Adoption – Applicability of Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act vis-à-vis Juvenile Justice Act – Jurisdiction of District Magistrate – Petitioner adopted a child through registered adoption deed following Hindu rites – Civil court decree declared adoption valid – Registrar of Births & Deaths rejected request to record names of adoptive parents in birth certificate citing lack of adoption order by District Magistrate under Juvenile Justice Act – Held: Adoptions made under the HAM Act are governed exclusively by that Act and are expressly excluded from the purview of the Juvenile Justice Act by virtue of Section 56(3) – District Magistrate has no authority to validate or annul adoptions under the HAM Act [Paras 16–21, 30–31].

Birth Certificate – Incorporation of Adoptive Parents’ Names – Regulation 40 of Adoption Regulations, 2022 – Interpretation – Regulation 40 requiring adoption order of District Magistrate applies only to adoptions under the Juvenile Justice Act concerning orphaned, abandoned, or surrendered children – Not applicable to adoptions under the HAM Act – Rejection of request for correction of birth certificate based on Regulation 40 is legally flawed [Paras 20, 25–26].

Adoption Validity – Consent of Natural Parents – Section 9, HAM Act – Where biological father is unknown and biological mother (major at time of adoption) has consented and participated in adoption, the absence of father’s consent does not invalidate adoption – Execution of adoption deed by grandparents with mother’s concurrence is sufficient compliance – Adoption valid and binding [Paras 27–29, 32].

Effect of Civil Court Decree – Administrative Authority Bound – Civil court decree declaring child as legally adopted daughter of petitioner and his wife has attained finality – Administrative authorities cannot nullify or disregard such decree through executive orders – Rejection of birth certificate request amounts to administrative overreach [Paras 33–35].

Principles – Welfare of the Child – Liberal Interpretation – Adoption laws are welfare-oriented; procedural regulations should advance, not obstruct, the child’s right to identity, security, and family – Authorities must act to facilitate protection and permanency of adopted children – Administrative rigidity contrary to legislative intent deprecated [Para 36].

Decision – Impugned order quashed – Directed 3rd respondent to issue revised birth certificate incorporating the name of the child “K.S. Saatvika” with petitioner A. Kannan and his wife K. Sheela shown as adoptive parents – Exercise to be completed within four weeks – No order as to costs [Para 37].

Criminal Law – Framing of Charge – Prima Facie Case – Land Fraud Allegation – Petitioners accused of securing illegal allotment of plot by suppressing material facts regarding existing allotment in husband’s name – Trial court refused discharge holding prima facie evidence existed – Held: At framing of charge, court need only examine whether allegations taken at face value disclose commission of offence – Accused cannot rely on defence documents or arguments at this stage – Discharge rightly rejected [Paras 5, 8-9, 11-12].

False Declaration – Allotment of Plot – IPC Sections 193/200/420 – Petitioner No. 2 submitted affidavit stating no prior allotment to her or her family – Investigation revealed husband had prior allotment under same scheme – Allegation that petitioner acted in connivance with officials to secure illegal allotment – Held: Suppression of fact and use of false affidavit justified charge-sheet – Matter to be tested during trial [Paras 3-4, 11].

Revisional Jurisdiction – Interference with Charge Framing – Revisional Court not to evaluate defence evidence or undertake meticulous scrutiny – Interference only if decision is perverse or patently illegal – No such finding in present case – Petition dismissed [Paras 10, 12].

Decision: Criminal Revision dismissed – Order framing charges upheld – Petitioners to face trial.

Criminal Law – Dishonour of Cheque – Section 138 N.I. Act – Acquittal – Accused issued cheque for ₹3,20,000/- allegedly in discharge of debt – Cheque dishonoured due to insufficient funds – Trial court acquitted accused – Complainant failed to disclose date and details of loan transaction in complaint, statutory notice, and chief affidavit – In cross-examination, complainant admitted no documentation was obtained from accused and gave inconsistent dates – Held: Trial court’s view that complainant failed to prove existence of debt or liability was reasonable – Acquittal upheld [Paras 2-5, 9-11, 24]

Negotiable Instruments Act – Presumption under Sections 118 and 139 – Standard of Rebuttal – Accused need only rebut presumption by preponderance of probabilities – Evidence of past financial disputes between accused and complainant’s brother, threats from a third party and lack of source of funds shown – Held: Probable defence raised successfully – Presumption rebutted [Paras 12, 14-17, 22]

Appellate Powers – Appeal Against Acquittal – Reappreciation of Evidence – Court reaffirmed principles from Chandrappa v. State of Karnataka – Held: Double presumption of innocence favours accused – If trial court’s view is reasonably possible, appellate court should not interfere – Acquittal maintained [Paras 23-24]

Decision: Appeal dismissed – Acquittal confirmed – No interference warranted [Para 24].

Service Law – Dismissal of Bank Officer – Alleged Fraudulent Bond Transaction – Disciplinary Proceedings – Judicial Review – Petitioner, a Chief Manager with an unblemished record, dismissed after internal disciplinary proceedings found him guilty of diverting ₹5,00,000 by issuing a false RBI Bond in the name of a customer – Petitioner claimed the act was a private financial arrangement made under personal duress and disclosed voluntarily – Enquiry found all charges proved and disciplinary authority imposed dismissal – Writ petition filed challenging the process and findings – Held: The petitioner’s explanation did not mitigate the breach of trust and fiduciary responsibility – Judicial review not warranted where enquiry was properly conducted – Voluntary disclosure does not absolve initial misconduct [Paras 1–4, 5–6, 59–62].

Disciplinary Proceedings – Procedural Fairness – Non-Supply of Documents – Competence of Disciplinary Authority – Alleged Bias – Petitioner alleged procedural lapses, including denial of documents and biased enquiry officer – Further claimed that show-cause and dismissal orders issued on the same day – Court held: Petitioner participated fully in proceedings, was given fair opportunity, and failed to show actual prejudice – No procedural impropriety of legal consequence established [Paras 5, 6, 13–15, 63].

Natural Justice – Right to Hearing – Appointing Authority’s Role – Audi Alteram Partem – Argument that appointing authority imposed penalty without affording hearing rejected – Court found petitioner had been heard and enquiry followed statutory procedure – Show cause opportunity, though brief, had been given – Principles of natural justice not violated [Paras 6–7, 71].

Punishment – Proportionality – Integrity of Banking System – No Financial Loss Not a Defence – Petitioner argued dismissal was disproportionate as there was no actual loss to the Bank – Court held that breach of integrity and concealment of private gain in the guise of official transaction were sufficient grounds for dismissal – Personal circumstances or restitution cannot mitigate deliberate misconduct in banking service – Regulation 14 applied, denying pension due to wilful misconduct involving fraud [Paras 8, 61–62, 66–75].

Judicial Review – Scope under Article 226 – Reappreciation of Evidence Barred – Procedural Compliance Sufficient – Court reiterated limited scope of judicial review in departmental enquiries – Not to reweigh evidence or revisit conclusions absent perversity or violation of process – Enquiry officer and authorities acted within legal limits – Orders were reasoned and disclosed due application of mind [Paras 59–60, 64–65].

Decision: Writ petition dismissed – Disciplinary and appellate orders upheld – No grounds made out for interference under Article 226 – Petitioner’s conduct held to be fraudulent and in breach of banking ethics – Dismissal and denial of pension sustained [Paras 76–77].

PIL - Wildlife Law – Possession of Ivory – Notification under Section 40(4) of Wild Life Protection Act – Gazette Publication Mandatory – State issued notifications permitting declaration of ivory articles by a film actor and granted ownership certificates – Notifications not published in the Official Gazette – Held: Power under Section 40(4) must be exercised strictly in the manner prescribed – Non-publication in the official gazette renders the notifications void ab initio – Subsequent ownership certificates issued are unenforceable in law [Paras 10-12, 14] –

Statutory Interpretation – Requirement of Gazette Notification – Cannot be waived – Court rejected State's contention that alternate publicity (press circulation and website posting) satisfies requirement – Held: In absence of official gazette publication, the notifications are non est – Relying on Nazir Ahmad v. King-Emperor, I.T.C. Bhadrachalam Paperboards v. Mandal Revenue Officer – Exercise of delegated power must strictly follow statutory prescription [Paras 11-12] –

Public Interest Litigation – Locus Standi – Maintainability upheld – Despite contentions of political or personal motive, Court held the writ petitions raised genuine questions about legality of executive action under the Wildlife Act – Petitioners had standing to question misuse of statutory powers [Para 13] –

Retrospective Regularisation – Not Permitted – Notifications held to be 'stillborn' and incapable of subsequent validation through belated gazette publication – De facto doctrine inapplicable to statutorily void acts [Paras 12, 14] –

Criminal Proceedings – No Interference – Though petitioners prayed for directions to expedite pending criminal proceedings against the actor, Court declined to interfere – Held: Criminal matters already pending and monitored; such relief not warranted in writ jurisdiction [Para 2] –

Decision: Writ Petitions allowed – Government Orders dated 16.12.2015 and 17.02.2016 and Ownership Certificates dated 16.01.2016 and 06.04.2016 quashed as void and unenforceable – State may issue fresh notification under Section 40(4) in accordance with law – No costs.

Motor Accident Claim – Compensation Enhancement – Permanent Disability – Appellant, a lorry driver, suffered fracture and underwent surgery due to negligent driving by APSRTC bus – MACT awarded ₹36,000 – High Court found MACT failed to adequately consider future medical expenses, loss of income, and associated costs – Compensation enhanced to ₹90,000 with 7.5% interest – Held: Disability certificate absent, but evidence of surgery, insertion of screws, and future treatment justified reasonable enhancement [Paras 11, 18, 24–26].

Assessment of Compensation – Judicial Approach – Court relied on Supreme Court guidance in Baby Sakshi Greola, Kajal, Rajkumar, Yadava Kumar – Clarified that compensation is broader than mere damages – It must restore the claimant as closely as possible to pre-injury status – Held: Tribunal erred by not granting amounts under heads like future treatment, transportation, and attendant charges [Paras 19–20].

Liability – Hired Vehicle – Insurer’s Responsibility – APSRTC bus was hired from private owner and insured – High Court affirmed that insurance company (Respondent No. 3) remains liable to pay compensation as per settled legal position – No appeal by insurer, hence liability not contested [Paras 10, 22].

Decision: Appeal allowed in part – Compensation enhanced from ₹36,000 to ₹90,000 with interest at 7.5% per annum from date of petition till realization – Respondent No. 3 (insurer) held liable to pay – Claimant permitted to withdraw the amount – No order as to costs.