Citation : 2026 Latest Caselaw 1027 Kant
Judgement Date : 9 February, 2026
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CRL.A No. 242 of 2015
C/W CRL.A No. 241 of 2015
HC-KAR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 9TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.242 OF 2015 (A)
C/W
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.241 OF 2015
IN CRL.A No. 242/2015
BETWEEN:
SRI M.P VENKATESH BABU
S/O MR. R.R PADMANABHA SHETTY
AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS
R/AT NO.721/2
BANNUR ROAD
HAROHALLI VILLAGE
MYSORE TALUK & DIST- 571 101 ...APPELLANT
(BY SRI. KESHAVA MURTHY B.,ADVOCATE)
AND:
Digitally signed
by
SHARADAVANI SMT. S RUKMINI
B
Location: High W/O MR. R SURENDRA SHETTY
Court of AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS
Karnataka
R/AT NO.1063/106-82
II MAIN, 8TH CROSS
VIDYARANYAPURAM
MYSORE-570 008 ...RESPONDENT
(NOTICE TO RESPONDENT SERVED AND UNREPRESENTED)
THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL IS FILED U/S.378(4) CR.P.C
PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE JUEDGMENT DATED 14.01.2015,
PASSED BY THE II ADDL. FIRST CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC,
MYSORE, IN C.C.NO.115/2010 - ACQUITTING THE
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CRL.A No. 242 of 2015
C/W CRL.A No. 241 of 2015
HC-KAR
RESPONDENT/ACCUSED FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 138 OF N.I.
ACT.
IN CRL.A NO. 241/2015
BETWEEN:
1. SRI M P VENKATESH BABU
S/O MR. R.R.PADMANABHA SHETTY
AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS
R/AT NO.721/2, BANNUR ROAD
HAROHALLI VILLAGE
MYSORE TALUK & DIST-571 101.
...APPELLANT
(BY SRI. KESHAVA MURTHY B.,ADVOCATE)
AND:
1. MR K YOGISHA
MAJOR IN AGE
R/AT NO.29/1, DURGADEVI TEMPLE ROAD
NAZZARBADMOHALLA
MYSORE-570 010.
...RESPONDENT
(BY SRI. V SHIVA KUMAR., ADVOCATE)
THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL IS FILED U/S.378(4) CR.P.C
PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE JUEDGMENT DATED
14.01.2015, PASSED BY THE II ADDL. FIRST CIVIL JUDGE
AND JMFC, MYSORE, IN C.C.NO.2902/2009 - ACQUITTING
THE RESPONDENT/ACCUSED FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 138
OF N.I. ACT.
THESE CRIMINAL APPEALS, COMING ON FOR ORDERS,
THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:
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CRL.A No. 242 of 2015
C/W CRL.A No. 241 of 2015
HC-KAR
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA
ORAL JUDGMENT
1. These appeals are filed by the
appellant/complainant being aggrieved by the Judgment of
acquittal dated 14.01.2015 passed in CC No.115/2010 and
C.C.NO.2902/2009 by the II Addl. First Civil Judge and JMFC,
Mysore (for short "the trial Court").
2. The Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of
CELESTIUM FINANCIAL v. A GNANASEKARAN ETC. reported in
2025 SCC ONLINE SC 1320, at paragraph 10 of the judgment,
has observed as under:
"10. As already noted, the proviso to Section 372
of CrPC was inserted in the statue book only with effect from 31.12.2009. The object and reason for such insertion must be realised and must be given its full effect to by a court. In view of the aforesaid discussion, we hold that the victim of an offence has the right to prefer an appeal under the proviso to Section 372 of CrPC, irrespective of whether he is a complainant or not. Even if the victim of an offence is a complainant, he can still proceed under the proviso to Section 372 and need not advert to sub-section (4) of Section 378 of Cr.PC. "
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3. In the light of the Hon'ble Supreme Court's recent
clarification of the legal position, it is now evident that the
appellant, being the complainant under Section 138 of
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, is also entitled to file an
appeal against the judgment of acquittal passed by the trial
Court before the Sessions Court, since he is considered to be a
victim. If this Court were to proceed to hear and decide these
appeals at this stage, it could deprive the parties of an
available forum, i.e. this Court, for further challenge.
4. Similar view has been taken by the High Court of
Andhra Pradesh in CHARBEL INDIA V. STATE OF ANDHRA
PRADESH reported in 2025 SCC ONLINE AP 2815; by the High
Court of Madhya Pradesh in MANORAMA KANKANE v.
NARENDRA KUMAR SHUKLA rendered in Criminal Appeal
No.5910 of 2025 decided on 03rd July, 2025; and in the case of
LATE KISAN SEWA KENDRA v. PRITAM SINGH reported in 2025
SCC ONLINE MP 4818; and in SMT. URMIT MADRAH v.
SAMARPAN JAIN rendered Criminal Appeal No. 11872 of 2022
decided on 21st July, 2025; the decision of High Court of
Chattisgarh in NEELAM SAHU v. NARADNAGWANSHI rendered
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in ACQA No. 340 of 2018 decided on 16th July, 2025; and in
SMT. KIRTI KURIAN v. AJAY SINGH rendered in ACQA No. 198
of 2019 decided on 16th July, 2025; the judgment of this Court
in the case of SIDAGONDAPPA v. SHAFI AHAMAD rendered in
CRL.A. No. 20021/2018 decided on 31st July, 2025 and in SRI
T.H. LENKAPPA v. SRI SANJAY AND ANOTHER rendered in
Criminal Appeal No.146 of 2015 decided on 23rd July, 2025; the
decision of High Court of Delhi in the case of D.K. ASSOCIATES
v. SHANKAR AND ANOTHER rendered in Criminal Appeal
No.694 of 2016 decided on 13th November, 2025 and the
decision rendered by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the
case of M/S. ANANYA ENTERPRISES v. SRI G.S.
GOPALAKRISHNA rendered in Criminal Appeal No.100171 of
2016 decided on 24th November, 2025. An overall assessment
of the aforestated decisions reveals that the decision of the
Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of CELESTIUM FINANCIAL
(supra) has been relied upon by this Court, as well as other
High Courts across the country.
5. Considering the above, it is deemed fit that these
appeals be transferred to the concerned appellate Court of
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Sessions and be considered as an appeal under the proviso to
Section 413 of BNSS, 2023 (formerly Section 372 of Cr.PC) and
numbered accordingly. Accordingly, I proceed to pass the
following:
ORDER
i. Registry is directed to transfer the entire record of the case, including the requisitioned copies of the trial court Records, to the concerned Principal District & Sessions Judge, who may assign it to the concerned Appellate Court having the jurisdiction and for which purpose, it would be listed before the Principal District & Sessions Judge;
ii. The concerned transferee court is directed to issue Court notice to both the parties to appear before the concerned Court, and the concerned Court, thereafter, shall proceed with the case in accordance with law;
iii. In case there are applications pending for condonation of delay or any other pending applications, the same also be transferred to be considered by the learned Judge of transferee Court, in accordance with law;
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iv. Considering the matter has been pending for considerable time, the Appellate Court is requested to make an endeavour to dispose of the matters as expeditiously as possible;
v. The appellant is permitted to carry out necessary amendment in the cause-title and also the provisions thereof;
vi. It is made clear that this Court has not made any observations as to the merits of the case and all rights and contentions of the parties are left open to be agitated before the Court concerned.
6. In the light of the above observation and directions,
appeals stand disposed of.
Sd/-
(G BASAVARAJA) JUDGE
PKN List No.: 2 Sl No.: 25
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