LAWS(SC)-2022-5-42

REKHA JAIN Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

Decided On May 10, 2022
REKHA JAIN Appellant
V/S
STATE OF KARNATAKA Respondents

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied with the impugned judgment and order dtd. 15/9/2020 passed by the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru in Criminal Petition No. 3442/2020, by which, the High Court has dismissed the said criminal petition and has refused to quash the FIR/criminal proceedings against petitioners, the original writ petitioners before the High Court have preferred the present appeal.

(2.) At the outset, it is required to be noted that by order dtd. 8/1/2021, the present appeal in respect of petitioner No. 1 (Kamalesh Mulchand Jain) has been dismissed and the notice has been issued in respect of appellant - petitioner No. 2 (Rekha Jain). Therefore, the present appeal is required to be considered qua accused Rekha Jain only.

(3.) That respondent No. 2 herein - original complainant lodged a complaint against one Kamalesh Mulchand Jain (husband of Rekha Jain), alleging, interalia, that by misrepresentation, inducement and with an intention to cheat him, the said Kamalesh Mulchand Jain had taken away 2 kg and 27 grams of gold jewellery. A complaint was registered as FIR/Crime Case No. 75/2020 dtd. 13/3/2020 for the offence under Sec. 420 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). During the course of the investigation, it was found that appellant - Rekha Jain was absconding and the gold jewellery, taken away from the original complainant by her husband - Kamalesh Mulchand Jain, was with her, therefore, the investigation was carried out against her also, which led to the said Rekha Jain to approach the High Court by way of a petition under sec. 482 of Cr.PC to quash the FIR against her for the offence under Sec. 420 of IPC. By the impugned order, the High Court refused to quash the criminal proceedings/FIR, even in so far as the accused - Rekha Jain is concerned. Hence, the present appeal.