Mantri Directors 500350

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 09TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2023
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M. NAGAPRASANNA
WRIT PETITION No.10258 OF 2020 (GM-RES)

C/W
WRIT PETITION No.7855 OF 2023 (GM-RES)
IN WRIT PETITION No.10258 OF 2020 (GM-RES)
BETWEEN:
1 . SHRI SUSHIL PANDURANG MANTRI

S/O SHRI PANDURANG MANTRI
AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS
MANAGING DIRECTOR
M/S. MANTRI DEVELOPERS PVT. LTD.,
MANTRI HOUSE, VITTAL MALLYA ROAD
BENGALURU CITY
BENGALURU - 560 001.
2 . SHRI PRATIK SUSHIL MANTRI

S/O SHRI SUSHIL MANTRI
AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS
MANAGING DIRECTOR
BENGALURU CITY
3 . SMT. SNEHAL SUSHIL MANTRI

W/O SHRI SUSHIL MANTRI
AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS
2
MANAGING DIRECTOR
BENGALURU CITY
... PETITIONERS
(BY SRI C.V.NAGESH, SENIOR ADVOCATE A/W.,

SRI MAHESH S., ADVOCATE)
AND:
1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY

SUBRAMANYAPURA POLICE STATION
BENGALURU CITY
BENGALURU.
2. MR. DHANANJAYA
S/O LATE PADMANABHACHAR
AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS
RESIDENT OF 306, VS COZY APARTMENT
AR LAYOUT, 28TH MAIN ROAD
J.P.NAGAR, 6TH PHASE
BENGALURU CITY
KARNATAKA - 560 078.
... RESPONDENTS
(BY SMT. K.P.YASHODHA, HCGP FOR R-1;

SRI DHANANJAYA, PARTY-IN-PERSON R-2)
THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND

227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA READ WITH SECTION 482 OF
THE CR.P.C., PRAYING TO QUASH THE COMPLAINT DTD.30.8.2020
AND RESULTANT FIR IN CRIME NO.163/2020 OF THE RESPONDENT
SUBRAMANYAPURA POLICE AGAINST THE PETITIONERS HEREIN
FOR THE LEGED OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION 406,
420, 415, 417 AND 34 OF IPC VIDE ANNEXURE-A AND B TO THE
PETITION.
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IN WRIT PETITION No.7855 OF 2023 (GM-RES)
BETWEEN:
1. SRI SUSHIL PANDURANG MANTRI

S/O SRI PANDURANGA MANTRI
AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS
DIRECTOR OF MANTRI DEVELOPERS PVT. LTD.,
NO.18, MANTRI ALTIUS NO.17
RAJ BHAVAN ROAD
BENGALURU – 560 001.
2. M/S. CASTLES VISTA PRIVATE LIMITED

REGISTERED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 2014
(SUBSIDIARY OF M/S. MANTRI DEVELOPERS PVT LTD)
REPRESENTED BY AUTHORISED SIGNATORY
ACCOUNTS DEPUTY MANAGER
RAVI SHANKAR
R/O NO.41, VITTAL MALLYA ROAD
3. M/S. MANTRI DEVELOPERS PVT. LTD.,

REGISTERED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956
RAVI SHANKAR
4. M/S. BUOYANT TECHNOLOGY

CONSTELLATIONS PVT. LTD.,
RAVI SHANKAR
... PETITIONERS
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(BY SRI C.V.NAGESH, SENIOR ADVOCATE A/W.,

SRI MAHESH S., ADVOCATE)
AND:
1 . DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT
REP. BY ITS JOINT DIRECTOR
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
BENGALURU ZONAL OFFICE
3RD FLOOR, ‘B’ BLOCK,
BMTC, SHANTHINAGAR, K.H.ROAD
2 . THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
BENGALURU ZONAL OFFICE
3RD FLOOR, ‘B’ BLOCK,
BMTC, SHANTHINAGAR, K.H.ROAD
... RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI MADHUKAR DESHPANDE, SPL.PP)
THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND

227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA READ WITH SECTION 482 OF
CR.P.C., PRAYING TO QUASH THE ENTIRE PROCEEDINGS PENDING
BEFORE THE HONBLE PRINCIPAL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE
AND SPL. JUDGE FOR PREVENTION OF MONEY LAUNDERING ACT,
BENGALURU IN SPL. C. C. NO. 2874/2022 FOR THE ALLEGED
OFFENCES UNDER SEC 3 PUNISHABLE UNDER SEC 4 OF
PREVENTION OF MONEY LAUNDERING ACT, 2002 AND ALL ITS
FURTHER PROCEEDINGS VIDE ANNEXURE-B.
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THESE WRIT PETITIONS HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED

FOR ORDERS ON 26.07.2023, COMING ON FOR PRONOUNCEMENT
THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:-
ORDER
W.P.No.10258 of 2020:
The petitioners are before this Court calling in question
registration of a crime in Crime No.163 of 2020 for offences
punishable Sections 406, 420, 415, 417 r/w 34 of the IPC.
2. The petitioners claim to be Directors of M/s.Mantri
Developers Pvt. Ltd., a builder and a land development Company.
It is the averment in the petition that the petitioners have delivered
scores of projects all over the country. The 2nd respondent is the
complainant. The 2nd respondent and few other members –
investment based purchasers approached the petitioners/Company
seeking purchase of flats in the project “Mantri Serenity” and
accordingly applied for allotment of flats. Pursuant to the offer, the
complainant and other members execute certain agreements for
sale of undivided share of land and construction agreement inter
alia. The project does not get completed in time, there is delay.
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Due to the said delay, the complainant flags certain dishonest
intentions and the averment in the petition is that he began to
register threats and several complaints before various fora. It is
the claim in the petition that due to intervening circumstances of
recessions, complaints to the Karnataka State Pollution Control
Board and other irregularities had resulted in delay of the project.
The project gets completed and occupancy certificate is also
received by the Authorities. The complainant moves the Real
Estate Regulatory Authority (‘RERA’ for short) on several grievances
and seeks to register a complaint before the jurisdictional police for
the afore-quoted offences.
3. The complaint was that they are the unfortunate
homebuyers in ‘Mantri Serenity’ promoted by Mantri Castles Pvt.
Ltd., an associate and subsidiary of Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd.,
The complaint narrates that he has paid more than Rs.69 lakhs as
per construction link plan and other homebuyers have paid Rs.60-
70 lakhs on an average or higher. The complaint alleges
misrepresentation, money laundering and fraud against the
homebuyers on the ground that the homes have not been given at
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the appropriate time and the funds collected from all the
homebuyers have been utilized, diverted or misutilised for several
other purposes. It further claims that the property that the
homebuyers should get have already been mortgaged to several
Banks for the purpose of securing loan and the loan secured have
been invested to some other purpose. Based upon the said
complaint, a crime comes to be registered in Crime No.163 of 2020
for offences punishable under Sections as afore-quoted. After
registration of the crime, the petitioners knock at the doors of this
Court in the subject petition. This Court grants an interim order of
stay of further investigation against the petitioners. The said
interim order of stay is in subsistence even as on date.
4. Heard the learned senior counsel Sri.C.V.Nagesh appearing
for the petitioners, learned High Court Government Pleader
appearing for respondent No.1 and Sri.Dhananjaya, 2nd
respondent/party-in- person.
5. The learned senior counsel by taking Court through the
documents appended to the petition and several other documents

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either by the petitioners or by the 2nd respondent-complainant
would seek to demonstrate that the entire issue arises out of a
contract between the developers and builders of “Mantri Serenity”
and the complainant or any other homebuyer/home investor. It is
his emphatic submission that there is no element of cheating,
criminal breach of trust or any other offence so alleged against the
petitioners present by way of ingredients in the complaint so
registered. The allegation of the complainant is that the flats have
not been delivered in time. Owing to certain delay when the flats
were not delivered, the complainant/homebuyer is everywhere. He
has knocked at the doors of every Authority. The impugned
complaint narrates several circumstances which are not even
necessary for consideration of the issue in the complaint. It is the
allegation that the apartments that are allotted to the complainant
and the like are already mortgaged to several Banks and therefore,
there is fraud and misappropriation or misutilisation of the funds
that the homebuyers have invested. He would submit that this is a
permissible exercise in the construction of apartments, as if finance
has to be raised from financial institutions the properties will have
to be mortgaged. It is his contention that the complainant is not a

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novice, he is aware of all the nuances of buying a house in an
apartment complex and has therefore, signed several agreements.
The learned senior counsel would seek to place reliance upon the
following judgments of the Apex Court contending that in a matter
that is purely contractual between the victim and the accused,
criminal law is sought to be set into motion.
(i) SARABJIT KAUR V. STATE OF PUNJAB – 2023(2) RCR
(CRIMINAL) 52-MANU/SC/0193/2023
(ii) PRAKASH AGGARWAL V. GANSH BENZOPLAST LTD., -
MANU/SC/0470/2023
(iii) RAMESH CHANDRA GUPTA V. STATE OF U.P. – 2022(4)
CRIMES 573 (SC) - MANU/SC/1551/2022
(iv) SMART OWNERS SERVICES INDIA PVT. LTD., V. STATE OF
KARNATAKA – CRLP.6199 OF 2020
(v) GOVINDARAJA V. STATE OF KARNATAKA – W.P.NO.101203
OF 2021 – MANU/KA/0703/2022.
6. On the other hand, the complainant/2nd respondent-in-
person by elaborating the complaint and plethora documents placed

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before this Court seeks to contend that the Directors of the
Company have indulged in money laundering, they have invested
the funds received by the homebuyers in several Banks by
mortgaging the property that the homebuyers is entitled to hold on
to. He would seek to contend that if this is not cheating, nothing
else can be termed to be cheating at the hands of the developers
qua the poor homebuyers. He would submit that the matter is still
at the stage of investigation and even the Enforcement Directorate
has initiated several proceedings against the petitioners, therefore,
the proceedings must be permitted to be continued against these
petitioners, as there are several issues that would spring up if
investigation is permitted. The respondent-in-person would seek to
rely on several interlocutory orders passed by the co-ordinate
benches of this Court seeking to contend that this Court had
directed to resolve the issue amicably by executing sale deeds in
favour of every aggrieved homebuyer, but the petitioners have not
adhered to it and have thus committed contempt.
7. In reply, the learned senior counsel would submit that
every aggrieved homebuyer today has come forward and a sale

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deed is executed in their favour, nobody has grievance whatsoever,
it is only the complainant who wants to project himself as messiah
of the homebuyers, wanting to continue litigation and not come
forward to execute the sale deed. He would submit that the
demand of the complainant is something that 800 homebuyers
have not demanded and all the 800 homebuyers have come
forward to get the sale deeds registered in terms of the agreements
entered into between the developer and the homebuyers. It is only
the complainant who is wanting to throw a spanner in the spoke.
W.P.No.7855 of 2023:
8. The subject petition calls in question proceedings instituted
by the Enforcement Directorate. The facts that led to registration
of an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) is the same as is
found in the companion petition. The Enforcement Directorate
takes queue from crime No.163 of 2020 registered on 30-08-2020.
Therefore, the offence in the ECIR is an offshoot of the complaint so
registered by the respondent-in-person in the companion petition,
so to say, that the predicate offence for the offence under the
Prevention of Money Laundering Act is the FIR in Crime No.163 of

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2020. Therefore, the right of the Enforcement Directorate to
continue against the petitioners would be subject to the result of
the proceedings in W.P.No.10258 of 2020 wherein Crime No.163 of
2020 registered against the petitioners is called in question.
Therefore, I deem it appropriate to notice the facts and contentions
after arriving at a decision on the challenge to the crime in Crime
No.163 of 2020.
9. I have given my anxious consideration to the submissions
made by the respective learned counsel and have perused the
material available on record.
10. The afore-narrated facts are not in dispute. The 2nd
respondent is the complainant and his status of being the
homebuyer is not in dispute. He along with others claims to have
invested money as a homebuyer to the tune of Rs.69 lakhs and
there is delay in the project of the petitioners. Since the entire
issue has sprung from the complaint so registered under Section
154 of the Cr.P.C., I deem it appropriate to notice the complaint in
its entirety. The complaint reads as follows:

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“FIRST INFORMATION REPORT (FIR)
To,
Sub-Inspector of Police,
Subramanyapura, Bengaluru
Subject: Criminal Complaint for failed delivery and

possession of flats against the depositors (Home
buyers) moneys and /Information u/s 154 Cr.P.C.
against Mantri Developers Pvt Ltd, its promoters
/founders, erstwhile directors and the Mantri Castles
Pvt Ltd, its directors, erstwhile directors and key
managerial personnel associated with the above two
companies
Complainant's Name. Mr Dhananjaya and other home

buyers as listed in the annexure herein under Mr
Dhananjaya S/o Sri Late Padmanabhachar aged 38
and presently in employment with Pvt sector in IT
Services in Bangalore residing at #306, VS Cozy
Apartment, AR Layout, 28th A Main Road, JP Nagar 6th
Phase, Bengaluru-560078
Name of Accused....
1. Mr. Sushil Pandurang Mantri, Erstwhile

Managing Director, Founder and Promoter
director of Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd.,
having Director (DIN 00188967) aged
around 60 years Mantri House, No. 41,
Vittal Mallya Road, Bangalore-560001.
2. Mr. Pratik Sushil Mantri, Son of Promoter

director, aged 30 Years Mantri Developers
Pvt. Ltd., Mantri House, No. 41, Vittal Mallya
Road, Bangalore-560001 and now the
current position is unknown.
3. Mrs Snehal Mantri - Wife of Mr Sushil

Pandurang Mantri, Promoter director of
Mantri Developers Pvt Limited (MDPL) -
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Aged around 52-53 and now the current

position is unknown
4. Mr Subramanian Bhaskaran Director on

Mantri Castles Pvt Ltd (formerly Land Master
Realtors Pvt Ltd) having Director (DIN
02078787), Bangalore working at the office
of Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd., Mantri
House, No. 41, Vittal Mallya Road,
Bangalore-560001
5. Mr Bharat Dixit Madhukar Director on

Mantri Castles Pvt Ltd (formerly Land
Masters Realtors Pvt Ltd)/Bangalore and
current employment and designation is not
known having Director (DIN 08263379)
working at the office of Mantri Developers
Pvt. Ltd., Mantri House, No. 41. Vittal Mallya
Road, Bangalore-560001
And other parties associated with the project named

and unnamed to the extent known to us.
• Parties involved in Joint development

agreement:
o Gokulam Shelters Pvt Ltd
o Land Masters Realtors Pvt Ltd
o ISKCON Charities
o India Heritage Trust (India Heritage

Foundation)
• Parties involved in Agreements:
o Mantri Castles Pvt Ltd now knowns as

Castle Vistas Pvt Ltd
o Gokulam Shelters Pvt Ltd

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• Money Paid to Companies:
o Mantri Castles Pvt Ltd
• RERA Registration Nos:
o Serenity1: PRM/KA/RERA/1251/310/PR/
171019/000494
171016/000500
171016/000502
171019/000504
• Project is at :: (Cause of Action)
o Mantri Serenity on Kanakapura Road,

Bangalore
Complaint of Offence under Section 415 & 420

(Cheating) of the I.P.C.
The aforementioned complainant(s) begs to state as

under: -
1. That the complainant(s) are resident of Bangalore

at various locations and from other parts of India and
overseas.
2. That all the accused are resident of Bangalore and

working in Mantri Corporate office at Vittala Malya Road,
Bangalore
3. Brief Facts leading to commission of the offence and

allegation against the Promoter/founder directors erstwhile
directors and key Managerial Personnel.
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I am/we are one/some of unfortunate Home buyers in

Mantri Serenity promoted by Mantri Castles Pvt Ltd (formerly
known as Land Masters Realtors Pvt Ltd), which is an
associate company and or subsidiary of Mantri Developers
Private Ltd (MDPL) (Holding Company). I myself paid more
than Rs 69 Lakhs so far as per construction linked plan.
Many of Home buyer have paid Rs 60-70 Lakhs on an
average or higher (Including Bank Borrowed in an existing
Mantri Serenity project at Kanakapura Road. As per our
rough estimate, there are other home buyers of over 1200
families together invested Rs 1350 Crores approximately
(Home buyers and Bank/NBFCs (Piramal Finance).
4. Launching various Ponzi schemes and in collusion

with the arrangement with Various banks known and in
known including PNB Housing, ICICI, HDFC and such other
banks and Non banking financial companies (NBFC), window
dressing and rosily painted schemes induced many home
buyers showing misleading brochures, falsification of delivery
time lines under various subvention schemes. Flats are not
delivered even after seven to ten years after taking Home
buyer deposits. We are ordinary common middle-class
citizens and Project is stalled for the last two years. We
suspect a big scam of financial bungling, fraud, cheating.
funds diversion and money laundering etc. All these are acts
of cheating punishable under Section 420 of the Indian Penal
Code, 1860-
Some of Misrepresentation, Money laundering, Fraud

against Home buyers
Misrepresentation of Varying timelines in the

same tower and in the same floor
Advance money for 50% flats received in 2013

to 2015 itself even before migrating to RERA
when the project is 2-5 years old Booking on
15th at 2013
Window dressing and rosily painted schemes

with incentives never honoured as of date
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Unilateral and arbitrary documentation with no

exit clause except with huge penalty.
Some of flats are registered even before

completion from 2012-2018 in violation of BBMP
norms and not completed even today
Swapping of non-existent flats from other

apartments from developers and within Serenity
transfer to other flats at new rates
5. Complaint against the Promoters, founders,

directors of Mantri Developers Pvt Ltd and or Mantri Castles
Pvt Ltd and such other associate group companies and
entities and against their key managerial personnel we allege
that the Accused no.1, Mr. Sushil Pandurang Mantri, Accused
no. 2, Mr. Pratik Sushil Mantri & Accused No. 3. Mrs Snehal
Mantri, the erstwhile executive director of MDPL and such
other Director(s) of Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd and known
business associates, partners associated with the Project
serenity and also unknown Key Managerial personnel who
have indulged in cheating, criminal breach of trust with
regards to the Home buyers deposits for the project named -
"Mantri Serenity" [hereinafter referred to as
"Project"/"Serenity" as the case may be J.
6. There is a suspected case of money laundering,

diversion of funds and collusion Cheating and diverted our
money for their own personal usage or such other fraudulent
purposes and thereby depriving the funds for Construction
and hence stalled the project for the last two years since
2018-19. Govts and courts to help us to save our money give
us our dream homes and investigate Mantri Developer Group
misdeeds before they escape to foreign shores (An article
published in Jayakirana news paper on 28th August 2020)
7. Due to the behaviour and collusive nature of the

business transactions with their associates of the Accused,
the Complainant has suffered financial loss to the tune of
(mention the amount in Rupees). Home buyers are incurring
huge EMI costs of Rs 40 000 pm (minimum) and rent on
leased homes for stay Rs 20000 (minimum) together coming
to Rs 60000 pm or Say 720000 per annum and lost
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approximately 25 Lakhs on my opportune cost of additional

interest and rents even with out delivery of our homes
Interest and rent home buyers are all forced to pay due to
delayed delivery of homes due to their negligence,
inefficiency and failure to do fiduciary responsibility in taking
care of public money by Mantri group of companies.
8. Many middle class, senior citizens, Housewives have

invested their hard-earned life savings and including bank
borrowable in spite facing a lot of hardships. Being ordinary
citizens, we are not familiar with the detailed verification of
their financial dealings and agreements. We sincerely pray to
do justice to deliver our homes and also reasonable
compensation for the delay period as per the guidelines from
Supreme court or consumer forums etc whatever be deemed
fit after the detailed investigation of cheating, fraud and
collusion.
9. Date or period when the offence took place: During

2010-2017 for group. (Vide remittances were made for Rs 70
lakhs to Rs One crore for each flat at varying periods).
10. The Complainant has requested the accused

several times to reimburse the amount of loss suffered by
him/her, in some cases honouring the agreements
commitments but to no avail
11. We have heard bad news in paper this month

related to Mantri Developers which is making us worried and
concerned about our home and our invested money: -
• ICICI Bank takes possession of Mantri

Corporate office - on 10th August
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/in
dia- business/icici-bank-takes-possession-of-
mantri-corporate-
office/articleshow/77457894.cms
• An article came in news paper "Jayakirana" on

28th August 2020 which is little scary for us.
The article questions, if Mantri founders
planning to escape from the country!! The
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printed copy of the PDF we received is attached

with this complaint.
12. That the Complainant submits that no suit has

been filed by the following before any other court in territory
of India in relation to this complaint.
13.The complainant, therefore, prays that-
(a) appropriate proceeding be initiated against the

accused under Section 415 and 420 of the Cr.P.C..
(b) A detailed investigation of the usage of Home

buyers deposit funds for the project and on such
investigation a proper follow up action by the police.
(c) the accused be convicted of the offence under

Section 420 of the IPC.
(d) the accused be ordered to deliver our homes with

in next 6 months along with for delay as per Supreme Court
directions or refund of all moneys with bank rate of interest
and pay compensation for monetary loss suffered by
complainant to the tune of Rs 25,00,000 for each home
buyer or flat towards damages and unspecified damages to
defray he financial hardships and sufferings.
(e) any other relief/(s) or settlement be granted as it

may deem fit and proper in the said circumstances.”
What can be gathered from the complaint is, the complainant
describes himself to be an unfortunate homebuyer and seeks to
demonstrate various aspects of misrepresentation on the part of the
petitioners. The crux lies in the 4th paragraph. It is alleged that
several ponzi schemes are launched in collusion and arrangements

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with various Banks and other non-banking financial Companies.
Brochures notified by them are misleading, flats are not delivered
even after 7-10 years after taking deposits from the homebuyers.
A case of suspected money laundering was also sought to be made
out by the complainant. A little history to the complaint is required
to be noticed.
11. The Mantri Senenity notified calling for expressions of
interest from various citizens who were interested to buy homes.
The complainant also applied for an allotment. The application for
allotment of the complainant is dated 10.10.2013. The details of
unit applied for allotment and the other demand of the complainant
is depicted in the application for allotment. A sum of Rs.7,18,540/-
was deposited towards the booking amount. An agreement is
entered into between the parties. The agreement is between one
Gokulam Shelters and Mantri Castles Pvt. Ltd., Certain clauses of
the agreement which are germane are required to be noticed.
Clauses 8 and 1 of the agreement reads as follows:
“8. The purchaser has also simultaneously entered into a

separate Agreement for Construction with the Developer,
whereunder he/she/they/it has/have agreed to get constructed,
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as per the Scheme, a residential apartment described in

Annexure B1 to the said Agreement, and both Agreement for
sale of undivided interest and Agreement for construction shall
be co-terminus and together constitute one contract, whether or
not a sale deed in pursuance hereof is executed.”
… …. ….
“1.0 That in pursuance of the foregoing and in

consideration of the sum set out in Annexure A1 having been
agreed to be paid by the Purchaser in installments and the
mutual obligation/s undertaken by the Parties hereto, the Owner
and Developer agrees to sell and the Purchaser agrees to
purchase the undivided right, title and interest within the plinth
area of the respective building on which the apartment/building
is constructed in the land comprised in Phase-2 which forms a
part of the Schedule A Property, more fully described in
Annexure A1.”
Clause 11.1 reads as follows:
“11.1 That the Owner is the absolute owner of the

Annexure A1 Property having thereto a legally subsisting and
marketable title and its sale to the Purchaser shall be free from
all encumbrances, court attachment or acquisition proceedings
or charges of any kind. The/Developer may obtain a Project
loan for the construction of the residential complex as referred
to herein, based on the security of the Schedule Property, which
shall be discharged before handing over possession of the
Apartment to the Purchaser. The Schedule Property and
construction thereon, in so far as it relates to the Purchaser,
shall be free from all claims and encumbrances of whatsoever
nature;”
What is depicted in the agreement is seen and accepted by the
complainant, as the complainant has also signed the document.
Next comes the agreement for construction. These conditions are

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also accepted and the complainant signs on the document. Though
6-7 years have passed by, the apartments are not delivered. It is
then the complainant seeks to knock at the doors of RERA and
several other fora and then registers the aforesaid crime. After
registration of the crime, the petitioners have preferred the subject
petition and this Court has interdicted further investigation. A slew
of orders are passed by this Court from time to time. One such
order assumes significance and is required to be noticed and the
order is dated 01.06.2023 which reads as follows:
“Heard learned Senior Counsel Sri C.V. Nagesh appearing

for the petitioners. There are several orders passed by this
Court; two of which assumes significance and therefore, are
necessary to be noticed, one which is passed on 20th March,
2023 and the other passed on 29th March, 2023. Order dated
20th March, 2023 reads as under:
"ORDER
Learned senior counsel representing the petitioners in

W.P. Nos.33479/2019, 33485/2019, 33488/2019, 10258/2020
and 10286/2020 (henceforth referred to as the 'Developer')
submits that 11 customers, who are the complainants in the
F.I.R., are yet to make payments and that sale deed/s
conveying their respective flat would be executed within four
working days from the date of making such payment. He also
assured the Court that in the sale deeds that may be executed,
the corresponding undivided interest of each flat shall be
mentioned. He also submitted that in respect of those
customers who have already made the complete payment and in
whose favour, the sale deeds are executed, possession of the
flats would be delivered by Monday and in respect of those
customers who have already paid full value of the flats, sale
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deeds would be executed latest by Monday and that in all these

sale deeds, the undivided interest corresponding to flats would
be mentioned in the sale deeds.
It is made clear that the customers who are yet to make

payment shall make it as early as possible so that the Developer
can execute the sale deeds latest by 27.03.2023. Wherever
payments are made, the Developer shall execute the sale deeds
as undertaken before the Court It is needless to mention that
the Developer shall circulate copies of the draft sale deeds by
25.03.2023. The Developer shall hand over possession wherever
sale deeds are executed.
List on 28.03.2023.
If interim order is granted in any of these cases and if it is

in force, the same shall stand extended, till the next date of
hearing.
Order dated 29th March, 2023 reads as under:
"ORDER
In W.P.No.10258/2020, learned Senior Counsel

representing the petitioners submits that though the petitioners
have a good case on merits, yet the petitioners intend to
amicably resolve the issue.
Learned counsel for respondent No.2, however contends

that respondent No.2 and similarly placed persons were
accorded cold reception in the office of the petitioners and
therefore, this Court may take suitable decision in the matter.
Since the petitioners have expressed their desire to settle the
dispute amicably, this Court consider it appropriate to direct the
petitioners to hold a meeting with respondent No.2 and the
persons named in the complaint in Crime No.163/2020 of
Subramanyapura Police Station on 05.04.2023.
In order to ensure that the petitioners addresses the concern of
respondent No.2 and complainants in Crime No.163/2020, this
Court consider it appropriate to direct the Member, Karnataka
State Legal Services Authority to be present in the meeting.
Hence, the following:
24
ORDER
i) Petitioners are directed to hold a meeting with

respondent No.2 and the complainants in Crime
No.163/2020 at 11.00 a.m., on 05.04.2023 at the Office
of the petitioners at Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd., Mantri
House, No.41, Vittal Mallya Road, Bengaluru - 560 001.
ii) The Member, Karnataka State Legal Services Authority

shall be present at the meeting and also moderate the
discussions and thereafter furnish a report to this Court
regarding the proceedings of the meeting.
Interim order granted earlier is extended till the next date
of hearing.
List these petitions on 06.04.2023."
In terms of the said orders, the learned Senior Counsel

submits that out of seventeen home buyers who had complained
of non-registration of sale deeds, fourteen sale deeds have been
registered; two of them are abroad and therefore those sale
deeds are not registered and the one that remains is the
respondent party-in-person. The learned Senior Counsel would
submit that insofar as the sale deeds that have not been
registered of the remaining complainants, those sale deeds
would also be executed forthwith subject to the condition that
they would fulfill the criteria of payment as is observed by this
Court in the aforesaid order dated 20th March, 2023.
Respondent party-in-person would contend that the sale deeds
have been executed but without undivided share, which is
contrary to law. If that be so, it is contrary to the order passed
by this Court.
Learned Senior Counsel would submit that the sale deeds

have been executed with undivided share and that same would
be executed in favour of the respondent party-in-person.
Learned Senior Counsel would further submit that in cases
where sale deeds are executed, possession is not handed over
and it shall be delivered forthwith on the condition that they
would clear all the dues of payment, as the case would be. The
submission is placed on record.
25
The respondent shall be at the office of the petitioners at

10.30 pm on 05th June, 2023 and without any hindrance, if all
payment is made by the respondent party-in-person, the sale
deed shall be executed at 3.00 pm on the said date and the
same shall be produced before this Court on the next date of
hearing.
List the matter on 06th June, 2023 at 2.30 p.m. for further
hearing.
Interim order subsisting as on the date, stands extended
till the next date of hearing.”
This Court recorded the earlier orders passed by the co-ordinate
Bench and while observing that the petitioners have expressed their
desire to settle the dispute amicably, the Court considers it
appropriate to direct the petitioners to hold a meeting with the
complainant. Therefore, this Court had passed the afore-quoted
order that the sale deed would be executed forthwith without any
hindrance. Every other aggrieved person like the complainant has
come forward and the sale deed is executed, but the complainant
refuses to accede to the execution of sale deed. The reason the
complainant projects is that they have been not given the undivided
share as is necessary in law.

26
12. The learned senior counsel for the petitioners, on the
strength of the documents, has sought to demonstrate that in case
of every other person sale deed is already executed. If 1800
homebuyers have executed a sale deed of a particular nature, the
complainant, prima facie, cannot seem to ask something beyond
what the agreement says or beyond what this Court has indicated
on 29-03-2023, be those as they may. The question that requires
consideration is, whether on these issues can the criminal law that
is set into motion be permitted to be continued? Therefore, I deem
it appropriate to notice the offences alleged against the petitioners,
they are Sections 406, 420, 417 of the IPC. Section 406 of the IPC
deals with criminal breach of trust, ingredients of which are found in
Section 405 of the IPC and it reads as follows:
“405. Criminal breach of trust.—Whoever, being in any

manner entrusted with property, or with any dominion over
property, dishonestly misappropriates or converts to his own
use that property, or dishonestly uses or disposes of that
property in violation of any direction of law prescribing the mode
in which such trust is to be discharged, or of any legal contract,
express or implied, which he has made touching the discharge
of such trust, or wilfully suffers any other person so to do,
commits “criminal breach of trust”.
Explanation 1 — A person, being an employer 3 of an

establishment whether exempted under section 17 of the
Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act,
1952 (19 of 1952) or not who deducts the employee’s
27
contribution from the wages payable to the employee for credit

to a Provident Fund or Family Pension Fund established by any
law for the time being in force, shall be deemed to have been
entrusted with the amount of the contribution so deducted by
him and if he makes default in the payment of such contribution
to the said Fund in violation of the said law, shall be deemed to
have dishonestly used the amount of the said contribution in
violation of a direction of law as aforesaid.
Explanation 2.— A person, being an employer, who

deducts the employees’ contribution from the wages payable to
the employee for credit to the Employees’ State Insurance Fund
held and administered by the Employees’ State Insurance
Corporation established under the Employees’ State Insurance
Act, 1948 (34 of 1948), shall be deemed to have been entrusted
with the amount of the contribution so deducted by him and if
he makes default in the payment of such contribution to the said
Fund in violation of the said Act, shall be deemed to have
dishonestly used the amount of the said contribution in violation
of a direction of law as aforesaid.”
Section 405 of the IPC mandates that whoever entrusted with the
property, dishonestly misappropriates or converts it to his own use,
would become punishable under Section 406 of the IPC for criminal
breach of trust. The other allegation is cheating under Section 420
of the IPC. To drive home the offence of cheating under Section 420
of the IPC, the ingredients of Section 415 of the IPC will have to be
satisfied. Section 415 of the IPC reads as follows:
“415. Cheating.—Whoever, by deceiving any person,

fraudulently or dishonestly induces the person so deceived to
deliver any property to any person, or to consent that any
28
person shall retain any property, or intentionally induces the

person so deceived to do or omit to do anything which he would
not do or omit if he were not so deceived, and which act or
omission causes or is likely to cause damage or harm to that
person in body, mind, reputation or property, is said to “cheat”.
Explanation.—A dishonest concealment of facts is a

deception within the meaning of this section.”
Whoever by deceiving any person fraudulently or dishonestly
induces the person to deliver any property to the accused, the
victim is said to have cheated. Therefore, the soul of the provision
is dishonest intention from the inception of the transaction.
13. Beyond Sections 406 and 420 of the IPC, what is alleged
is Section 417 of the IPC as well. Section 417 deals with
punishment for cheating. Therefore, it need not be separately dealt
with, as the ingredients of Section 415 of the IPC are necessary to
be present even in an offence alleged under Section 417 of the IPC.
Section 415 is the definition and not the offence, therefore, it is
wrongly laid in the crime.
14. The complaint is as extracted hereinabove. The allegation
is that the petitioners are not adhering to grant of an undivided

29
share in the property in terms of the agreement. Wherefrom
criminal breach of trust or cheating would emerge is
ununderstandable. The complainant is also a homebuyer like every
other homebuyer. All other homebuyers have got their properties
registered on execution of the sale deed. If the execution of the
sale deed is not accepted by the complainant, it cannot mean that it
would become a criminal breach of trust or cheating, as the case
would be, as there is no dishonest intention right from the inception
of the transaction by the petitioners.
15. The Apex Court, in plethora of judgments, has considered
the aspect of breach of contract and has clearly held that a criminal
law cannot be set into motion on mere breach of contract. The
Apex Court in the case of SUSHIL SETHI v. STATE OF
ARUNACHAL PRADESH1 holds as follows:-
“8.1. As observed hereinabove, the charge-sheet

has been filed against the appellants for the offences
under Section 420 read with Section 120-B IPC. However,
it is required to be noted that there are no specific
allegations and averments in the FIR and/or even in the
charge-sheet that fraudulent and dishonest intention of
the accused was from the very beginning of the
transaction. It is also required to be noted that contract
1
(2020) 3 SCC 240
30
between M/s SPML Infra Limited and the Government

was for supply and commissioning of the Nurang Hydel
Power Project including three power generating units.
The appellants purchased the turbines for the project
from another manufacturer. The company used the said
turbines in the power project. The contract was in the
year 1993. Thereafter in the year 1996 the project was
commissioned. In the year 1997, the Department of
Power issued a certificate certifying satisfaction over the
execution of the project. Even the defect liability period
ended/expired in January 1998. In the year 2000, there
was some defect found with respect to three turbines.
Immediately, the turbines were replaced. The power
project started functioning right from the very
beginning—1996 onwards. If the intention of the
company/appellants was to cheat the Government of
Arunachal Pradesh, they would not have replaced the
turbines which were found to be defective. In any case,
there are no specific allegations and averments in the
complaint that the accused had fraudulent or dishonest
intention at the time of entering into the contract.
Therefore, applying the law laid down by this Court in the
aforesaid decisions, it cannot be said that even a prima
facie case for the offence under Section 420 IPC has been
made out.”
(Emphasis supplied)
Later, the Apex Court in the case of MITESH KUMAR J.SHA
V. STATE OF KARNATAKA2 holds as follows:
“28. In the instant case, the complaint levelled against

the Appellants herein is one which involves commission of
offences of criminal breach of trust and cheating. While a
criminal breach of trust as postulated under section 405 of the
Penal Code, 1860, entails misappropriation or conversion of
another's property for one's own use, with a dishonest intention,
cheating too on the other hand as an offence defined under
section 415 of the Penal Code, 1860, involves an ingredient of
having a dishonest or fraudulent intention which is aimed at
2
2021 SCC OnLine SC 976
31
inducing the other party to deliver any property to a specific

person. Both the sections clearly prescribed ‘dishonest
intention’, as a pre-condition for even prima facie establishing
the commission of said offences. Thus, in order to assess the
relevant contentions made by the parties herein, the question
whether actions of the Appellants were committed in
furtherance of a dishonest or fraudulent scheme is one which
requires scrutiny.
29. Coming to the facts of the case at hands, the

contested contention between the parties is that the
builder company had sold four excess flats beyond its
share, in terms of the JDA and supplementary agreement
entered into between the parties. Respondent No. 2
contends that builder company which was entitled to sell
only 9 flats in its favour, has instead executed sale deed
for 13 flats in total. Thus, the company simply could not
have sold the flats beyond 9 flats for which it was
authorized and resultantly cannot evade criminal liability
on a mere premise that a civil dispute is already pending
between the parties.
30. The Appellants on the other hand contend that in

terms of a subsequent MoU dated 19.02.15, it was mutually
agreed between the parties, that partial payment for a loan
amount borrowed by Respondent No. 2 from Religare Finvest
Ltd., would be paid out from the sale proceeds of the said
development project undertaken by both the parties. Pursuant
to this MoU, the Appellants had agreed to get an NOC for 15
flats by making payment of Rs. 40,00,000/- for each flat.
31. The key contention, and also the central point of

dispute, made by the Appellants is that, it was specifically
agreed between the parties that the Appellants would be
entitled to sell additional flats beyond their share, as
adjustments for payment made to Religare Finvest Ltd. on
behalf of Respondent No. 2. It is further contended that
Respondent No. 2 had also agreed to execute a ratification deed
to the JDA and GPA eventually, which would have formally
authorised the Appellants to sell additional apartments.
…. …. …. ….
32
Whether sale of excess flats even if made amounts to a mere

breach of contract?
39. This Court in the case of Hridaya Ranjan Prasad

Verma v. State of Bihar6, has observed:—
“15. ….that the distinction between mere

breach of contract and the offence of cheating is a
fine one. It depends upon the intention of the
accused at the time to inducement which may be
judged by his subsequent conduct but for this
subsequent conduct is not the sole test. Mere
breach of contract cannot give rise to criminal
prosecution for cheating unless fraudulent or
dishonest intention is shown right at the beginning
of the transaction, that is the time when the offence
is said to have been committed. Therefore it is the
intention which is the gist of the offence. To hold a
person guilty of cheating it is necessary to show
that he had fraudulent or dishonest intention at the
time of making the promise…”
(Emphasis supplied)
The Apex Court in the case of VIJAY KUMAR GHAI v.
STATE OF WEST BENGAL3 has held as follows:
“46. This Court in G. Sagar Suri v. State of UP21

observed that it is the duty and obligation of the criminal
court to exercise a great deal of caution in issuing the
process, particularly when matters are essentially of civil
nature.
47. This Court has time and again cautioned about

converting purely civil disputes into criminal cases. This
Court in Indian Oil Corporation (Supra) noticed the
prevalent impression that civil law remedies are time
consuming and do not adequately protect the interests of
lenders/creditors. The Court further observed that:—
3
(2022) SCC Online SC 344
33
“13. …any effort to settle civil disputes and

claims, which do not involve any criminal offence,
by applying pressure through criminal prosecution
should be deprecated and discouraged.”
48. At the outset, Respondent No. 2/Complainant

alleged that the Appellants were responsible for the
offence punishable under Section 420, 405, 406, 120B
IPC. Therefore, it is also imperative to examine the
ingredients of the said offences and whether the
allegations made in the complaint, read on their face,
attract those offences under the Penal Code.
49. Section 405 of IPC defines Criminal Breach of Trust

which reads as under:—
“405. Criminal breach of trust.—Whoever, being in

any manner entrusted with property, or with any
dominion over property, dishonestly misappropriates or
converts to his own use that property, or dishonestly uses
or disposes of that property in violation of any direction of
law prescribing the mode in which such trust is to be
discharged, or of any legal contract, express or implied,
which he has made touching the discharge of such trust,
or wilfully suffers any other person so to do, commits
“criminal breach of trust”.
50. The essential ingredients of the offense of criminal

breach of trust are:—
(1) The accused must be entrusted with the

property or with dominion over it,
(2) The person so entrusted must use that

property, or;
(3) The accused must dishonestly use or dispose of

that property or wilfully suffer any other person to do so
in violation,
(a) of any direction of law prescribing the mode in

which such trust is to be discharged, or;
34
(b) of any legal contract made touching the discharge

of such trust.
51. “Entrustment” of property under Section 405 of

the Penal Code, 1860 is pivotal to constitute an offence
under this. The words used are, ‘in any manner entrusted
with property’. So, it extends to entrustments of all kinds
whether to clerks, servants, business partners or other
persons, provided they are holding a position of ‘trust’. A
person who dishonestly misappropriates property
entrusted to them contrary to the terms of an obligation
imposed is liable for a criminal breach of trust and is
punished under Section 406 of the Penal Code.
52. The definition in the section does not restrict the

property to movables or immoveable alone. This Court in R K
Dalmia v. Delhi Administration22 held that the word ‘property’ is
used in the Code in a much wider sense than the expression
‘moveable property’. There is no good reason to restrict the
meaning of the word ‘property’ to moveable property only when
it is used without any qualification in Section 405.
53. In Sudhir Shantilal Mehta v. CBI23 it was observed

that the act of criminal breach of trust would, Interalia mean
using or disposing of the property by a person who is entrusted
with or has otherwise dominion thereover. Such an act must not
only be done dishonestly but also in violation of any direction of
law or any contract express or implied relating to carrying out
the trust.
54. Section 415 of IPC define cheating which reads

as under:—
“415. Cheating.—Whoever, by deceiving any

person, fraudulently or dishonestly induces the
person so deceived to deliver any property to any
person, or to consent that any person shall retain
any property, or intentionally induces the person so
deceived to do or omit to do anything which he
would not do or omit if he were not so deceived,
and which act or omission causes or is likely to
cause damage or harm to that person in body,
mind, reputation or property, is said to “cheat”.”
35
55. The essential ingredients of the offense of cheating

are:
1. Deception of any person
2. (a) Fraudulently or dishonestly inducing that

person-
(i) to deliver any property to any person : or
(ii) to consent that any person shall retain any

property; or
(b) intentionally inducing that person to do or omit

to do anything which he would not do or omit if he were
no so deceived, and which act or omission causes or is
likely to cause damage or harm to that person in body,
mind, reputation or property.
56. A fraudulent or dishonest inducement is an essential

ingredient of the offence. A person who dishonestly induces
another person to deliver any property is liable for the offence of
cheating.
57. Section 420 IPC defines cheating and dishonestly

inducing delivery of property which reads as under:—
“420. Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of

property.—Whoever cheats and thereby dishonestly
induces the person deceived to deliver any property to
any person, or to make, alter or destroy the whole or any
part of a valuable security, or anything which is signed or
sealed, and which is capable of being converted into a
valuable security, shall be punished with imprisonment of
either description for a term which may extend to seven
years, and shall also be liable to fine.”
58. Section 420 IPC is a serious form of cheating that

includes inducement (to lead or move someone to happen) in
terms of delivery of property as well as valuable securities. This
section is also applicable to matters where the destruction of the
property is caused by the way of cheating or inducement.
36
Punishment for cheating is provided under this section which

may extend to 7 years and also makes the person liable to fine.
59. To establish the offence of Cheating in inducing

the delivery of property, the following ingredients need to
be proved:—
1. The representation made by the person

was false
2. The accused had prior knowledge that the

representation he made was false.
3. The accused made false representation

with dishonest intention in order to deceive the
person to whom it was made.
4. The act where the accused induced the

person to deliver the property or to perform or to
abstain from any act which the person would have
not done or had otherwise committed.
… … … …
62. There can be no doubt that a mere breach of contract

is not in itself a criminal offence and gives rise to the civil
liability of damages. However, as held by this court in Hridaya
Ranjan Prasad Verma v. State of Bihar26, the distinction
between mere breach of contract and cheating, which is criminal
offence, is a fine one. While breach of contract cannot give rise
to criminal prosecution for cheating, fraudulent or dishonest
intention is the basis of the offence of cheating. In the case at
hand, complaint filed by the Respondent No. 2 does not disclose
dishonest or fraudulent intention of the appellants.
63. In Vesa Holdings Pvt. Ltd. v. State of Kerala27, this

Court made the following observation:—
“13. It is true that a given set of facts may make

out a civil wrong as also a criminal offence and only
because a civil remedy may be available to the
complainant that itself cannot be ground to quash a
criminal proceeding. The real test is whether the
37
allegations in the complaint disclose the criminal offence

of cheating or not. In the present case, there is nothing to
show that at the very inception there was any inception
on behalf of an accused person to cheat which is a
condition precedent for an offence u/s 420 IPC. In our
view, the complaint does not disclose any criminal offence
at all. Criminal proceedings should not be encouraged
when it is found to be mala fide or otherwise an abuse of
the process of the courts. Superior courts while exercising
this power should also strive to serve the ends of justice.
In our opinion, in view of these facts allowing the police
investigation to continue would amount to an abuse of the
process of the court and the High Court committed an
error in refusing to exercise the power under Section 482
Cr.P.C to quash the proceedings.”
64. Having gone through the complaint/FIR and

even the chargesheet, it cannot be said that the
averments in the FIR and the allegations in the complaint
against the appellant constitute an offence under Section
405 & 420 Penal Code, 1860. Even in a case where
allegations are made in regard to failure on the part of
the accused to keep his promise, in the absence of a
culpable intention at the time of making promise being
absent, no offence under Section 420 IPC can be said to
have been made out. In the instant case, there is no
material to indicate that Appellants had any malafide
intention against the Respondent which is clearly
deductible from the MOU dated 20.08.2009 arrived
… … … …
72. The order of the High Court is seriously flawed

due to the fact that in its interim order dated 24.03.2017,
it was observed that the contentions put forth by the
Appellant vis-à-vis two complaints being filed on the
same cause of action at different places but the impugned
order overlooks the said aspect and there was no finding
on that issue. At the same time, in order to attract the
ingredients of Section of 406 and 420 IPC it is imperative
on the part of the complainant to prima facie establish
that there was an intention on part of the petitioner
38
and/or others to cheat and/or to defraud the

complainant right from the inception. Furthermore it has
to be prima facie established that due to such alleged act
of cheating the complainant (Respondent No. 2 herein)
had suffered a wrongful loss and the same had resulted
in wrongful gain for the accused(appellant herein). In
absence of these elements, no proceeding is permissible
in the eyes of law with regard to the commission of the
offence punishable u/s 420 IPC. It is apparent that the
complaint was lodged at a very belated stage (as the
entire transaction took place from January 2008 to
August 2009, yet the complaint has been filed in March
2013 i.e., after a delay of almost 4 years) with the
objective of causing harassment to the petitioner and is
bereft of any truth whatsoever.”
(Emphasis supplied)
The Apex Court in the case of VIJAY KUMAR GHAI (supra) after
considering the entire spectrum of law with regard to inter-play
between breach of an agreement and criminal breach of trust or
cheating and holds that breach of an agreement or recovery of
money on such breach of agreement, the criminal law cannot be set
into motion, as it would be giving predominantly civil proceeding, a
colour of crime. Subsequent to the aforesaid judgment, the Apex
Court in the case of SARABJIT KAUR V. STATE OF PUNJAB4 has
held as follows:
“8. On the material placed on record by the parties, it is

evident that an agreement to sell was executed by the appellant
in favour of the wife of Respondent 2, namely, Sarabjit Kaur for
4
2023 SCC Online SC 210
39
sale of plot measuring 1 (kanal). The agreement to sell

specifically mentions the fact that the appellant/the vendor gets
entitled to the property on the basis of the agreement to sell
executed in her favour by Malkit Kaur on 27-5-2013. The last
date fixed for registration of sale deed was 25-6-2014 which
was extended to 24-12-2014. There is nothing placed on record
by the complainant or the State to show that besides filing of
the criminal complaint, Respondent 2 had initiated any civil
proceedings for execution of sale deed on the basis of
agreement to sell or in the alternative return of the earnest
money.
9. A perusal of the first complaint made by Respondent 2

on 30-9-2015 shows that the prayer was made for return of the
amount paid by him with no allegation of cheating. It was filed
only against Manmohan Singh and Ranjit Singh, the property
dealers. Reference in the aforesaid complaint was made to the
agreement to sell executed between the parties. In addition,
there was a reference to two other agreements to sell executed
in total. A prayer was made for getting an amount of Rs
29,39,500 refunded from the property dealers. Though, in the
aforesaid complaint reference was made to the agreement to
sell in question, however there was no complaint made against
the appellant. The aforesaid complaint was investigated by the
Economic Offences Wing and a report was submitted to the
Senior Superintendent of Police on 22-3-2016. A report was
submitted on the basis of which the legal opinion was sought
from the District Attorney who opined that no criminal offence
was made out and the complainant shall be at liberty to invoke
jurisdiction of the civil court. The aforesaid opinion was accepted
by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Ludhiana (Rural) on 18-
5-2016.
10. Thereafter, Darshan Singh (Respondent 2) made

another complaint to DIG, Ludhiana on 5-10-2016 which again
was enquired into and a finding that earlier identical complaint
was filed as no criminal offence was made out and the second
complaint was consigned to record. In the second complaint,
there was no reference made to the earlier complaint filed by
Darshan Singh.
40
11. Still not satisfied as the result of the earlier complaint

was not to the liking of Respondent 2. He filed another
complaint on 23-1-2017. Thereafter, another complaint was
filed by Respondent 2 on 15-6-2017 on the basis thereof FIR in
question was registered. On the facts of the case in hand, it is
evident that the effort of Respondent 2 was merely to put
pressure on the appellant while involving her in a criminal case
to get his money back whereas there is nothing pleaded that
Respondent 2 that he was ever ready and willing to get the sale
deed registered. There was no effort made by Respondent 2 or
the vendee in the agreement to sell to initiate any civil
proceedings to get the sale deed executed on the basis of the
agreement to sell. In fact, the last date fixed for execution of
the sale deed even after extension was 24-12-2014.
12. There is nothing on record to suggest that any notice

was issued by Respondent 2 or the vendee to the appellant to
get the sale deed registered just either before expiry of the last
date fixed for execution of sale deed or immediately thereafter.
No civil proceedings were also initiated rather Respondent 2
proceeded only by filing complaints with the police two of which
were earlier filed. Had there been any civil proceedings initiated,
the question of readiness and willingness of the vendee is also
an aspect to be examined by the court.
13. A breach of contract does not give rise to criminal

prosecution for cheating unless fraudulent or dishonest intention
is shown right at the beginning of the transaction. Merely on the
allegation of failure to keep up promise will not be enough to
initiate criminal proceedings. From the facts available on record,
it is evident that Respondent 2 had improved his case ever since
the first complaint was filed in which there were no allegations
against the appellant rather it was only against the property
dealers which was in subsequent complaints that the name of
the appellant was mentioned. On the first complaint, the only
request was for return of the amount paid by Respondent 2.
When the offence was made out on the basis of the first
complaint, the second complaint was filed with improved version
making allegations against the appellant as well which was not
there in the earlier complaint. The entire idea seems to be to
convert a civil dispute into criminal and put pressure on the
appellant for return of the amount allegedly paid. The criminal
41
courts are not meant to be used for settling scores or pressurise

parties to settle civil disputes. Wherever ingredients of criminal
offences are made out, criminal courts have to take cognizance.
The complaint in question on the basis of which FIR was
registered was filed nearly three years after the last date fixed
for registration of the sale deed. Allowing the proceedings to
continue would be an abuse of process of the court.”
The Apex Court again in the case of R.NAGENDER YADAV V.
STATE OF TELANGANA5 has held as follows:
“16. At this juncture and more particularly in the peculiar

facts and circumstances of the case, it will not be proper to
permit the criminal prosecution to proceed further on the
allegation of the sale deed being forged. That question will have
to be decided by the civil court after recording the evidence and
hearing the parties in accordance with law. It would not be
proper having regard to what has been highlighted by us to
permit the complainant to prosecute the appellant on this
allegation when the validity of the sale deed is being tested
before the civil court.
17. At this stage, we quote the following relevant part of

the disputed sale deed dated 29-12-2010:
“AND WHEREAS now the above named Vendor herein has

offered to sell the abovesaid property to the Vendees for a total
sale consideration of Rs 24,08,000 (Rupees twenty-four lakhs
eight thousand only), and the Vendee hereby agreed to
purchase the same for the said sale consideration, and which is
more fully described in the schedule and plan annexed hereto
and marked in red colour and hereinafter for the sake of brevity
referred to as the “SCHEDULE PROPERTY/SAID PROPERTY”
NOW THIS DEED OF SALE WITNESSETH AS UNDER:
5 (2023)2 SCC 195

42
The Vendor hereby declares, agrees and acknowledges

that he has received the entire sale consideration of Rs
24,08,000 (Rupees twenty-four lakhs eight thousand only), from
the Vendee in the manner mentioned hereunder:
(1) Rs 24,08,000 (Rupees twenty-four lakhs eight
thousand only) financed by Axis Bank Ltd.
And the receipt of which sum the Vendor do hereby admit
and acknowledge.”
(emphasis supplied)
18. It appears prima facie from the aforesaid that the

purchaser (Vendee) might have obtained finance from Axis Bank
Ltd. for the purpose of purchasing the plot in question. The
police should have investigated whether the amount of Rs
24,08,000 (Rupees twenty-four lakhs eight thousand only) was
paid by Axis Bank Ltd. directly to the original complainant
(Respondent 2 herein). There is no clarity even in this regard.
This aspect shall also be looked into while deciding the civil suit
19. While exercising its jurisdiction under Section

482CrPC, the High Court has to be conscious that this power is
to be exercised sparingly and only for the purpose of prevention
of abuse of the process of the court or otherwise to secure the
ends of justice. Whether a complaint discloses a criminal offence
or not, depends upon the nature of the act alleged thereunder.
Whether the essential ingredients of a criminal offence are
present or not, has to be judged by the High Court. A complaint
disclosing civil transaction may also have a criminal texture. But
the High Court must see whether the dispute which is in
substance of a civil nature is given a cloak of a criminal offence.
In such a situation, if civil remedy is available and is in fact
adopted, as has happened in the case on hand, the High Court
should have quashed the criminal proceeding to prevent abuse
of process of court.
20. We therefore allow this appeal, set aside the

impugned order [R. Nagender Yadav v. State of Telangana,
2021 SCC OnLine TS 3598] of the High Court and quash the
criminal proceedings of Criminal Complaint No. 1029 of 2015.
We clarify that this will not come in the way of instituting
43
appropriate proceedings in future in case the civil court comes

to the conclusion that the disputed sale deed dated 29-12-2010
is forged. We refrain ourselves from expressing any opinion as
regards the genuineness or otherwise of the sale deed in
question as this question is wide open before the civil court. The
civil court shall decide the civil suit pending between the parties
on its own merits and on the basis of the evidence that may be
led by both the sides. It shall be open to the civil court to take
the opinion of the handwritings expert as regards the signature
of the complainant on the disputed sale deed.
21. We clarify that we have passed the aforesaid order in

the facts and circumstances of the present case and the same
shall not be cited as a precedent.”
A little earlier to the aforesaid judgment, the Apex Court in
the case of RAMESH CHANDRA GUPTA V. STATE OF U.P.6 has
held as follows:
“15. This Court has an occasion to consider the ambit

and scope of the power of the High Court under Section 482
CrPC for quashing of criminal proceedings in Vineet
Kumar v. State of Uttar Pradesh decided on 31st March, 2017. It
may be useful to refer to paras 22, 23 and 41 of the above
judgment where the following was stated:
“22. Before we enter into the facts of the present case it
is necessary to consider the ambit and scope of jurisdiction
under Section 482 CrPC vested in the High Court. Section 482
CrPC saves the inherent power of the High Court to make such
orders as may be necessary to give effect to any order under
this Code, or to prevent abuse of the process of any court or
otherwise to secure the ends of justice.
23. This Court time and again has examined the scope of
jurisdiction of the High Court under Section 482 CrPC and laid
down several principles which govern the exercise of jurisdiction
of the High Court under Section 482 CrPC. A three-Judge Bench
of this Court in State of Karnataka v. L. Muniswamy, (1977) 2
6
(2022) SCC Online SC 1634
44
SCC 699 held that the High Court is entitled to quash a

proceeding if it comes to the conclusion that allowing the
proceeding to continue would be an abuse of the process of the
Court or that the ends of justice require that the proceeding
ought to be quashed. In para 7 of the judgment, the following
has been stated:
‘7. … In the exercise of this wholesome power, the High
Court is entitled to quash a proceeding if it comes to the
conclusion that allowing the proceeding to continue would be an
abuse of the process of the court or that the ends of justice
require that the proceeding ought to be quashed. The saving of
the High Court's inherent powers, both in civil and criminal
matters, is designed to achieve a salutary public purpose which
is that a court proceeding ought not to be permitted to
degenerate into a weapon of harassment or persecution. In a
criminal case, the veiled object behind a lame prosecution, the
very nature of the material on which the structure of the
prosecution rests and the like would justify the High Court in
quashing the proceeding in the interest of justice. The ends of
justice are higher than the ends of mere law though justice has
got to be administered according to laws made by the
legislature. The compelling necessity for making these
observations is that without a proper realisation of the object
and purpose of the provision which seeks to save the inherent
powers of the High Court to do justice, between the State and
its subjects, it would be impossible to appreciate the width and
contours of that salient jurisdiction.’
41. Inherent power given to the High Court under Section
482 CrPC is with the purpose and object of advancement of
justice. In case solemn process of Court is sought to be abused
by a person with some oblique motive, the Court has to thwart
the attempt at the very threshold. The Court cannot permit a
prosecution to go on if the case falls in one of the categories as
illustratively enumerated by this Court in State of
Haryana v. Bhajan Lal, 1992 Supp (1) SCC 335. Judicial process
is a solemn proceeding which cannot be allowed to be converted
into an instrument of operation or harassment. When there are
materials to indicate that a criminal proceeding is manifestly
attended with mala fides and proceeding is maliciously instituted
with an ulterior motive, the High Court will not hesitate in
exercise of its jurisdiction under Section 482 CrPC to quash the
proceeding under Category 7 as enumerated in State of
45
Haryana v. Bhajan Lal, 1992 Supp (1) SCC 335 which is to the
following effect:
‘102.(7) Where a criminal proceeding is manifestly
attended with mala fides and/or where the proceeding is
maliciously instituted with an ulterior motive for wreaking
vengeance on the accused and with a view to spite him due to
private and personal grudge.’
Above Category 7 is clearly attracted in the facts of the
present case. Although, the High Court has noted the judgment
of State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal, 1992 Supp (1) SCC 335 but
did not advert to the relevant facts of the present case,
materials on which final report was submitted by the IO. We,
thus, are fully satisfied that the present is a fit case where the
High Court ought to have exercised its jurisdiction under Section
482 CrPC and quashed the criminal proceedings.”
16. The exposition of law on the subject relating to the

exercise of the extra-ordinary power under Article 226 of the
Constitution or the inherent power under Section 482 CrPC are
well settled and to the possible extent, this Court has defined
sufficiently channelized guidelines, to give an exhaustive list of
myriad kinds of cases wherein such power should be exercised.
This Court has held in para 102 in State of Haryana v. Bhajan
Lal2 as under:
“102. In the backdrop of the interpretation of the various

relevant provisions of the Code under Chapter XIV and of the
principles of law enunciated by this Court in a series of decisions
relating to the exercise of the extraordinary power under Article
226 or the inherent powers under Section 482 of the Code which
we have extracted and reproduced above, we give the following
categories of cases by way of illustration wherein such power
could be exercised either to prevent abuse of the process of any
court or otherwise to secure the ends of justice, though it may
not be possible to lay down any precise, clearly defined and
sufficiently channelised and inflexible guidelines or rigid
formulae and to give an exhaustive list of myriad kinds of cases
wherein such power should be exercised.
(1) Where the allegations made in the first information
report or the complaint, even if they are taken at their face
46
value and accepted in their entirety do not prima facie

constitute any offence or make out a case against the accused.
(2) Where the allegations in the first information report
and other materials, if any, accompanying the FIR do not
disclose a cognizable offence, justifying an investigation by
police officers under Section 156(1) of the Code except under an
order of a Magistrate within the purview of Section 155(2) of the
Code.
(3) Where the uncontroverted allegations made in the FIR
or complaint and the evidence collected in support of the same
do not disclose the commission of any offence and make out a
case against the accused.
(4) Where, the allegations in the FIR do not constitute a
cognizable offence but constitute only a non-cognizable offence,
no investigation is permitted by a police officer without an order
of a Magistrate as contemplated under Section 155(2) of the
Code.
(5) Where the allegations made in the FIR or complaint
are so absurd and inherently improbable on the basis of which
no prudent person can ever reach a just conclusion that there is
sufficient ground for proceeding against the accused.
(6) Where there is an express legal bar engrafted in any
of the provisions of the Code or the concerned Act (under which
a criminal proceeding is instituted) to the institution and
continuance of the proceedings and/or where there is a specific
provision in the Code or the concerned Act, providing efficacious
redress for the grievance of the aggrieved party.
(7) Where a criminal proceeding is manifestly attended
with mala fide and/or where the proceeding is maliciously
instituted with an ulterior motive for wreaking vengeance on the
accused and with a view to spite him due to private and
personal grudge.”
17. The principles culled out by this Court have

consistently been followed in the recent judgment of this Court
in Neeharika Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. v. State of Maharashtra3.
18. The present case is fully covered by categories (1)

and (3), as enumerated in State of Haryana v. Bhajan
47
Lal (supra). A bare perusal of the complaint on the basis of

which FIR came to be registered at the instance of the de-facto
complainant/second respondent does not disclose any act of the
present appellants or their participation in the commission of
crime. They are neither concerned with the registered sale deed
dated 4th May, 1977 nor the later sale deed executed in favour
of the de-facto complainant by Shravan Kumar Gupta dated
22nd December, 2018, nor in possession of the subject property
nor are parties to the civil proceedings and it is not the case of
the complainant that either the appellants have played any
active/passive role either in scribing the document or are
facilitators or witness to the document in reference to which the
complaint has been made for cheating and committing forgery
or have played any role in delivery of possession of the subject
property in question.
19. What it appears is that the de-facto complainant has

implicated the present appellants being members of the family
to put pressure for obtaining possession of the subject property
and to settle the civil dispute which is pending between Vinod
Kumar Gupta, Shravan Kumar Gupta and the de-facto
complainant in Original Suit No. 91 of 2015.
20. We are of the view that in the present facts and

circumstances, the High Court ought to have exercised its power
under Section 482 CrPC for quashing of the criminal complaint
and proceedings in consequence thereof qua the present
appellants.
21. Before parting with the order, we further like to

observe that the observations which has been made are
restricted to the three appellants, namely, Ramesh Chandra
Gupta, Ashish Gupta and Rinky Sarna before this Court and the
learned trial Judge may not be influenced by the observations
made above and may proceed with the Criminal Case No. 2200
of 2019 qua the other accused persons independently on its own
merits in accordance with law.
48
22. Needless to say that the Court which is seized of the

Original Suit No. 91 of 2015 may decide the same independently
on its own merits in accordance with law.
23. In the result, the appeals are allowed. The judgment

impugned of the High Court dated 3rd February, 2021 is set
aside and FIR numbered as Criminal Case No. 2200 of 2019
registered at PS Navabad, District Jhansi and all the
consequential proceedings qua the present appellants stand
quashed.”
16. On a coalesce of the afore-quoted law elucidated by the
Apex Court what would unmistakably emerge is, that breach of
contract may have several hues and forms. Every breach of
contract, unless it is shrouded with dishonest intention at the
outset, cannot become an offence under Sections 406 or 420 of the
IPC. If the facts obtaining in the case at hand are considered on
the bedrock of the elucidation by the Apex Court in the afore-
quoted judgments, what would unmistakably emerge is, the
criminal law that is set in motion on the breach of contract is
unsustainable, more so, in the light of the fact that the complainant
has knocked at the doors of every fora or the remedy for non-
delivery of flats within the stipulated time could be agitated before
any other fora specifically created for the purpose. Criminal law
49
cannot be set into motion on the said delay in delivery of flats, as
those facts arise out of agreements entered into between the
parties, at best, it can be breach of agreement. If it is breach of
agreement, it cannot be cheating or criminal breach of trust.
Therefore, the FIR in Crime No.163 of 2020 is still in the stage of
investigation. I do not find any warrant to permit the investigation
to continue, as there is no investigation conducted in the case at
hand in the light of the interim order granted by this Court.
17. The complainant is at liberty to move any fora, on the
grievance that he is seeking to vent out in terms of the agreement.
The findings or observations made herein will not come in the way
of the complainant knocking at the doors of any other fora, or if he
has already knocked at any other fora, the observations in the
course of the order will not influence or bind such proceedings.
18. In the light of the preceding analysis, the crime in Crime
No.163 of 2020 is rendered unsustainable and its unsustainability
would lead to its obliteration. If it is to be obliterated, whether the
proceedings instituted by the Enforcement Directorate in

50
W.P.No.7855 of 2023 for alleged violation of the Prevention of
Money Laundering Act (‘PMLA’ for short), could be permitted to be
continued or not, also requires an answer. It is trite law that the
offence under the PMLA cannot independently stand. It has to be
foundationed on a crime being registered under any penal law. In
the case at hand, the penal law is the registration of the impugned
crime in Crime No.163 of 2020. It is based upon the said crime,
the ECIR was registered and attachments orders have been passed.
The ECIR would not stand as the predicate offence is now held to be
unsustainable.
19. This Court, while disposing the petition between the
parties i.e., the petitioners and the Enforcement Directorate in
W.P.No.20713 of 2022 had observed as follows:
“20. In the result, I pass the following:
ORDER
(i) The Writ Petition is allowed in part.
(ii) The Enforcement Directorate is restrained from

proceeding further in ECIR No.ECIR/BGZO/31/ 2022 registered
on 11-08-2002, the impugned proceeding, till disposal of Writ
Petition No.10258 of 2020 and Crime No.163 of 2020.
51
(iii) As a result of the aforesaid order (clause (ii)),

grant of provisional attachment order dated 11-08-2022 shall be
kept in abeyance till disposal of Writ Petition No.10258 of 2020
and Crime No.163 of 2020, which would mean the properties
subject to attachment cannot be released in favour of the
petitioners nor can be confirmed or sold by the Enforcement
Directorate.
(iv) It is made clear that no particular order from the

Court hearing Writ Petition No.10258 of 2020 and Crime No.163
of 2020 is required, to continue these proceedings. Once those
proceedings are permitted to continue, the continuation of
impugned proceedings then becomes axiomatic.”
This Court while disposing the petition had clearly observed that in
the event the interim order in the subject petition would get
vacated, the PMLA proceedings would automatically continue. The
interim order is not getting vacated, but the crime itself is held to
be unsustainable. If the crime is held to be unsustainable and
results in quashment of the proceedings, what would happen to the
proceedings under the PMLA again need not detain this Court for
long or delve deep into the matter. The Apex Court in the case of
VIJAY MADANLAL CHOUDHARY v. UNION OF INDIA7 has held
as follows:
“CONCLUSION
7
2022 SCC OnLine SC 929
52
467. In light of the above analysis, we now proceed to

summarise our conclusion on seminal points in issue in the
following terms:—
(i) The question as to whether some of the amendments

to the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002
could not have been enacted by the Parliament by
way of a Finance Act has not been examined in this
judgment. The same is left open for being examined
along with or after the decision of the Larger Bench
(seven Judges) of this Court in the case of Rojer
Mathew.
(ii) The expression “proceedings” occurring in Clause

(na) of Section 2(1) of the 2002 Act is contextual
and is required to be given expansive meaning to
include inquiry procedure followed by the Authorities
of ED, the Adjudicating Authority, and the Special
Court.
(iii) The expression “investigation” in Clause (na) of

Section 2(1) of the 2002 Act does not limit itself to
the matter of investigation concerning the offence
under the Act and is interchangeable with the
function of “inquiry” to be undertaken by the
Authorities under the Act.
(iv) The Explanation inserted to Clause (u) of Section

2(1) of the 2002 Act does not travel beyond the
main provision predicating tracking and reaching
upto the property derived or obtained directly or
indirectly as a result of criminal activity relating to a
scheduled offence.
(v)(a) Section 3 of the 2002 Act has a wider reach and

captures every process and activity, direct or
indirect, in dealing with the proceeds of crime and is
not limited to the happening of the final act of
integration of tainted property in the formal
economy. The Explanation inserted to Section 3 by
way of amendment of 2019 does not expand the
purport of Section 3 but is only clarificatory in
nature. It clarifies the word “and” preceding the
53
expression projecting or claiming as “or”; and being

a clarificatory amendment, it would make no
difference even if it is introduced by way of Finance
Act or otherwise.
(b) Independent of the above, we are clearly of the view

that the expression “and” occurring in Section 3 has
to be construed as “or”, to give full play to the said
provision so as to include “every” process or activity
indulged into by anyone. Projecting or claiming the
property as untainted property would constitute an
offence of money-laundering on its own, being an
independent process or activity.
(c) The interpretation suggested by the petitioners, that

only upon projecting or claiming the property in
question as untainted property that the offence of
Section 3 would be complete, stands rejected.
(d) The offence under Section 3 of the 2002 Act is

dependent on illegal gain of property as a
result of criminal activity relating to a
scheduled offence. It is concerning the process
or activity connected with such property, which
constitutes the offence of money-laundering.
The Authorities under the 2002 Act cannot
prosecute any person on notional basis or on
the assumption that a scheduled offence has
been committed, unless it is so registered with
the jurisdictional police and/or pending
enquiry/trial including by way of criminal
complaint before the competent forum. If the
person is finally discharged/acquitted of the
scheduled offence or the criminal case against
him is quashed by the Court of competent
jurisdiction, there can be no offence of money-
laundering against him or any one claiming
such property being the property linked to
stated scheduled offence through him.
(vi) Section 5 of the 2002 Act is constitutionally

valid. It provides for a balancing arrangement
to secure the interests of the person as also
54
ensures that the proceeds of crime remain

available to be dealt with in the manner
provided by the 2002 Act. The procedural
safeguards as delineated by us hereinabove are
effective measures to protect the interests of
person concerned.
(vii) The challenge to the validity of sub-section (4) of

Section 8 of the 2002 Act is also rejected subject to
Section 8 being invoked and operated in accordance
with the meaning assigned to it hereinabove.
(viii) The challenge to deletion of proviso to sub-section

(1) of Section 17 of the 2002 Act stands rejected.
There are stringent safeguards provided in Section
17 and Rules framed thereunder. Moreover, the pre-
condition in the proviso to Rule 3(2) of the 2005
Rules cannot be read into Section 17 after its
amendment. The Central Government may take
necessary corrective steps to obviate confusion
caused in that regard.
(ix) The challenge to deletion of proviso to sub-section

(1) of Section 18 of the 2002 Act also stands
rejected. There are similar safeguards provided in
Section 18. We hold that the amended provision
does not suffer from the vice of arbitrariness.
(x) The challenge to the constitutional validity of Section

19 of the 2002 Act is also rejected. There are
stringent safeguards provided in Section 19. The
provision does not suffer from the vice of
arbitrariness.
(xi) Section 24 of the 2002 Act has reasonable nexus

with the purposes and objects sought to be achieved
by the 2002 Act and cannot be regarded as
manifestly arbitrary or unconstitutional.
(xii)(a) The proviso in Clause (a) of sub-section (1) of

Section 44 of the 2002 Act is to be regarded as
directory in nature and this provision is also read
55
down to mean that the Special Court may exercise

judicial discretion on case-to-case basis.
(b) We do not find merit in the challenge to Section 44

being arbitrary or unconstitutional. However, the
eventualities referred to in this section shall be dealt
with by the Court concerned and by the Authority
concerned in accordance with the interpretation
given in this judgment.
(xiii)(a) The reasons which weighed with this Court in Nikesh

Tarachand Shah for declaring the twin conditions in
Section 45(1) of the 2002 Act, as it stood at the
relevant time, as unconstitutional in no way
obliterated the provision from the statute book; and
it was open to the Parliament to cure the defect
noted by this Court so as to revive the same
provision in the existing form.
(b) We are unable to agree with the observations

in Nikesh Tarachand Shah distinguishing the
enunciation of the Constitution Bench decision
in Kartar Singh; and other observations suggestive
of doubting the perception of Parliament in regard to
the seriousness of the offence of money-laundering,
including about it posing serious threat to the
sovereignty and integrity of the country.
(c) The provision in the form of Section 45 of the 2002

Act, as applicable post amendment of 2018, is
reasonable and has direct nexus with the purposes
and objects sought to be achieved by the 2002 Act
and does not suffer from the vice of arbitrariness or
unreasonableness.
(d) As regards the prayer for grant of bail, irrespective

of the nature of proceedings, including those under
Section 438 of the 1973 Code or even upon invoking
the jurisdiction of Constitutional Courts, the
underlying principles and rigours of Section 45 may
apply.
56
(xiv) The beneficial provision of Section 436A of the 1973

Code could be invoked by the accused arrested for
offence punishable under the 2002 Act.
(xv)(a) The process envisaged by Section 50 of the 2002 Act

is in the nature of an inquiry against the proceeds of
crime and is not “investigation” in strict sense of the
term for initiating prosecution; and the Authorities
under the 2002 Act (referred to in Section 48), are
not police officers as such.
(b) The statements recorded by the Authorities under

the 2002 Act are not hit by Article 20(3) or Article 21
of the Constitution of India.
(xvi) Section 63 of the 2002 Act providing for punishment

regarding false information or failure to give
information does not suffer from any vice of
arbitrariness.
(xvii) The inclusion or exclusion of any particular offence in

the Schedule to the 2002 Act is a matter of
legislative policy; and the nature or class of any
predicate offence has no bearing on the validity of
the Schedule or any prescription thereunder.
(xviii)(a) In view of special mechanism envisaged by the

2002 Act, ECIR cannot be equated with an FIR under
the 1973 Code. ECIR is an internal document of the
ED and the fact that FIR in respect of scheduled
offence has not been recorded does not come in the
way of the Authorities referred to in Section 48 to
commence inquiry/investigation for initiating “civil
action” of “provisional attachment” of property being
proceeds of crime.
(b) Supply of a copy of ECIR in every case to the person

concerned is not mandatory, it is enough if ED at the
time of arrest, discloses the grounds of such arrest.
(c) However, when the arrested person is produced

before the Special Court, it is open to the Special
Court to look into the relevant records presented by
57
the authorised representative of ED for answering

the issue of need for his/her continued detention in
connection with the offence of money-laundering.
(xix) Even when ED manual is not to be published being

an internal departmental document issued for the
guidance of the Authorities (ED officials), the
department ought to explore the desirability of
placing information on its website which may broadly
outline the scope of the authority of the functionaries
under the Act and measures to be adopted by them
as also the options/remedies available to the person
concerned before the Authority and before the
Special Court.
(xx) The petitioners are justified in expressing serious

concern bordering on causing injustice owing to the
vacancies in the Appellate Tribunal. We deem it
necessary to impress upon the executive to take
corrective measures in this regard expeditiously.
(xxi) The argument about proportionality of punishment

with reference to the nature of scheduled offence is
wholly unfounded and stands rejected.”
(Emphasis supplied)
Clause (d) of the aforesaid conclusion the Apex Court considers
Section 3 of the Act and later upholds the constitutional validity of
Section 5 of the Act in terms of clause (vi) supra. Section 5 of the
Act is what deals with the attachment of the properties. Clause
(v)(d) of paragraph 467 (supra) establishes the link between the
two. The Apex Court holds that in the event the accused in the
PMLA or whose allegations are linked to any persons in the

58
predicate offence such accused in the predicate offence gets a clean
chit on three circumstances – one by acquittal after a full blown
trial; two on discharge by the competent Court and three on the
proceedings being quashed by the High Court in exercise of its
jurisdiction under Section 482 of the Cr.P.C. In all these cases,
there can be no offence of money laundering against the accused.
The predicate offence in the case at hand is, Crime No.163 of 2020.
Crime No.163 of 2020 is held to be unsustainable. If crime No.163
of 2020 is the foundation, and the proceedings under the PMLA are
the super structure, the foundation having been obliterated, the
super structure would tumble down, so to say, that the proceedings
under the PMLA will vanish owing to its sustenance only on the
predicate offence.
20. In the light of the judgment of the Apex Court in the case
of VIJAY MADANLAL CHOUDHARY, the obliteration of the
proceedings under the PMLA becomes axiomatic the moment the
predicate offence gets obliterated.

59
21. For the aforesaid reasons, the following:
ORDER
(i) Writ Petition No.10258 of 2020 and Writ Petition
No.7855 of 2023 are allowed.
(ii) The impugned proceedings in Crime No.163 of 2020
and Spl.C.C.No.2874 of 2022 stands quashed.
Pending applications, if any, also stand disposed as a
consequence.
Sd/-
JUDGE
bkp
CT:SS

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1

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 09TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2023

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M. NAGAPRASANNA

WRIT PETITION No.10258 OF 2020 (GM-RES)

IN WRIT PETITION No.10258 OF 2020 (GM-RES)

1 . SHRI SUSHIL PANDURANG MANTRI

2 . SHRI PRATIK SUSHIL MANTRI

3 . SMT. SNEHAL SUSHIL MANTRI

(BY SRI C.V.NAGESH, SENIOR ADVOCATE A/W.,

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY

(BY SMT. K.P.YASHODHA, HCGP FOR R-1;

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND

IN WRIT PETITION No.7855 OF 2023 (GM-RES)

1. SRI SUSHIL PANDURANG MANTRI

2. M/S. CASTLES VISTA PRIVATE LIMITED

3. M/S. MANTRI DEVELOPERS PVT. LTD.,

4. M/S. BUOYANT TECHNOLOGY

(BY SRI C.V.NAGESH, SENIOR ADVOCATE A/W.,

2 . THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

(BY SRI MADHUKAR DESHPANDE, SPL.PP)

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND

THESE WRIT PETITIONS HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED

The petitioners are before this Court calling in question

registration of a crime in Crime No.163 of 2020 for offences

punishable Sections 406, 420, 415, 417 r/w 34 of the IPC.

2. The petitioners claim to be Directors of M/s.Mantri

Developers Pvt. Ltd., a builder and a land development Company.

It is the averment in the petition that the petitioners have delivered

complainant. The 2nd respondent and few other members –

investment based purchasers approached the petitioners/Company

seeking purchase of flats in the project “Mantri Serenity” and

accordingly applied for allotment of flats. Pursuant to the offer, the

complainant and other members execute certain agreements for

sale of undivided share of land and construction agreement inter

Due to the said delay, the complainant flags certain dishonest

intentions and the averment in the petition is that he began to

register threats and several complaints before various fora. It is

the claim in the petition that due to intervening circumstances of

recessions, complaints to the Karnataka State Pollution Control

Board and other irregularities had resulted in delay of the project.

The project gets completed and occupancy certificate is also

received by the Authorities. The complainant moves the Real

Estate Regulatory Authority (‘RERA’ for short) on several grievances

and seeks to register a complaint before the jurisdictional police for

the afore-quoted offences.

3. The complaint was that they are the unfortunate

homebuyers in ‘Mantri Serenity’ promoted by Mantri Castles Pvt.

Ltd., an associate and subsidiary of Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd.,

70 lakhs on an average or higher. The complaint alleges

misrepresentation, money laundering and fraud against the

homebuyers have been utilized, diverted or misutilised for several

other purposes. It further claims that the property that the

homebuyers should get have already been mortgaged to several

been invested to some other purpose. Based upon the said

complaint, a crime comes to be registered in Crime No.163 of 2020

for offences punishable under Sections as afore-quoted. After

registration of the crime, the petitioners knock at the doors of this