Karnataka High Court Refuses To Quash FIR Against Advocate Accused Of Seeking ₹50 Lakh To Bribe Judge For Bail
The Karnataka High Court has refused to quash an FIR registered against an advocate accused of demanding ₹50 lakh from the mother of a murder accused by allegedly claiming that the money would be paid to a High Court judge to secure bail. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 284]Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that allegations involving demands for money in the name of a judge transcend an ordinary...
The Karnataka High Court has refused to quash an FIR registered against an advocate accused of demanding ₹50 lakh from the mother of a murder accused by allegedly claiming that the money would be paid to a High Court judge to secure bail. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 284]
Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that allegations involving demands for money in the name of a judge transcend an ordinary cheating case and become an issue of "institutional integrity"
“…in such cases investigation is a must as the question involved is Institutional integrity. The offence of cheating allegedly committed by an individual in the normal circumstance becomes an institutional concern when such cases are projected. Therefore, there can be no question of interdiction of investigation on any ground whatsoever unless investigation would ensue and a final report is filed before the concerned Court…”, the court observed in its order.
The Court dismissed the petition filed by advocate Dayeena Banu seeking quashing of the FIR registered against her under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), holding that the allegations prima facie disclose the offence of cheating and warrant investigation.
The FIR was registered by the Vidhana Soudha Police on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court pursuant to directions issued by a coordinate Bench in Criminal Petition No.11259/2024.
The case stems from a letter written by the mother of a murder accused, Vishnu Devan, alleging that several persons, including advocates, had collected money from her on the promise of securing her son's bail by bribing judges. According to the complaint, she first paid ₹10 lakh to another advocate who allegedly claimed the money would be given to a judicial officer. She was later introduced to others who allegedly demanded additional sums for the same purpose.
The complaint further alleged that Dayeena Banu told the complainant that the concerned High Court judge would not accept "₹1 lakh or ₹2 lakh" and would accept only "₹50 lakh and above" for granting bail.
Acting on the mother's letter, the coordinate bench directed the Registrar General to initiate criminal proceedings.
Before Justice Nagaprasanna, the petitioner contended that she was already facing disciplinary proceedings before the Bar Council and argued that the ingredients of the offence of cheating were not made out.
Rejecting the contention, the Court held that the allegations prima facie satisfied the ingredients of Section 318(4) BNS, observing that the complainant had allegedly been induced to part with money on the false promise of securing bail through payment to a judge.
“…The inducement and release of property is clearly made out in the case at hand as the mother of Vishnu Devan is induced in parting money for the purpose of arranging bail to her son, which ostensibly would be with a dishonest intention right from the inception. Therefore, the submission of the learned senior counsel that the ingredients of offence of cheating is not even met to its semblance is to say the least, is preposterous. It is on the face of it made out”, the court noted.
Dismissing the petition, the Court observed that allegations of advocates collecting money in the name of judges, if established, "would cut at the root of the integrity of the Institution" and therefore cannot be scuttled at the threshold.
Case Title: Miss Dayeena Banu v. State of Karnataka & Ors.
Case No: Criminal Petition No. 2169 of 2025
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 284