Karnataka High Court Stays Counter FIR Against Actress Kavya Gowda, Husband Over Alleged Assault

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday (February 12) stayed investigation into an FIR against Kannada actress Kavya Gowda and her husband, claimed to have been filed as a counter case pursuant to an alleged assault on them by certain family members.  

As per news reports Gowda and her husband were allegedly assaulted by certain family members last month.

During the hearing on Thursday, Gowda's counsel submitted that the present FIR was a counter case filed by her co-sister.

He said, "I am an actress in the Kannada industry, this is being portrayed to some other extent in the media. What transpires is that my 2 year old child is hit by my co-sister. It starts from that. Escalates into something which becomes a property dispute. Thereafter 25 people barge into my house. I have CCTV footage also...at the behest of my co-sister. They hit me with sticks. They stab my husband in the back. We then go to the hospital. We rush him to ICU. He takes treatment. Two and half hours later they go and file a complaint as against us, saying that we have hit them. I was discharged against medical advice because we had to go back, as our daughter was there. Everything has happened in the house. This has become talk in social media. This FIR is being portrayed, my daughter's photo...social media its getting really vulgar..."

Issuing notice on the petition, Justice M Nagaprasanna in his order dictated:

"The issue in the lis is offence alleged against petitioners being punishable under Sections 115(1), 118(1), 3(5), 351(2), 352 BNS which is 323, 504, 506 of IPC. The allegation is that the petitioner have assaulted the complainants. The counsel submits that it is the other way round. The petitioners were assaulted by the complainants on 26-1-2026 in a squabble between the co-sisters. The verbal squabble leads to assault of the two and the learned counsel have produced photos, CCTV footage in his hand that the petitioners were assaulted in crime registered by them on 27-1-2026 against the complainants. The counsel submits that petitioner no. 2 (husband) was in the ICU and had to be discharged against medical advice as two year old child was awaiting the mother. The counsel submits that the present complaint is a counter blast to what the petitioners had registered in Crime No. 63 of 2026. On all the aforesaid reasons there shall be an interim order of stay against the petitioners till the next date of hearing..."

The court was hearing a plea moved by the actress and her husband seeking quashing of an FIR and complaint registered for offences under Sections (voluntarily causing hurt), 118(1)(Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 3(5)(common intention), 351(2)(Criminal intimidation), 352 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) BNS. 

In the interim the petitioners sought stay of further investigation. 

The matter is listed on March 5. 

Case title: KAVYA GOWDA & OTHERS v/s STATE OF KARNATAKA & ANR.

 CRL.P 2189/2026