Karnataka High Court Stays Proceedings in Ghosting Case
The Karnataka High Court has recently issued an interim stay on criminal proceedings against a man accused of engaging in sexual relations under a false promise of marriage, after allegedly ghosting and ‘seen-zoning’ his partner. This decision came in the case of Thufail Ahmed v. State, presided over by Justice M Nagaprasanna.
Justice Nagaprasanna assessed whether the petitioner’s actions met the criteria outlined in Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The court concluded that the allegations did not substantiate the necessary elements for charges under this section. Justice Nagaprasanna stated, “The claim is that the petitioner began to seen-zone and ghost the respondent. However, there is no further evidence that fulfills the requirements of an offense under Section 69. Consequently, an interim stay on proceedings against the petitioner is warranted until the next hearing date.”
Relationship Timeline and Allegations
The individuals involved in this case had been in a relationship since December 2025. The petitioner informed his partner that he needed to travel to Chennai for his father’s medical treatment. Doubting his explanation, the partner requested a video call to which the petitioner did not respond, subsequently blocking her. This led the woman to file a complaint accusing him of violating Sections 69 and 115 of the BNS.
A chargesheet has been filed against the petitioner, prompting him to seek relief from the Karnataka High Court to halt the criminal proceedings. Representing the petitioner, Advocate Syed Anwar argued that the complaint arose from trust issues harbored by the former partner.
