Karnataka High Court stays proceedings against man accused of ghosting, seen-zoning his partner

The Karnataka High Court recently stayed criminal proceedings against a man accused of sex on the false promise of marriage after ghosting and 'seen-zoning' his partner [Thufail Ahmed v. State].

Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that the petitioner's conduct did not fulfil the ingredients of Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

"It is the allegation that the petitioner had begun to seenzone the respondent and ghost her throughout. Therefore, the offence under s.69 has sprung. Except this there is nothing else that could become the ingredients of the offence under s.69. In that light there shall be an interim order of stay on further proceedings qua the petitioner till the next date of hearing."

Both parties were in a relationship since December 2025. The petitioner told his then partner that he was visiting Chennai, where ailing father was undergoing treatment. The ex-partner, suspecting that the petitioner had told her a lie, asked him to receive her video call. The petitioner refused to receive calls and eventually blocked her. The woman then filed a complaint alleging that the petitioner had committed offences of Section 69 and 115, BNS.

A chargesheet has also been filed against the petitioner, who approached the High Court to stay criminal proceedings against him.

Advocate Syed Anwar, appearing for the petitioner, said that the former partner had filed the complaint since she had trust issues.