- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:11357 CRL.P No. 1978 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 19TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 1978 OF 2025 (439(Cr.PC) / 483(BNSS)) BETWEEN: SRI KEERTHI KUMAR N. N. S/O. LATE N.S. NAGANNA, AGED ABOUT 26 YEARS, SECOND DIVISION ASSISTANT, R.R.T. BRANCH, OFFICE OF THE TAHASILDAR, MALAVALLI TALUK. R/AT NENANURU VILLAGE, KIRAGAVALU HOBLI, MALAVALLI TALUK, MANDYA DISTRICT. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. S. SHEHINSHA ALI, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY LOKAYUKTHA POLICE, MANDYA, MANDYA DISTRICT, REP. BY ITS SPL. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BANGALORE -01. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. B. LETHIF, ADV.) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.P.C (U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DTD 01.02.2025 PASSED IN CR.NO.1/2025 FIR NO.30/2025 BY THE LEARNED PRINCIPLE DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, AT MANDYA AND RELEASE Digitally signed by NANDINI B G Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:11357 CRL.P No. 1978 of 2025 THE PETITIONER ON BAIL, FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 7(a) OF THE PC ACT, 1988 (AMENDMENT ACT, 2018) IN CR.NO.1/2025, FIR NO.30/2025, PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE PRINCIPLE DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, AT MANDYA. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Accused in Crime No.1/2025 registered by Lokayuktha Police Station, Mandya, for offences punishable under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Amendment Act, 2018) (for short, 'PC Act') is before this Court under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'BNSS') seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsels for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.1/2025 registered by Lokayuktha Police Station, Mandya, for the aforesaid offence against the petitioner herein on the basis of the first information dated 22.01.2025 received from the de-facto complainant - Shivaraju.D. 4. In the trap that was held subsequently, the petitioner herein was caught red-handed while receiving bribe - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:11357 CRL.P No. 1978 of 2025 amount of Rs.2,000/- from the de-facto complainant. The petitioner who was arrested was subsequently produced before the Court and remanded to judicial custody. Bail application filed by the petitioner before the Trial Court in Crime No.1/2025 was rejected on 01.02.2025. Therefore, he is before this Court. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner having reiterated the grounds urged in the petition prays to allow the petition. 6. Per contra, learned counsel for the respondent has filed the statement of objection and has opposed the petition. 7. Perusal of materials on record would go to show that, petitioner who was working as a Second Division Assistant in the office of Tahasildar, Malavalli Taluk had demanded sum of Rs.2,000/- from the de-facto complainant for changing entries in the revenue records of the property bearing Sy.No.27/8 of Vaddarahalli Village. It is in this background, the de-facto complainant, who was not willing to pay the bribe amount had approached Lokayuktha Police, Mandya and in the trap that was subsequently held on 22.01.2023, the petitioner was allegedly caught red handed while receiving the bribe amount of Rs.2,000/- from the de-facto complainant. - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:11357 CRL.P No. 1978 of 2025 Petitioner, who is a Government servant is in custody from 22.01.2025. Major portion of investigation is already completed and only the FSL report is awaited by the prosecution. The maximum punishment for the alleged offences is imprisonment for a period of 7 years. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail is required to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following:- ORDER The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.1/2025 registered by Lokayuktha Police Station, Mandya, for offences punishable under Section 7(a) of PC Act, subject to the following conditions: a) Petitioner shall execute personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum, to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court; b) The petitioner shall appear regularly on all the dates of hearing before the Trial Court unless the Trial Court exempts his appearance for valid reasons; - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC:11357 CRL.P No. 1978 of 2025 c) The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly threaten or tamper with the prosecution witnesses; d) The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future; e) The petitioner shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Trial Court without permission of the said Court until the case registered against him is disposed off. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE SPV List No.: 1 Sl No.: 43