- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:10713 CRL.P No. 3058 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 14TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 3058 OF 2025 BETWEEN: MANUKUMAR S/O RAMAKRISHNA AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS RESIDENT OF MUDUGERE VILLAGE CHANNAPATNA TALUK RAMANAGARA DISTRICT - 562 160. …PETITIONER (BY SRI ANIL KUMAR A.S, ADV., FOR SRI PARAMESWARAPPA C, ADV.) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY CHANNAPATNA TOWN POLICE STATION MYSURU DISTRICT - 562 160 REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI K. NAGESHAWARAPPA, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE HIM ON BAIL IN CONNECTION WITH CRIME NO. 04/2025 OF CHANNAPATNA TOWN POLICE STATION, CHANNAPATNA, RAMANAGARA DISTRICT PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE 1ST ADDL CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC AT CHANNAPATNA, RAMANAGARA DIST, FOR THE AFORESAID O/P/U/S 115(2), 118(1), 351(2) (3), 126, 140(1), 140(2), 140(3), R/W SECTION 3(5) OF BNS, 2023. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: Digitally signed by NANDINI MS Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:10713 CRL.P No. 3058 of 2025 CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Accusedno.4 in Crime No.4/2025 registered by Channapatna Town Police Station, Ramanagara district for the offences punishable under Sections 115(2), 118(2), 351(2), 351(3), 126, 140(1), 140(2), 140(3) R/w 3(5) of BNS, 2023 is before this Court under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel appearing for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.4/2025 was registered by Channapatna Town Police Station, Ramanagara district for the aforesaid offences, on the basis of first information dated 29.01.2025 received from Sri Jeevan M S/o Krishnamurthy, who is the alleged victim in the present case. In the first information, Indhu Kumar is arraigned as accused No.1 and two other strangers along with Indhu Kumar are arraigned as other accused persons. During the course of investigation of the case, the petitioner - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:10713 CRL.P No. 3058 of 2025 herein was arrested on 31.01.2025 and subsequently remanded to judicial custody. 4. The bail application filed by the petitioner before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.130/2025 was dismissed on 21.02.2025. Therefore, he is before this Court. 5. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner having reiterated the grounds urged in the petition submits that there is no allegation as against the petitioner and based on further statement of the first informant, the petitioner is now arraigned as accused No.4 in the present case. In respect of the alleged incident that had taken place on 04.11.2024, till date the first informant has not lodged any complaint. The petitioner has no criminal antecedents. Accordingly, he prays to allow the petition. 6. Per contra, learned HCGP has opposed the petition on the ground that investigation is under progress. - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:10713 CRL.P No. 3058 of 2025 7. In the first information that has resulted in registration of FIR in Crime no.4/2025, the first informant has alleged that on 28.01.2025, accused No.1 and two others, who came in a swift car intercepted his car and thereafter forcibly took him along with them to a house in an isolated place and in the said house they assaulted and tortured him demanding a sum of Rs.50 lakhs. He has also stated that while he was in the said house, Madhu @ Kappe and Jayanth, who are known to him had visited the said house. Thereafter, the police came near the said house and therefore the accused persons left him in the said house and escaped. 8. During the course of investigation, in the further statement of the victim he has alleged that he was earlier kidnapped by Madhu @ Kappe and Jayanth on 04.11.2024 and in furtherance of demand made by the said accused persons, he had transferred a sum of Rs.28 lakhs from his friend's wife's account to the account of the petitioner. The first informant has not lodged any - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC:10713 CRL.P No. 3058 of 2025 complaint before the police with regard to the alleged kidnap for ransom on 04.11.2024 by Madhu @ Kappe and others. It is only after the present FIR was registered in Crime No.4/2025 by Channapatna Town Police Station for the first time he has made such allegation. Undisputedly, the petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. He is in custody from 31.01.2025. Under these circumstances, I am of the opinion that, the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. 9. Accordingly, the following: ORDER The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.4/2025 registered by Channapatna Town Police Station, Ramanagara district for the offences punishable under Sections 115(2), 118(2), 351(2), 351(3), 126, 140(1), 140(2), 140(3) R/w 3(5) of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC:10713 CRL.P No. 3058 of 2025 a) The petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000 (Rupees One Lakh only) 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; 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; Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE NMS