- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:13570 CRL.P No. 3816 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 1ST DAY OF APRIL, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 3816 OF 2025 BETWEEN: UTHAPPA GANAPATHY BACHAMANDA @ RANJAN UTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, S/O BACHAMANDA APPAIAH GANAPATHY, R/AT NO.B-307, ATZ SPLENDOR APARTMENT, P AND T LAYOUT, SINTHANAGAR, NEAR FAMILIES SUPER MARKET, THANISANDRA, BANGALORE-560077. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. NAGARJUNA A. S., ADVOCATE) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY VIVEKNAGAR POLICE STATION, BENGALURU CITY, REP BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT COMPLEX, BENGALURU-560001 …RESPONDENT (BY SMT. N. ANITHA GIRISH, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNNS) PRAYING TO PASS AN ORDER OF ANTICIPATORY BAIL AND DIRECT THE RESPONDENT POLICE TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL, IN THE EVENT OF HIS ARREST BY VIVEKNAGAR P.S IN CRIME NO.129/2024, FOR THE O/P/U/S Digitally signed by NANDINI MS Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:13570 CRL.P No. 3816 of 2025 120B, 408, 416 AND 420 OF IPC AND THE CASE IS NOW PENDING ON THE FILES OF III ACMM, BANGALORE. THIS PETITION, COMING ON ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Accused No.1 in Crime No.129/2024 registered by Viveknagar Police Station, Bengaluru City for the offences punishable under Sections 408, 416, 420 & 120(B) of IPC is before this Court under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023 seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel appearing for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.129/2024 was registered by Viveknagar Police Station, Bengaluru City against the petitioner herein and others for the aforesaid offences on the basis of first information dated 03.09.2024 received from Sri Nitin Didwania, who is the vice president and authorized signatory of the company known as "Uniworld Logistics Private Limited". Apprehending arrest in the said - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:13570 CRL.P No. 3816 of 2025 case, the petitioner had filed Crl.Misc.No.9556/2024, which was dismissed on 16.11.2024. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that, the petitioner was an employee in the company known as "Uniworld Logistics Private Limited". The allegation against the petitioner in the first information is that he had introduced certain customers to the company and during the course of business the said customers had allegedly not paid the amount due to the company for which the petitioner had undertaken to the company that he would recover the said amount from the customers and it appears that cheques which were issued by the customers towards part payment of the outstanding dues were also dishonoured by the drawee bank. 5. The allegation against the petitioner is that though he had assured the company that he would recover the amount from the customers and made good the loss suffered by the company, the petitioner has not kept up - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:13570 CRL.P No. 3816 of 2025 his promise and he has not recovered amount due from the customers. 6. Learned counsel for the petitioner has produced material before this Court which would go to show that, prior to registration of FIR in the present case, the petitioner had resigned and there was exchange of multiple legal notices between him and his company. It is only after exchange of legal notices between the two parties, first information has been registered against the petitioner. Undisputedly, the petitioner has no criminal antecedents The petitioner has undertaken to cooperate with the police for the purpose of investigation. The alleged offences are triable by the Court of Magistrate and the maximum punishment for the said offences is imprisonment for a period of seven years. Therefore, I am of the opinion that the petitioner's prayer for grant of anticipatory bail is required to be answered affirmatively. 7. Accordingly, the following: - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC:13570 CRL.P No. 3816 of 2025 ORDER The Criminal Petition is allowed. The respondent - Police or any other police in the State of Karnataka are directed to release the petitioner in the event of his arrest in Crime No.129/2024 registered by Viveknagar Police Station, Bengaluru City for the offences punishable under Sections 408, 416, 420 & 120(B) of IPC subject to the following conditions: 1. The petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer in the present case within fifteen days from the date of this order on executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with one surety for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer/jurisdictional Court. 2. The petitioner shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. 3. The petitioner shall not tamper with the prosecution witness and he shall co-operate with the Police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon. - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC:13570 CRL.P No. 3816 of 2025 4. The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE NMS