- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:15507 CRL.P No. 4018 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 15TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 4018 OF 2025 BETWEEN: SRI DHEERAJ ALIS DHIRAJ RANA, S/O. ARVIND RANA, AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS, R/AT PS-BARKTTHA, CHHURTHARIKATIA, HAZARIBAGH, JHARKHAND-825 323. …PETITIONER (BY SRI PRASHANTH U.T, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE BY PULAKESHINAGAR P.S, REP. BY SPP, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU-560 005. 2. XXXX …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. PUSHPALATHA.B, ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.439 (FILED U/S.483 BNSS) CR.P.C TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON REGULAR BAIL IN CRIME NO.35/2025 FOR THE OFFENCE P/US/ 11(4),12,18 OF POCSO ACT 2013 REGISTERED BY THE IST RESPONDENT POLICE ON SUCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS THIS HONBLE COURT DEEMS FIT. Digitally signed by NANDINI R Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:15507 CRL.P No. 4018 of 2025 THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused in Cr.No.35/2025 registered by Pulakeshinagar Police Station, Bengaluru for the offences punishable under Sections 11(iv), 12 and 18 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (hereinafter referred to as 'POCSO Act' for short), is before this Court under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Additional SPP for respondent No.1-State. Respondent No.2 who is served is unrepresented before this Court. 3. FIR in Cr.No.35/2025 was registered by Pulakeshinagar Police Station, Bengaluru initially for the offences punishable under Sections 11(iv), 12 and 18 of the POCSO Act against the petitioner herein based on the - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:15507 CRL.P No. 4018 of 2025 First Information dated 02.02.2025 received from respondent No.2. During the course of investigation, the petitioner herein was arrested on 02.02.2025. After completion of investigation, charge sheet has been filed against the petitioner. His bail application filed before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.1311/2025 was rejected on 21.02.2025. Therefore, petitioner is before this Court. 4. A perusal of the material on record would go to show that allegation in the First Information as well as in the Charge sheet is that petitioner had clicked photographs of the victim girls in his mobile phone without their permission. During the course of investigation, the petitioner herein was arrested on 02.02.2025. Investigation is completed and charge sheet has been filed. The maximum punishment for the alleged offences is imprisonment for a period of 03 years. The petitioner aged 22 years having no criminal antecedents is in judicial custody since last 02 months. Considering the aforesaid - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:15507 CRL.P No. 4018 of 2025 aspects of the matter, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following:- ORDER The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Cr.No.35/2025 of Pulakeshinagar Police Station, Bengaluru registered for the offences punishable under Sections 11(iv), 12 and 18 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, subject to the following conditions: a) Petitioner shall execute personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with one surety, 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; - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC:15507 CRL.P No. 4018 of 2025 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 NR/- List No.: 1 Sl No.: 89