- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:18963 CRL.P No. 5132 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 5TH DAY OF JUNE, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 5132 OF 2025 BETWEEN: RAMANNA, S/O MALLAIAH, AGED 30 YEARS, R/AT MALAYANURU VILLAGE, KUNDURPI MANDALAM, KALYANADRUGA TALUK, ANANTHPURA DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH – 515 766. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. MANJUNATH B R., ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA, BY PARASURAMPURA POLICE STATION, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT, REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT.WAHEEDA M.M, HCGP) THIS CRL.P. IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.P.C. (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE HIM ON BAIL IN CR.NO.178/2024 OF PARASHURAMPURA P.S. CHITRADURGA Digitally signed by KAVYA R Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:18963 CRL.P No. 5132 of 2025 DISTRICT WHICH HAS BEEN REGISTERED FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 103(1) OF BNS PENDING ON THE FILE OF PRL.CIVIL JUDGE (SR.DN) AND C.J.M COURT CHALLEKRE CHITRADURGA. 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 No.1 in Cr.No.178 of 2024 registered by Parasuramapura police station, Chitradurga, for offences punishable under Sections 103(1), 49, 3(5) of BNS, 2023 is before this Court under Section 483 of the BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. F.I.R. in Crime No.178 of 2024 was registered by Parasuramapura Police Station, Chitradurga, initially for the offence punishable under Section 103(1) of BNS, 2023 based on the first information dated 18.12.2024 received from Nagaraja.N brother of the deceased Geetharaja. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:18963 CRL.P No. 5132 of 2025 4. During the course of the investigation of the case, petitioner herein was arrested on 21.12.2024. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed and petitioner is arraigned as accused No.1 in the charge sheet. Bail application filed by the petitioner before the Jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.Nos.95/2025 was rejected on 28.02.2025. Therefore, the petitioner is before this Court. 5. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that FIR was initially registered against unknown persons after the dead body of deceased Geetharaja was found on 19.12.2024. In the first information which is submitted by brother of the deceased Geetharaja, he has stated that on 19.12.2024 at about 8.00.p.m., when he tried to contact Geetharaja over his mobile phone, he found that Geetharaja's mobile phone was switched off. Thereafter, his friend informed him that somebody had committed the murder of his brother Geetharaja and the dead body was lying near Nagapannahalli gate within the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:18963 CRL.P No. 5132 of 2025 jurisdiction of Parasuramapura police station. Immediately thereafter first informant went to the said spot and after seeing the dead body of his brother Geetharaja, on 20.12.2024, at about 1.30 hours he had approached police and filed the first information, based on which FIR was registered against unknown persons. During the course of investigation, the petitioner was arrested on 21.12.2024. Investigation is completed and charge sheet has been filed against four persons. 6. In the charge sheet, it is alleged that deceased Geetharaja had illicit relationship with CW.11 Smt.Susheela.N and he was also teasing CW.12 who is the daughter of accused No.4-Sudhamma. It is under these circumstances, accused No.4 allegedly had instigated accused Nos.1 to 3 to commit the murder of deceased Geetharaja and in furtherance of such conspiracy, accused Nos.1 to 3 allegedly had assaulted the deceased Geetharaja with a machet on 19.12.2024. Undisputedly, the entire case of the prosecution is based on - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:18963 CRL.P No. 5132 of 2025 circumstantial evidence. Investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet has been filed. Petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. Allegations made against accused persons are required to be proved in a full fledged trial. Accused No.4 is already granted regular bail by the jurisdictional Sessions Court. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that petitioner's prayer 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 Crime No.178 of 2024 of Parasurampura Police Station, Bengaluru, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 103(1), 49, 3(5) of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: a) The petitioner shall execute 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; - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:18963 CRL.P No. 5132 of 2025 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; 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 rv List No.: 1 Sl No.: 46