- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:17748 CRL.P No. 5200 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 29TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 5200 OF 2025 BETWEEN: MANOJ S/O VEERABHADRAPPA, AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, R/AT MALLATHAHALLI VILLAGE, KASABA HOBLI, DODDABALLAPURA TALUK, BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT - 561 203 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. MANJUNATH N.D., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE BY DODDABALLAPURA WOMEN P.S REPRESENTED BY ITS SPP OF HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BANGALORE - 560 002 2. XXX …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. WAHEEDA .M.M., HCGP FOR R1 NOTICE TO R2 H/S V/O DTD: 29/04/2025) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC PRAYING TO RELEASE THE HIM ON BAIL IN CR.NO.177/2024 OF DODDABALLAPURA WOMEN POLICE, PENDING ON THE FILE OF ADDL. DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, FTSC-1 BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT BENGALURU FOR THE OFFENCE PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION 137(2) AND 352(2) OF THE BNS, SECTION 8 AND 12 OF THE POCSO ACT AND SECTION 67(B) OF THE IT ACT. THIS CRL.P, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: Digitally signed by NANDINI D Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:17748 CRL.P No. 5200 of 2025 CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Accused in Crime No.177/2024 registered by Doddaballapura Women Police Station, Bengaluru Rural District, for offences punishable under Sections 137(2), 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short, 'BNS'), Section 12 and 8 of Protection of Children from Sexual offenses Act, 2012, Section 67(B) of the Information Technology Act, 2008, is before this Court under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (for short 'BNSS') seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and learned HCGP for respondent No.1. Respondent No.2 is served in the matter has remained unrepresented before this Court. 3. FIR in Crl.No.177/2024 was registered by Doddaballapura Women Police Station, Bangalore Rural District, against the petitioner herein for the aforesaid offences, based on the first information dated 04.11.2024 received from respondent No.2, who is the father of the victim girl, aged 16 years. - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:17748 CRL.P No. 5200 of 2025 4. During the course of investigation of the case, petitioner herein was arrested on 11.11.2024. The investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet has been filed against him for the aforesaid offences. His bail application filed before the Jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.321/2025 was rejected on 10.03.2025, therefore, he is before this Court. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that petitioner is a youngster who has no criminal antecedent. Maximum punishment for alleged offences is imprisonment for a period of 7 years. Accordingly, prays to allow the petition. 6. Per contra, learned HCGP has opposed the petition and submits that serious allegations are found against the petitioner. Accordingly, prays to dismiss the petition. 7. First information is submitted by the father of the victim girl alleging that petitioner was following his minor daughter, who was attending college and was pestering her to love him. On 04.11.2024, first informant's acquaintance one Vijay Kumar had shown the photographs of the minor daughter with the accused and informed the first informant that the said - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:17748 CRL.P No. 5200 of 2025 photographs were forwarded to him by the accused. It is under the said circumstances, after enquiring with his minor daughter, first informant had approached the police. 8. During the course of the investigation, petitioner herein was arrested on 11.11.2024. Investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet has been filed. As per the charge sheet allegation, the petitioner was pestering the victim girl to love him and he allegedly had taken the victim girl to the house of CW5 and in the said house, he had asked the victim girl to undress herself and thereafter, he also had removed his dress and had clicked his photo along with the victim girl and thereafter, he was threatening the victim girl stating that he would show the photographs to her father. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against the petitioner for the offenses punishable under Sections 137(2), 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short, 'BNS'), Section 12 and 8 of Protection of Children from Sexual offenses Act, 2012, Section 67(B) of the Information Technology Act, 2008. The maxim punishment for the alleged offenses is imprisonment for a period of 7 years. There is no allegation against the petitioner about the committing any penetrative - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC:17748 CRL.P No. 5200 of 2025 sexual assault on the victim girl. Undisputedly, the petitioner has no other criminal antecedent. Considering the nature of allegations found as against him in the charge sheet and since he is in custody from 11.11.2024, 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.177/2024 registered by Doddaballapura Women Police Station, Bengaluru Rural District, for offences punishable under Sections 137(2), 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short, 'BNS'), Section 12 and 8 of Protection of Children from Sexual offenses Act, 2012, Section 67(B) of the Information Technology Act, 2008, subject to the following conditions: a) The 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; - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC:17748 CRL.P No. 5200 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 BH List No.: 1 Sl No.: 40