- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20362 CRL.P No. 7615 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 7618 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 12TH DAY OF JUNE, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 7615 OF 2025 C/W CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 7618 OF 2025 IN CRL.P No. 7615/2025: BETWEEN: 1. SHRAVAN Y GOWDA AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS R/AT 1E STREET, GD LAYOUT DODDABOMMASANDRA VIDHYARANYAPURA BENGALURU - 560 097. 2. SMT. LAVANYA PERIYAVARMA AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS R/AT SRIRI PG 2400/A 17TH 'B' MAIN, LIG 3RD STAGE B SECTOR, YELAHANKA NEW TOWN, BENGALURU - 560 064. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI S.K. KALLEGOWDA, ADV.) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA THROUGH YELAHANKA NEW TOWN POLICE STATION, BENGALURU REPTD. BY ITS S.P.P. HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT. ASMA KOUSER, ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.438 (FILED U/S.482 BNSS) CR.P.C PRAYING TO ENLARGE THME ON AN ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN CRIME Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20362 CRL.P No. 7615 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 7618 of 2025 NO.169/2025 OF YELAHANKA NEW TOWN POLICE STATION, BENGALURU FOR THE OFFENCE P/US/ 66(B) OF IT ACT 2000 AND SEC.316(4),318(3) R/W SEC.3(5) OF BNS 2023 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE 7th ADDL CMM COURT, BENGALURU BY DIRECTING THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER OF THE YELAHANKA TOWN POLICE STATION, BENGALURU CITY TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER IN THE EVENT OF THEIR ARREST IN RESPECT OF THE AFORESAID CASE. IN CRL.P NO. 7618/2025: BETWEEN: ASHA M GOTHE W/O SRINIVAS AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS NO.004, KALAPATRU MONARCH SHANBOUGH NARAYANAPPA LAYOUT, BHADRAPPA LAYOUT KOTI HOSAHALLI, BENGALURU - 560 092 CORRECT ADDRESS, 114, ANJANADRI NILAYA, VIRUPAKSHIPURA KODIGEHALLI, BENGALURU - 560 097. ...PETITIONER (BY SRI NATARAJU T, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY YELAHANKA NEW TOWN P.S. BENGALURU, REPTD. BY S.P.P. HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU - 560 001. ...RESPONDENT (BY SMT. ASMA KOUSER, ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE HER ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN CR.NO.169/2025 OF YELAHANKA TOWN P.S. BENGALURU FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 66(B) OF I.T ACT 2000 AND SEC.316(4),318(3) R/W 3(5) OF BNS 2023 PENDING ON THE FILE OF 7TH ADDL.C.M.M COURT BENGALURU BY DIRECTING THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER OF THE YELAHANKA NEW TOWN P.S. BENGALURU CITY TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER IN THE EVENT OF HER ARREST IN RESPECT OF THE AFORESAID CASE. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20362 CRL.P No. 7615 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 7618 of 2025 THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused Nos.1, 3 and 4 in Crime No.169/2025 registered by Yelahanka New Town Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Section 66(B) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Sections 316(4), 318(3) read with Section 3(5) of BNS, 2023, are before this Court in these two petitions filed under Section 482 of BNSSS, 2023, seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.169/2025 was registered by Yelahanka New Town Police Station, Bengaluru, for the aforesaid offences against petitioners and others based on the first information dated 15.04.2025 received from Anupama Buddharaju, authorized representative of a Partnership Firm known as 'Elements Landscape Architecture Urban Design and Planning Studio LLP'. Apprehending arrest in the case, petitioners herein had filed Crl.Misc.No.3505/2025 and Crl.Misc.No.3373/2025 - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20362 CRL.P No. 7615 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 7618 of 2025 before the jurisdictional Session Court which were rejected on 12.05.2025. Therefore, they are before this Court. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that petitioners are all qualified persons having no other criminal antecedents. The allegations against them is that they had committed theft of data from the Company in which they were working. Such an allegation is made only after the petitioners have resigned from the Company. Petitioners are ready and willing to cooperate with the police for the purpose of investigation. Accordingly, he prays to allow the petitions. 5. Per contra, learned Addl. SPP has opposed the petitions. She submits that serious allegations are found in the first information. The allegations against the petitioners is about committing data theft of the Company and by misusing the same, accused persons have made unlawful gain. She submits that considering the seriousness of allegations, custodial interrogation is necessary. 6. First information is submitted on 15.04.2025 by the first informant, who is allegedly the authorized representative of a - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20362 CRL.P No. 7615 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 7618 of 2025 Partnership Firm known as 'Elements Landscape Architecture Urban Design and Planning Studio LLP' alleging that petitioners, who were working in the partnership firm, for the period from September 2023 to January, 2025, committed theft of the data of the Company and have caused loss to the Company in which they were working. Learned counsel for the petitioners has produced material before this Court which would prima facie reflect that petitioners have submitted their resignation in the month of January, 2025. First information is submitted in the present case on 15.04.2025 though an statement is made in the first information that the firm was alerted by their internal team in the month of January, 2025 itself about the alleged act of theft committed by accused persons. Undisputedly, petitioners have no other criminal antecedents. They are all qualified persons working in the Partnership Firm. The alleged offences are triable by the Court of Magistrate. The maximum punishment for the alleged offences is imprisonment for a period of seven years. Petitioners have undertaken to cooperate with the police for the purpose of investigation. All the documents of the partnership firm is in the custody of the firm and petitioners, who have now resigned do not have - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20362 CRL.P No. 7615 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 7618 of 2025 access to the same. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioners for grant of anticipatory bail needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order:- 7. The petitions are allowed. The respondent - Police or any other police in the State of Karnataka are directed to release the petitioners in the event of their arrest in Crime No.169/2025 registered by Yelahanka New Town Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Section 66(B) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Sections 316(4), 318(3) read with Section 3(5) of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: 1. The Petitioners shall appear before the Investigating Officer within 15 days from the date of receipt of the copy of this order and shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- each with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer. 2. Petitioners shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:20362 CRL.P No. 7615 of 2025 C/W CRL.P No. 7618 of 2025 3. Petitioners shall not tamper with the prosecution witness and they shall co-operate with the police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon. 4. The petitioners shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE DN