- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:12020 CRL.P No. 116 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 20TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 116 OF 2025 BETWEEN: MR. MANUKUMAR M @ MANU S/O MUNIVENKATAPAP AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS R/AT SOMASETTIHALLI VILALGE NEAR MARAMMA TEMPLE CHIKKABANAVARA POST BENGALURU - 560 090. …PETITIONER (BY SRI S.SHEHINSHA ALI, ADV.) AND: STATE BY KARNATAKA BY DODDABELAVANGALA POLICE STATION DODDABALLAPURA, BANGALORE RURAL DISTRICT, KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI K.NAGESHWARAPPA, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.439 (FILED U/S.483 BNSS) CR.P.C PRAYING TO ENLARGE HIM ON BAIL IN CRIME NO.101/2024 IN FIR REGISTERED AT DODDABELAVANGAL POLICE STATION DODDABALLAPURA BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT FOR THE OFFENCE P/US/ 342,394,395,397 OF IPC PENDING BEFORE THE HO NBLE ADDL. CIVIL JUDGE (Jr.Dn.) AND JMFC COURT, DODDABALLAPURA BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT WITH C.C.NO.5003/2024. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: Digitally signed by NANDINI MS Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:12020 CRL.P No. 116 of 2025 CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused no.5 in Crime No.101/2024 registered by Doddabelavangala Police Station, Bengaluru District, for the offences punishable under Sections 342, 394, 395, 397 of IPC, is before this Court under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned Counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.101/2024 was registered by Doddabelavangala Police Station, Bengaluru District, initially for the offence punishable under Section 397 IPC against unknown persons based on the first information dated 31.05.2024 received from Sohan Shetty, S/o Shankar Shetty who is one of the injured victim in the present case. During the course of investigation, petitioner herein was arrested on 30.09.2024. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against five persons and petitioner is arrayed as accused no.5 in the charge sheet. Bail application filed by the petitioner before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl. Misc. - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:12020 CRL.P No. 116 of 2025 No.10217/2024 was rejected on 09.12.2024. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Learned Counsel for the petitioner having reiterated the grounds urged in the petition, submits that investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet has been filed. Petitioner's custody is no more required. Petitioner is an youngster and his incarceration at pre-trial stage, will have a serious impact on his future life. Trial in the case is not yet commenced. Accordingly, he prays to allow the petition. 5. Per contra, learned HCGP has opposed the petition. He submits that petitioner is a person with criminal antecedents and he was found with other accused persons who are involved in committing similar offences. He submits that the accused persons who had abducted the victims, had thereafter drawn huge amount from the bank using the ATM card of the victims. Accordingly, he prays to dismiss the petition. 6. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that accused nos.1 to 4 are all persons with criminal antecedents and petitioner is an acquaintance of accused no.1 who is involved in 15 other criminal cases and most of the said cases - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:12020 CRL.P No. 116 of 2025 are of similar nature. In the alleged incident, the accused persons having abducted the victims, have assaulted them with deadly weapons causing blood oozing injuries and by criminally intimidating them, money was drawn from their bank account and certain money also was transferred using phonepe. Thereafter, the accused persons have shared the money amongst themselves and had released the victims. The alleged offences are punishable with life imprisonment and petitioner is a person with criminal antecedents. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that petitioner's prayer for grant of regular bail cannot be considered at this stage. Accordingly, petition is dismissed. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE KK