- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37976 CRL.P No. 12631 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 22ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MOHAMMAD NAWAZ CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12631 OF 2025 BETWEEN: RANGANATHA GOWDA AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, S/O. HALAPPA, R/AT RANGANATHAPURA, HUYIL DORE POST, BUKKAPATTANA HOBLI, SIRA TALUK, TUMKUR DISTRICT, KARNATAKA-572 115. …PETITIONER (BY SRI.: MAYUR D. BHANU, SHAMANTH GOWDA J. & CHARAN N.S., ADVOCATES) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY THE SHO, VIDYARANYAPURA POLICE STATION, REPRESENTED BY THE HCGP, HIGH COURT BUILDINGS, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU-560 001. 2. SMT. PUSHPA. C. H. AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS, C/O. HANUMANTHAIAH, R/AT NO.20, JEEVANANDA GROUND, GROUND FLOOR, 2ND CROSS, SRI ARCAD LAYOUT, R.R. SCHOOL, Digitally signed by LAKSHMI T Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37976 CRL.P No. 12631 of 2025 DB SANDRA, VIDYARANYAPURA, BENGALURU-560 097. (R2 DELETED VIDE ORDER DATED 17.09.2025) …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. K.NAGESHWARAPPA, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.439 (FILED U/S.483 BNSS) CR.P.C PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON REGULAR BAIL IN CRIME NO.244/2025 OF THE RESPONDENT NO.1 VIDYARANYAPURA POLICE STATION DATED 24.07.2025 REGISTERED FOR THE OFFENCE P/US/ 69,74,318(2) OF BNS 2023 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE LEARNED VII ADDL. CJM AT BENGALURU. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MOHAMMAD NAWAZ ORAL ORDER Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner, learned HCGP for the State and perused the material on record. 2. Petitioner is arrested and he is in judicial custody in connection with a case registered against him in Crime No.244/2025 of Vidyaranyapura Police Station, Bengaluru city, for the offences punishable u/s.318(2), 69 and 74 of BNS 2023. 3. A perusal of the complaint averments goes to show that the complainant and petitioner came into contact through - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37976 CRL.P No. 12631 of 2025 Face Book. Petitioner requested the complainant to share the space with her as a paying guest in the house where she was staying, agreeing to pay Rs.12,000/- per month. It is alleged that with a promise of marriage, petitioner committed sexual intercourse with the complainant, videographed the intimate scenes without her knowledge and started harassing for sex even though she refused, and physically assaulted her. It is further alleged that the petitioner, in all, received a sum of Rs.35,17,902/-, posing threat to her life, etc. and the cheque allegedly issued to the complainant by the petitioner for the aforesaid amount was dishonoured and he failed to arrange any funds in his account and thereby played fraud upon her, etc. 4. It is contended by the learned counsel for the petitioner that the entire allegations are nothing but figment of complainant's imagination and it is far from truth. The allegations are solely made with an intention to harass and extract money from the petitioner. The allegations are ominous in nature and are not specific and even if the entire allegations are believed, it do not fulfill the ingredients of the offence alleged against the petitioner. It is further contended that even earlier a complaint was lodged by the complainant on - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37976 CRL.P No. 12631 of 2025 28.03.2025 which was registered as LPT No.112/2025 by the Women Police Station, North East Division, Bengaluru city wherein she has stated that both of them met each other through Face Book in the year 2019 and their relationship turned into a love affair and the petitioner married her in Raghavendra Mutt. He contended that a cheque bounce case is filed by the complainant against the petitioner and to pressurize the petitioner, she has come up with a false case against him. 5. Learned HCGP contended that the investigation is at its inception and in the event of grant of bail to the petitioner, he may not co-operate with the investigation and he may threaten the complainant. He therefore prayed for dismissal of the petition. 6. A careful perusal of the complaint averments goes to show that the complainant and the petitioner have been acquainted since 2019. The allegations that with a false promise of marriage, the petitioner has subjected the complainant to sexual intercourse, etc, is a matter which has to be established in due course. In so far as the money transaction is concerned, it is not in dispute that a complaint - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37976 CRL.P No. 12631 of 2025 has been filed against the petitioner for dishonour of the cheque issued by him and the case is pending. The offence alleged to have been committed by the petitioner is between 01.01.2019 and 27.12.2024. Complaint is lodged against the petitioner on 24.07.2025. The complainant is aged about 54 years. The petitioner has undertaken to furnish adequate surety to ensure his regular presence before the jurisdictional court. In the facts and circumstances, further detention of the petitioner in custody is not necessary. Hence the following: O R D E R Petition is allowed. Petitioner/accused in Crime No.244/2025 of Vidyarangyapura Police Station, Bengaluru city registered for the offences punishable u/s.318(2), 69 and 74 of BNS 2023 shall be enlarged on bail, subject to following conditions: 1. He shall execute a 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:37976 CRL.P No. 12631 of 2025 2. He shall furnish proof of his residential address and shall inform the Court, if there is change in the address. 3. He shall not directly or indirectly tamper with the prosecution witnesses. 4. He shall not indulge himself in committing any offence. 5. He shall appear before the trial Court regularly on all dates of hearing. Violation of any of the condition shall result in cancellation of bail. Sd/- (MOHAMMAD NAWAZ) JUDGE Snb List No.: 1 Sl No.: 42