- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:11335 CRL.P No. 103367 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 4TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 103367 OF 2025 (439(CR.PC)/483(BNSS)) BETWEEN: VANDANA @ RANI RAHUT KOM. DONDAPPA REVANE, AGE. 40 YEARS, OCC. R/O. ASRA CHOUK, NEAR D-MART, KALYANNAGAR, TQ. SOLLAHPUR, STATE: MAHARASHTRA. … PETITIONER (BY SRI. SHAKTIPRASAD AKKI, ADVOCATE) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, THROUGH RAMANANGAR POLICE STATION, REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD BENCH, DHARWAD-580 011. … RESPONDENT (BY SMT. KIRTILATA R. PATIL, HCGP) THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED UNDER SECTION 439 OF CR.P.C. (UNDER SECTION 483 OF BNSS, 2023), PRAYING TO GRANT REGULAR BAIL TO THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED NO.6 IN CRIME NO.0023/2025 REGISTERED BY RAMNAGARA P.S. FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 143, 370, 149 OF IPC, SECTIONS 80 AND 81 JUVENILE JUSTICE (CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN ACT, 2015, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, ORDER IS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: RAKESH S HARIHAR Digitally signed by RAKESH S HARIHAR Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DHARWAD BENCH - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:11335 CRL.P No. 103367 of 2025 ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.VISHWAJITH SHETTY) Accused No.6 in Crime No.23 of 2025 registered by Ramanagara Police Station, Uttara Kannada District for offences punishable under Sections 143, 370, 149 of IPC and Sections 80 and 81 of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, 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.23 of 2025 was registered by Ramanagara Police Station, Uttara Kannada District for the aforesaid offences against Rajendra Metri and five others based on the first information dated 21.02.2025 received from Rukmadevi, Officer attached to District Children's Protection Unit, Uttara Kannada District. During the course of investigation of the case, petitioner herein was arrested on 26.06.2025 and remanded to judicial custody. Her bail application filed before the Jurisdictional Sessions Court in - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:11335 CRL.P No. 103367 of 2025 Criminal Miscellaneous No.5165 of 2025 was rejected on 28.07.2025. Therefore, she is before this Court. 4. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that in the first information submitted by the Officer attached to District Children's Protection Unit, Uttara Kannada District, it is averred that she had received a information that accused Nos.1 and 2, who are husband and wife had sold their two years old girl child to accused No.3 for a sum of Rs.4,50,000/- and accused Nos.4 to 6 had assisted accused Nos.1 to 3 to commit the aforesaid crime. It is under these circumstances, FIR in Crime No.23 of 2025 was registered by Ramanagara Police Station for the aforesaid offences against accused Nos.1 to 6. 5. Petitioner, who is arrayed as accused No.6 in the FIR was arrested on 26.06.2025 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed in the present case for the aforesaid offences against all the six accused named in the FIR. There is no - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:11335 CRL.P No. 103367 of 2025 such allegation either in the first information or in the charge sheet with an intention of exploiting their child, accused Nos.1 and 2 had sold their child to accused No.3. Petitioner herein is the younger sister of accused No.1 and she allegedly had introduced accused No.3 to accused Nos.1 and 2 and had assisted accused Nos.1 to 3 in the alleged crime committed by them. 6. Even if the allegations found in the first information as well as the charge sheet are presumed to be true, the necessary ingredients so as to invoke Section 370 of IPC is not found. So far as the offences punishable under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act is concerned, the maximum punishment for the said offences is imprisonment for a period of five years. Petitioner is a lady, aged about 40 years, having no criminal antecedent. Investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet has already been filed. Considering the nature of allegations found as against her and also having regard to the proviso to Section 480 of BNSS, 2023, I am of the opinion that her - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:11335 CRL.P No. 103367 of 2025 prayer for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following: ORDER Criminal petition is allowed. Petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.23 of 2025 registered by Ramanagara Police Station, Uttara Kannada District for offences punishable under Sections 143, 370, 149 of IPC and Sections 80 and 81 of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, subject to the following conditions: i. The petitioner – accused shall execute personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the like sum to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court; ii. The petitioner shall appear regularly on all the dates of hearing before the Trial Court unless the Trial Court exempts her appearance for valid reasons; - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:11335 CRL.P No. 103367 of 2025 iii. The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly threaten or tamper with the prosecution witnesses; iv. The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future; Sd/- (S.VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE RSH CT:BCK LIST NO.: 1 SL NO.: 22