- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:10350 CRL.P No. 103005 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 18TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 103005 OF 2025 (439(CR.PC)/483(BNSS)) BETWEEN: RAMANNA MUDUGAL BILLI, AGE. 43 YEARS, OCC. DRIVER, R/O. INDRA NAGAR, KARATAGI, TQ. KARATAGI, DIST. KOPPAL. … PETITIONER (BY SRI. RAKESH M. BILKI, ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, DHARWAD, THROUGH KARATAGI POLICE STATION, DIST. KOPPAL. … 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 ALLOW THE PETITION FILED UNDER SECTION 439 OF CR.P.C./483 OF BNSS AND ENLARGE THE PETITIONER (ACCUSED) ON BAIL IN S.C. NO.64/2023 (CRIME NO.03/2023), PENDING ON THE FILE OF COURT OF THE I ADDL. DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, KOPPAL SITTING AT GANGAVATHI FOR AN OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 498A AND 302 OF IPC. RAKESH S HARIHAR Digitally signed by RAKESH S HARIHAR Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DHARWAD BENCH - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:10350 CRL.P No. 103005 of 2025 THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, ORDER IS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.VISHWAJITH SHETTY) 1. The accused in S.C. No.64/2023 pending before the Court of the First Additional District and Sessions Judge, Koppal, sitting at Gangavathi, arising out of Crime No.3/2023 registered by Karatagi Police Station, Gangavathi Rural Circle Koppal District for the offence punishable under Section 498-A and 302 of the IPC, is before this Court under Section 483 of the BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is in custody from 02.01.2023 onwards. All the witnesses have been examined in the present case and the petitioner’s custody is no more required. He is required to take care of his minor children. Accordingly, he prays to allow the petition. 3. Per contra, learned HCGP opposed the petition and submits that there are eye-witnesses to the incident in question and all of them have supported the case of the prosecution. The - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:10350 CRL.P No. 103005 of 2025 case is at the stage of recording the statement of the accused under Section 313 of the Cr.P.C. Accordingly, she prays to dismiss the petition. 4. FIR in the present case has been registered against the petitioner based on the first information dated 02.01.2023 submitted by the brother of the deceased, Dyamavva, who is the wife of the petitioner. During the course of investigation, the petitioner was arrested on 02.01.2023 and subsequently remanded to the judicial custody. After completing the investigation, charge sheet has been filed against him for the aforesaid offences. CW13 to CW18 are the eye-witnesses to the incident in question, in which the petitioner had assaulted his wife with a wooden club and had committed her murder. According to the prosecution, all eye-witnesses have supported the case of the prosecution. The said submission is not seriously disputed by the petitioner. It is also not in dispute that the case before the trial Court is at the stage of recording the statement of the accused under Section 313 of the Cr.P.C. 5. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that, it is not a fit case to enlarge the petitioner on regular bail at this - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:10350 CRL.P No. 103005 of 2025 stage, and if the trial Court is requested to expedite the trial and dispose of the main case on merits expeditiously, the same would serve the ends of justice. Accordingly, the following: ORDER (i) The Criminal Petition is dismissed. (ii) The trial Court is requested to expedite the trial and dispose of the main case on merits as expeditiously as possible, but not later than a period of three months from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order, provided, the accused cooperates for expeditious disposal of the case. Sd/- (S.VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE VNP / CT: BCK LIST NO.: 1 SL NO.: 34