- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:43216 CRL.P No. 12996 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 29TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12996 OF 2025 [(438(Cr.PC) / 482(BNSS)] BETWEEN: SRI. SRINIDHI V.R. S/O. S. RAMANNA, AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS, R/AT. VABASANDRA VILLAGE, JIGANI HOBLI, ANEKAL TALUK, BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT - 560 105. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SANDESH J. CHOUTA, SENIOR COUNSEL ALONG WITH SRI. DEPAK M., ADVOCATE) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY JIGANI POLICE STATION, ANEKAL TALUK. REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BUILDING, BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT. PUSHPALATH B., ADDITIONAL SPP FOR R1; SRI. N. VISHWANATH, ADVOCATE FOR DEFACTO COMPLAINANT) THIS CRL.P IS FILED UNDER SECTION 438 OF CR.P.C (UNDER SECTION 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS PETITION AND ORDER TO RELEASE OF THE PETITIONER ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN CRIME NO.128/2025 ARISING OUT OF Digitally signed by LAKSHMINARAYANA MURTHY RAJASHRI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:43216 CRL.P No. 12996 of 2025 PCR NO.345/2025 REGISTERED BY THE JIGANI POLICE STATION, FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), 338 AND 61 OF BNS, 2023, PENDING BEFORE THE III ADDITIONAL CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC, ANEKAL. THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR ORAL ORDER This petition is filed by accused No.1 under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagrika Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 praying to grant anticipatory bail in Crime No.128/2025 of Jigani Police Station registered for offences punishable under Sections 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), 338 and 61 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 2. Heard the learned Senior Counsel for petitioner and learned Additional State Public Prosecutor for respondent - State who is assisted by the learned counsel for defacto complainant. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:43216 CRL.P No. 12996 of 2025 3. Learned Senior Counsel for petitioner would contend that, accused Nos.2 and 3 who are similarly placed to that of the petitioner have been granted anticipatory bail by the Sessions Court. After granting interim anticipatory bail by this Court vide order dated 25.09.2025, the petitioner appeared before the Investigating Officer on 30.09.2025 and executed bond and furnished surety. The petitioner has filed a suit prior to filing of the private complaint suppressing the filing of the suit in the averments of the complaint. The relief sought in the said suit is for cancellation of Gift Deeds stated to have been created by the petitioner and other accused. The private complaint filed by the complainant has been referred to the Police for investigation and on that basis, a case has been registered against the petitioner and two other accused in Jigani Police Station in Crime No.128/2025 for the aforesaid offences. The order of reference of the private complaint to the police for investigation has been challenged by accused No.2 in the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:43216 CRL.P No. 12996 of 2025 Criminal Petition and the order of reference has been stayed in the said proceedings. The offences alleged against the petitioner are of civil in nature. The petitioner is ready to cooperate with the police in investigation. The offences alleged against the petitioner are not punishable either with death or imprisonment for life. With these, he prayed to allow the petition. 4. Learned Additional State Public Prosecutor for respondent - State who is assisted by the learned counsel for defacto complainant would contend that, the petitioner is having a major role in creating two Gift Deeds in collusion with accused Nos.2 and 3 in respect of property worth more than 200 crores belonging to the complainant. Prior to filing of the suit, the complainant has approached the Police and the Police did not take any action and therefore, he filed a private complaint. The presence of the petitioner is required for investigation. The petitioner has not cooperated with the police by furnishing his specimen signature which is required for investigation. The offence - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:43216 CRL.P No. 12996 of 2025 alleged against the petitioner is a heinous offence of creating fake and forged documents of the property worth more than 200 crores. If the petitioner is granted anticipatory bail, he will hamper the investigation and tamper the prosecution witnesses. With these, she prayed for dismissal of the petition. 5. Having heard the learned counsels appearing for the parties, the Court has perused the FIR, complaint and other materials placed on record. 6. One Sri. Padmanabha Rao has filed a complaint against the petitioner and two others in P.C.R.No.345/2025 and the said complaint came to be referred to the Police for investigation. On receipt of the complaint, the Police registered a case in Crime No.128/2025 in Jigani Police Station for the aforesaid offences. The petitioner has been arrayed as accused No.1 in the said private complaint and FIR. The accusation in the said complaint is that, the accused persons in collusion with each other have created two Gift Deeds of the - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:43216 CRL.P No. 12996 of 2025 property belonging to the complainant by forging his signature and signature of his other family members and have got executed the said two Gift Deeds in the name of the petitioner. The complainant has challenged the said two Gift Deeds in a suit filed by him in O.S.No.721/2025 before the Principal Senior Civil Judge and JMFC., Anekal. The case of the complainant is based on documents. The presence of the petitioner is required only for the purpose of furnishing specimen signature for sending the same to expert. The offences alleged against the petitioner are not punishable either with death or imprisonment for life. The petitioner has undertaken to cooperate with the police in investigation and abide by the terms and conditions to be imposed by this Court. 7. Considering all the above aspects, the petitioner has made out a case for grant of anticipatory bail with conditions. In the result, the following; - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:43216 CRL.P No. 12996 of 2025 ORDER This Criminal Petition is allowed. The petitioner is granted anticipatory bail in Crime No.128/2025 of Jigani Police Station and is ordered to be released on bail in the event his arrest, subject to following conditions: i) The petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with one surety for the likesum to the satisfaction of the Investigating Officer. ii) The petitioner shall voluntarily appear before the Investigating Officer within 10 days from this day and execute bail bond and furnish surety. iii) The petitioner shall cooperate with the Police in investigation and make himself available for interrogation whenever required. iv) The petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer whenever called for. - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:43216 CRL.P No. 12996 of 2025 v) The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement of threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case, so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the Court or to any Police Officer. Sd/- (SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR) JUDGE KLV List No.: 1 Sl No.: 10