- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40946 CRL.A No. 1704 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 15TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 1704 OF 2025 (U/S 14(A) (2)-) BETWEEN: DARSHAN S/O NIJALINGAPPA AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS DRIVER R/AT SANGENAHALLI HIRIYUR TALUK CHITRADURGA DISTRICT 577599 …APPELLANT (BY SRI. S G RAJENDRA REDDY., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA HIRIYUR TOWN POLICE STATION CHITRADURGA DISTRICT REPTD. BY SPP HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU - 560001. 2. KENCHANNA @ KEMPANNA S/O JAYARAMANNA AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, R/AT DYAGERAHALLI VILLAGE, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT - 572137 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. M.R. PATIL, HCGP FOR R1, R2 SERVED AND UNREPRESENTED.) Digitally signed by LAKSHMINARAYAN N Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40946 CRL.A No. 1704 of 2025 THIS CRL.A. IS FILED U/S.14(A) (2) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT, 2015 PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS CRL. APPEAL AND SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 17.07.2025 PASSED BY THE SPECIAL 2ND ADDL. DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, CHITRADURGA IN SPL.C(POCSO) NO.142/2024 AND ETC. THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA ORAL JUDGMENT The appellant who is accused in Spl.C (Pocso) No.142/2024 has preferred this appeal against the rejection of bail application filed under Section 439 of Cr.P.C by Special II Addl. District and Sessions Judge, Chitradurga in Spl.C (POCSO) No.142/2024, dated 17.07.2025. 2. For the sake of convenience, the parties herein are referred to as per their status before the trial Court. 3. Brief facts leading to this appeal are that, on the basis of the complaint filed by the complainant, the Hiriyur Town police have registered the case in Crime No.191/2024 against the accused for the offences punishable under Section 3(2)(V), 3(2)(v-a) of SC/ST - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40946 CRL.A No. 1704 of 2025 (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and Section 4, 5(L), 5(j), 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Section 376(2)(n) and 506 of Indian Penal Code. 4. It is alleged by the prosecution that, the complainant filed a complaint on 31.07.2024 before the Hiriyur Town Police Station, Chitradurga Dist., alleging that she is a student studying in I PUC, and she came in contact with the Appellant while travelling in bus to the College, they exchanged phone numbers and there was regular chatting and messaging between them. On 01.01.2004 the Appellant met the victim and told her that he is in love with her. On 14.02.2024 the Appellant called the victim and asked her to come near KSRTC Bus Stand at Hiriyur, then he took her near Murgan Temple at Adivala Gollarahatti Village and threatened her that if she does not love him, he will die. On 20.04.2024 the Appellant took the victim to his relative's house at B.J.R. Extension in Hiriyur Town by saying that he will marry her - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40946 CRL.A No. 1704 of 2025 and committed sexual intercourse and also took her to Doddaghatta Forest area at Hiriyur Town and there are also he committed sexual intercourse on her 4-5 times and thereby she became pregnant. On 26.07.2024 when she informed the Appellant that she is pregnant and asked him to marry her, the Appellant refused and also abused her by touching her caste. Therefore, she requested the respondent police to take suitable action against the Appellant. 5. The appellant has filed bail application under Section 439 of Cr.P.C. The same came to be rejected. Being aggrieved by the order passed by the trial Court, the appellant has preferred this appeal. 6. Learned counsel for the appellant would submit that, there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the appellant has committed the offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life. The appellant has been falsely implicated by the complainant and other interested persons who have inimically disposed towards the - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40946 CRL.A No. 1704 of 2025 appellant by taking advantage of the alleged incident. Both victim girl and appellant were in love and both of them had physical relationship out of love and affection, there is no force threat or inducement to the complainant by the appellant. The complainant gives inconsistent and contradictory statements in her complaint, statements under Section 161 and 164 of Cr.P.C as well as evidence before the trial Court. It is purely a romantic relationship between two youngsters. There is no mens rea or criminal intention. Therefore, no offence is made out against the appellant. The trial Court has not properly appreciated the material on record. Hence, sought to allow this appeal. 7. I have examined the material placed before this Court, the investigating officer has already submitted the charge-sheet against the accused for the offences punishable under Section 3(2)(V), 3(2)(v-a) of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and Section 4, 5(L), 5(j), 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40946 CRL.A No. 1704 of 2025 (POCSO) and Section 376(2)(n) and 506 of Indian Penal Code. 8. In the charge-sheet, it is stated as under: F zÉÆõÁgÉÆÃ¥ÀuÉ ¥ÀnÖ PÁ®A £ÀA§gï 12gÀ°è PÀAqÀ DgÉÆævÀ£ÀÄ £ÉÆAzÀ ¨Á®Q ¸ÁQë-1 gÀªÀgÀÄ »jAiÀÄÆgÀÄ vÁ®ÆèPÀÄ ºÉƸÀºÀ½î UÁæªÀÄ¢AzÀ »jAiÀÄÆgÀÄ mË£ï UÉ ¦AiÀÄĹ «zÁå¨Áå¸À ªÀiÁqÀ®Ä §¹ì£À°è PÁ¯ÉÃfUÉ §AzÀÄ ºÉÆÃUÀÄwÛgÀĪÁUÀ ¥ÀjZÀAiÀÄ ªÀiÁrPÉÆAqÀÄ ¸ÁQë-1 gÀªÀgÀ ªÉƨÉÊ¯ï £ÀA§gï 8073644768, 8431242952 £ÀÄß ¥ÀqÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ DgÉÆæAiÀÄÄ §¼À¸ÀÄwÛzÀÝ ªÉƨÉÊ¯ï £ÀA§gï 9663342716 jAzÀ DUÁUÀ ªÀiÁvÁqÀÄvÁÛ ¥ÀjZÀAiÀÄ ªÀiÁrPÉÆAqÀÄ ¢£ÁAPÀ: 01.01.2024 gÀAzÀÄ ¸ÀAeÉ ¨ÉÃnAiÀiÁV ¸ÁQë-1 gÀªÀjUÉ ¦æÃw¸ÀĪÀÅzÁV ºÉý ¢£ÁAPÀ: 14.02.2024 gÀAzÀÄ ¸ÁQë-1 gÀªÀjUÉ ¥ÉÆÃ£ï ªÀiÁr »jAiÀÄÆgÀÄ mË£ï PÉ.J¸ï.Dgï.n.¹. §¸ï ¸ÁÖAqï ºÀwÛgÀ §gÀ®Ä ºÉý vÀ£Àß ¸ÉßûvÀ ¸ÁQë-5 gÀªÀgÀ KA-16 EK-2791 £Éà ¥À®ìgï ªÉÆÃmÁgï ¸ÉÊPÀ¯ï £À°è »jAiÀÄÆgÀÄ mË£ï PÉ.J¸ï.Dgï.n.¹. §¸ï ¸ÁÖAqï ºÀwÛgÀ §AzÀÄ ¸ÁQë-1 gÀªÀgÀ£ÀÄß PÀÆj¹PÉÆAqÀÄ D¢ªÁ® UÉÆ®ègÀºÀnÖ UÁæªÀÄzÀ §½ EgÀĪÀ ªÀÄÄgÀÄUÀ£ï zÉêÀ¸ÁÜ£ÀzÀ §½ PÀgÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ ºÉÆÃV ¦æÃwAiÀÄ£ÀÄß M¦àPÉƼÀî¢zÀÝgÉà K£ÁzÀgÀÆ ªÀiÁrPÉÆAqÀÄ ¸ÁAiÀÄÄvÉÛÃ£É JAzÀÄ ºÉý ªÀÄzÀÄªÉ DUÀĪÀÅzÁV £ÀA©¹ £ÀAvÀgÀ ¢£ÁAPÀ: 20.04.2024 gÀAzÀÄ ¨É½UÉÎ ¸ÁQë-1 gÀªÀjUÉ ¥sÉÆÃ£ï ªÀiÁr »jAiÀÄÆgÀÄ mË£ï UÉ PÀgɬĹPÉÆAqÀÄ ©.eÉ. Dgï §qÁªÀuÉAiÀÄ ¥ÀjZÀAiÀĸÀÜgÀ ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ°è AiÀiÁgÀÄ E®èzÉà EgÀĪÁUÀ PÀgÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ ºÉÆÃV ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ gÀÆ«Ä£À°è CªÀ½UÉ ªÀÄzÀÄªÉ DUÀĪÀÅzÁV £ÀA©¹ §®ªÀAvÀªÁV §mÉÖAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ©aÑ ¸ÀA¨ÉÆÃUÀ ªÀiÁr F «ZÁgÀªÀ£ÀÄß AiÀiÁjUÁzÀgÀÆ ºÉýzÀgÉ fêÀAvÀªÁV ©qÀĪÀÅ¢®èªÉAzÀÄ ¨ÉzÀjPÉ ºÁQzÀÝ®èzÉÃ, ¸ÁQë-1 gÀªÀjUÉ DUÁUÀ ¥sÉÆÃ£ï ªÀiÁr »jAiÀÄÆgÀÄ mË£ï UÉ PÀgɬĹPÉÆAqÀÄ KA-16 EK-2791 £Éà ¥À®ìgï ªÉÆÃmÁgï ¸ÉÊPÀ¯ï £À°è PÀÆj¹PÉÆAqÀÄ »jAiÀÄÆgÀÄ vÁ®ÆèPÀÄ zÉÆqÀØWÀlÖ UÁæªÀÄzÀ ¥sÁgɸïÖ UÉ PÀgÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ ºÉÆÃV 4-5 ¨Áj §®ªÀAvÀ¢AzÀ ¸ÀA¨ÉÆÃUÀ ªÀiÁrzÀÝjAzÀ ¸ÁQë-1 gÀªÀgÀÄ UÀ©ÃðtÂAiÀiÁVzÀÄÝ, ¢£ÁAPÀ: 26.07.2024 gÀAzÀÄ ¸ÁQë-1 ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ¸ÁQë-2 gÀªÀgÀÄ DgÉÆæUÉ ¥sÉÆÃ£ï ªÀiÁr UÀ©üðtÂAiÀiÁVgÀĪÀÅzÁV w½¹zÁUÀ ¤Ã£ÀÄ ªÀiÁrUÀ eÁwAiÀÄ QüÀÄ eÁwAiÀĪÀ¼ÀÄ ¤£ÀߣÀÄß ªÀÄzÀĪÉAiÀiÁUÀ®Ä DUÀĪÀÅ¢®è JAzÀÄ ºÉýzÀ®èzÉà ¸ÁQë-1 gÀªÀgÀÄ UÀ©üðtÂAiÀiÁUÀ®Ä PÁgÀt£ÁVgÀÄvÁÛ£ÉAvÁ vÀ¤SɬÄAzÀ zsÀÈqÀ¥ÀlÖ ªÉÄÃgÉUÉ ªÉÄîÌAqÀ PÀ®AUÀ¼À jÃvÁå DgÉÆævÀgÀ «gÀÄzÀÝ F ºÉZÀÄѪÀj zÉÆõÁgÉÆÃ¥ÀuÉAiÀÄ ¥ÀnÖ ¸À°è¹zÉ. 9. The age of the victim is shown as 17 years in the charge-sheet. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the appellant that the victim has attained the age of majority at the time of commission of offence. Whether - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40946 CRL.A No. 1704 of 2025 the victim comes under the definition of Section 2(d) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 has to be decided after full fledged trial. At this stage, it is not just and proper to express any opinion as to the age of the victim. The evidence of PW1/the victim was already recorded. The DNA test discloses that the victim and the accused are the biological father and mother of the fetus. The trial Court has properly appreciated the materials on record in accordance with law and facts. I do not find any error/illegality in the impugned order passed by the trial Court. Hence, I proceed to pass the following: ORDER Appeal is dismissed. Sd/- (G BASAVARAJA) JUDGE KBM., List No.: 1 Sl No.: 89