- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8639 CRL.RP No. 1750 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 11TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL REVISION PETITION NO. 1750 OF 2025 BETWEEN: 1. SRI N.B. SEETHARAMU S/O SRI N.T. BANDAIAH AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE ENGINEER (NOW RETIRED) RESIDING AT #177, SRI RANGA KRUPA 6TH MAIN, 2ND BLOCK, R.T.NAGAR BENGALURU - 560 032. 2. SMT. N.E. KANTHAMANI @KANTHA S RAMU AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS W/O SRI N.B. SEETHARAMU. 3. SRI S. MANOHAR AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS S/O N.B SEETHARAMU. BOTH ARE RESIDING AT 177 SRI RANGA KRUPA, 6TH MAIN 2ND BLOCK, R.T.NAGAR BENGALURU - 560 032 REPRESENTED BY HIS GPA HOLDER SMT. N.E. KANTHAMANI. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI K.B. NAVEEN KUMAR, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY KARNATAKA LOKAYUKTHA POLICE STATION B.H ROAD, CHITRADURGA - 577 204 REPRESENTED BY SPP Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8639 CRL.RP No. 1750 of 2025 HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BANGALORE - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI B. LETHIF, SPL.PP) THIS CRL.RP IS FILED U/S 397 R/W 401 CR.PC (FILED U/S 438 R/W 442 BNSS) PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DTD 24.06.2025 PASSED IN SPL.C.NO.5/2019 ON THE FILE OF THE PRL. DIST AND SESSIONS JUDGE, CHITRADURGA.2. ALLOW THE INTERIM APPLICATIONS FILED BY PETITIONERS AND DIRECT THE RESPONDENTS TO RELEASE SB ACCOUNTS, FD ACCOUNTS LOAN ACCOUNTS, NSC BONDS AND LIC POLICIES. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Petitioners are before this Court in this Criminal Revision Petition filed under Section 397 read with Section 401 of Cr.P.C., with a prayer to set-aside the order dated 24.06.2025 passed in Spl. (PC) C. No.5/2019 by the Court of the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Chitradurga. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. Petitioner No.1 herein is charge sheeted before the Court of Special Judge at Chitradurga for the offences punishable under Section 13(1)(e) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the PC Act’ for short) and case is registered against him before - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8639 CRL.RP No. 1750 of 2025 the Special Court in Spl. (PC) C. No.5/2019. In the said proceedings, petitioners herein had filed three separate applications under Section 451 read with Section 457 of Cr.P.C. with prayers to defreeze their freezed bank accounts, release LIC bonds, FD receipts and such other documents as mentioned in the applications to their interim custody during the pendency of the case. The said applications were opposed by the prosecution by filing objections. The Trial Court by the impugned order dated 24.06.2025 had partly allowed all the three applications filed by the petitioners herein and has directed to defreeze the bank accounts of the petitioners but has rejected their prayer for release of LIC bonds and FD receipts to their interim custody. The said order has been questioned by the petitioners in this Criminal Revision Petition. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the Investigation Officer has seized certain title deeds with regard to immovable properties of accused No.1 along with LIC bonds, FD receipts etc. Some of the LIC bonds and FD receipts are already matured and some of them are likely to mature shortly - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8639 CRL.RP No. 1750 of 2025 and therefore, if the said policies and bonds are not released to the petitioners, they will be put to untold hardship. 5. Learned counsel for the respondent, on instructions, admits that the Investigation Officer has seized certain title deeds of the immovable property belonging to accused No.1. He submits that allegation against accused No.1 is that he possessed assets disproportionate to his known source of income to the tune of 46.83%. It is under these circumstances, LIC policies, FD receipts of the petitioners were seized. In the present case, the Trial Court has rightly rejected the prayer made by the petitioners to release the aforesaid documents in their favour. Accordingly, he prays to dismiss the petition. 6. The allegation against accused No.1, who is a public servant is that, he has amassed wealth disproportionate to his known source of income and he is possessing assets to the tune of 46.83% in excess and it is under these circumstances, he has been charge sheeted for the offences punishable under Section 13(1)(e) read with Section 13(2) of the PC Act. FIR in the present case was registered in the year 2014 and charge sheet was filed in the year 2019. Spl. (PC) C. No.5/2019 is - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8639 CRL.RP No. 1750 of 2025 pending before the Trial Court for the last more than six years. The material on record would go to show that case before the Trial Court is still at the stage of recording the evidence of PW1. It is not in dispute that prosecution has seized certain title documents of immovable properties of accused No.1, as against whom there is an allegation of possessing assets disproportionate to his known source of income to the tune of 46.83%. According to the petitioners, some of the LIC bonds and FD receipts have already matured and some of them are likely to mature shortly. If the prayer made in the applications filed by the petitioners to release LIC bonds and FD receipts, the particulars of which are mentioned in the applications, are not granted, they are likely to be put to hardship and loss, which cannot be compensated. Therefore, the Trial Court was not justified in rejecting the prayer made in the applications to release LIC bonds and FD receipts to their interim custody pending disposal of the case. I am of the opinion that if the petitioners are asked to execute necessary indemnity bond before the Trial Court undertaking to re-deposit the amount realized by them under the bonds, NSC certificates, FD receipts etc. which are released to their interim custody, subject to the - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8639 CRL.RP No. 1750 of 2025 outcome of Spl. (PC) C. No.5/2019 which is pending against accused No.1, the same would serve the ends of justice. Accordingly, the following:- ORDER (i) The Criminal Revision Petition is allowed. (ii) The impugned order dated 24.06.2025 passed in Spl. (PC) C. No.5/2019 by the Court of the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Chitradurga, is set aside and the prayer made in the applications filed by the petitioners under Section 451 read with Section 457 of Cr.P.C. to release the NSC bonds, LIC Bonds, FD receipts etc., particulars of which are given in the applications, to their interim custody, is allowed subject to petitioners executing indemnity bond before the Trial Court undertaking to re-deposit the amount realized by them from the LIC bonds, FD receipts etc., which are released to them, in the event, the accused No.1 suffers an adverse order in Spl. (PC) C. No.5/2019. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE DN/List No.: 1 Sl No.: 38