- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21982 CRL.P No. 14318 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 22ND DAY OF APRIL, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN CRIMINAL PETITION NO.14318 OF 2025 (439(Cr.PC) / 483(BNSS)) BETWEEN: 1. VENKATARAMANASWAMY @ VENKATARAMANA S/O LATE NAGARAJA, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS, R/AT NO. 57, NEAR SRI YELLAMMA TEMPLE, 4TH CROSS, BELTUR, KADUGODI, BENGALURU-560067 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. BABU, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY SPP HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA HIGH COURT BUILDING PIN CODE-560001 …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. AYUB ALI KHAN, ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.P.C (U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN CR.NO.76/2025 DATED 20.02.2025 REGISTERED AT KADUGODI P.S., BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT PENDING BEFORE THE HON'BLE VI ADDITIONAL DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGALURU AND NOW CHARGE SHEET IN SC.NO.114/2025 FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 109(2),104,61(2),103(1),109(1) R/W 3(5) OF BNS. Digitally signed by GEETHA P G Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21982 CRL.P No. 14318 of 2025 THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.I.ARUN ORAL ORDER 1. Petitioner is accused no.1 in S.C.No.114/2025 pending on the file of VI Additional District and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru Rural District. He has been accused of committing offences punishable under Sections 103(1), 109(1) read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 2. The brief facts of the prosecution case are that sister of the petitioner namely, Arundathi, though she was married to accused no.2, left him and started living with the deceased Kishore Kumar. This was objected to by the accused persons. When the deceased Kishore Kumar and Arundathi went to the house of the petitioner herein on 20.02.2025, at about 09.15 a.m., there was a quarrel and it resulted in accused no.1/petitioner herein assaulting the said Kishore Kumar and Arundathi, by using the long machete. It resulted in both being severely injured and the said Kishore Kumar later died after being shifted to the hospital. Arundathi, who survived the - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21982 CRL.P No. 14318 of 2025 assault with grievous injury, gave her statement to the police, and subsequently died on 14.02.2026. It is also alleged that accused no.2 has caught hold of the deceased when he was being assaulted and thereby was directly responsible for the murder and that accused no.3 has abetted commission of the said offences by accused nos.1 and 2. All the accused have been arrested on 21.02.2025. Accused no.3 has been granted bail by the trial court while the bail application filed by the petitioner herein has been rejected. 3. The present petition is filed by the petitioner contending that he is not guilty of the offence committed. Even otherwise, it is submitted that the family dispute has resulted in the assault on the deceased Kishore Kumar and Arundathi; that it was not a premeditated murder; and that there was no intention on the part of the petitioner to kill either Kishore Kumar or Arundhati It is submitted that investigation is complete, police report has been filed and the case is set down for trial. It is further submitted that the petitioner is a respectable person and has co-operated in the investigation and is not in a position to influence the witnesses and he will - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21982 CRL.P No. 14318 of 2025 not jump the bail. It is also submitted that there are no surviving eye witnesses to the incident. For the said reason, it is prayed that the petitioner may be enlarged on bail. 4. Per contra, the learned Additional SPP for the respondent submits that the petitioner is a habitual offender. He further submits that there are two criminal cases pending against the petitioner. One relates to offences punishable under Sections 324, 307 and 504 of IPC and the other relates to an offence punishable under Section 20(B) of NDPS Act, both being investigated by Kadugodi Police Station. He also submits that even otherwise, the petitioner is accused of a grievous offence of an attempt to commit murder; that the offence has taken place in the residence of the petitioner; and that Arundathi prior to her death has recorded her statement before the police that the petitioner assaulted her and her fiancé Kishore Kumar. It is further submitted that the petitioner is likely to jump bail, if he is enlarged on bail. It is also submitted that he is a menace to the Society and that he is likely to threaten or unduly influence the witnesses, some of whom are brother of - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21982 CRL.P No. 14318 of 2025 the deceased Kishore Kumar and children of Arundathi. For the said reasons, it is prayed that the bail application be dismissed. 5. The question that arises for consideration in this petition is as to whether sufficient grounds are made out by the petitioner for grant of regular bail? 6. The offences alleged against the petitioner is one that of murder and an attempt to commit murder which are heinous crimes. Arundathi (CW.2), who is none other than sister of the petitioner, has recorded her statement before the Police that the petitioner has assaulted her and her fiancé Kishore Kumar due to which the said Kishore Kumar died. She has further stated that the incident happened in the residence of the petitioner. Learned Additional SPP further submits that there is recovery of the weapons used for commission of the crime. These aspects establish a prima facie case against the petitioner. Further, the petitioner is said to have been involved in two other criminal cases, out of which one relates to the offences punishable under Sections 324, 307 and 504 of IPC and the other relates to an offence punishable under Section 20(B) of the NDPS Act. It also demonstrates that the petitioner - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:21982 CRL.P No. 14318 of 2025 is a habitual offender. Further, given the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, there is a possibility of the petitioner trying to influence the witnesses as contended by the learned Additional SPP. Thus, in my opinion, the petitioner has failed to make out sufficient grounds for grant of regular bail. 7. For the aforementioned reasons, the Criminal Petition is hereby dismissed. Sd/- (M.I.ARUN) JUDGE hkh. List No.: 3 Sl No.: 4