- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:15123 CRL.P No. 3118 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 13TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO.3118 OF 2026 (438(Cr.PC) / 482(BNSS)) BETWEEN: MR. SHABRINATH PATIL S/O ARAVIND VEERANGOUDAR PATIL, AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS, OCC.:ADVOCATE R/O NO.1326, INDIAN BANK ROAD, RANIBENNUR, HAVERI – 581 115. …PETITIONER (BY SRI SHIVAPRASAD SHANTANAGOUDAR, ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY GOVINDARAJA NAGAR POLICE REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU BENCH, BENGALURU – 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. B.N.JAGADEESHA, ADDL.SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.438 (FILED U/S.482 BNSS) CR.P.C., PRAYING THAT THIS HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENT/GOVINDARAJA NAGAR POLICE STATION, BENGALURU TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED NO.5 ON BAIL IN THE EVENT OF HIS ARREST IN CRIME NO.41/2026 REGISTERED Digitally signed by SANJEEVINI J KARISHETTY Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:15123 CRL.P No. 3118 of 2026 FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 8(c) R/W SEC.20(b), 22(a) OF NDPS ACT 1985 BENGALURU AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA ORAL ORDER Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Additional State Public Prosecutor for the respondent. 2. The petitioner, a practicing Advocate is at the doors of the Court seeking grant of anticipatory bail on the score that an application seeking anticipatory bail being turned down by the concerned Court in terms of its order dated 18.02.2026. 3. The petitioner gets embroiled in a crime in Crime No.41 of 2026, where the offences are punishable under Sections 20(b) and 8(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The petitioner is accused No.5. 4. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner Sri. Shivaprasad Shantanagoudar taking this Court through the documents appended to the petition would prima facie seek to demonstrate that the petitioner has been roped in as accused - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:15123 CRL.P No. 3118 of 2026 No.5 only on the voluntary statement of accused No.2. The petitioner had in fact appeared for accused No.2, in a proceeding against accused No.2 for the very same offences. Therefore, on the statement made by accused No.2, the petitioner is drawn into these proceedings. The learned counsel would further submit that all the other accused i.e., accused Nos.1 to 4 and 6 have been granted regular bail. If all the others have been granted regular bail, the petitioner is entitled to the anticipatory bail that he had sought for before the concerned Court. 5. In the light of the regular bail being granted to accused Nos.1 to 4 and 6, the petitioner, who is arraigned as accused No.5 is entitled to the grant of anticipatory bail, as observed hereinabove, which could not have been rejected by the concerned Court. Therefore, I deem it appropriate on the ground of parity, though the other accused have been granted regular bail, to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner. Hence, the following: - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:15123 CRL.P No. 3118 of 2026 ORDER a. The criminal petition is allowed. b. The petitioner is ordered to be released on bail in the event of his arrest in Crime No.41/2026, of Govindaraja Nagar Police Station, pending on the file of the XXXIII Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge and Special Judge (NDPS), Bengaluru, on the following conditions: (i) The petitioner shall execute a personal bond of a sum of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only) with two solvent sureties for the like-sum to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court. (ii) The petitioner shall not threaten or allure the prosecution witnesses in whatsoever manner. (iii) The petitioner shall appear before the jurisdictional Court on all future hearing dates, unless exempted by the concerned Court. (iv) The petitioner shall appear before the jurisdictional police once in 15 days and mark his presence. (v) The petitioner shall not get involved in similar offences. (vi) The petitioner shall not leave the territorial limits of the trial Court without prior permission of the trial Court. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:15123 CRL.P No. 3118 of 2026 (vii) The prosecution is at liberty to seek cancellation of bail, in the event of any violation, of the aforesaid conditions. SD/- (M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE SMJ; List No.: 4 Sl No.: 1