- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8270 CRL.P No. 16279 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 11TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 16279 OF 2025 [(438(Cr.PC) / 482(BNSS)] BETWEEN: 1. SRI. RAVI S/O MUNIYAPPA, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, 2. SRI.TEJAS, S/O RAVI, AGED ABOUT 19 YEARS, 3. SMT.PAVITHRA, W/O RAVI, AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS, ALL ARE R/AT: MALLASANDRA VILLAGE, KASABA HOBLI, HOSAKOTE TALUK, BENGALURU -560 067. …PETITIONERS (BY SMT. NIREEKSHANA K. EDA, ADVOCATE) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY THIRUMALASHETTIHALLI POLICE STATION. BENGALURU - 560 117, REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. MOHD. AYUB ALI, ADDITIONAL SPP) Digitally signed by LAKSHMINARAYANA MURTHY RAJASHRI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8270 CRL.P No. 16279 of 2025 THIS CRL.P IS FILED UNDER SECTION 438 CR.P.C (UNDER SECTION 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO PASS AN ORDER TO GRANT ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN CRIME NO.198/2025 OF THIRUMALASHETTIHALLI POLICE STATION AT BENGALURU, PENDING BEFORE THE ADDITIONAL CIVIL JUDGE (JR.DN.) AND JMFC COURT, HOSAKOTE AT BENGALURU DISTRICT TO RELEASE THEM ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN THE EVENT OF THEIR ARREST FOR THE OFFENCE PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 108 OF BNS, 2023. 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 Nos.1, 2 and 4 under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagrika Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 praying to grant anticipatory bail in Crime No.198/2025 of Tirumalashettahalli Police Station registered for offence punishable under Section 108 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 2. Heard learned counsel for petitioners and learned Additional State Public Prosecutor for respondent - State. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8270 CRL.P No. 16279 of 2025 3. Learned counsel for petitioners would contend that, petitioner No.1/accused No.1 is the cousin of the deceased - Gowramma and he brought the deceased to her village and got her ancestral property and helped them in constructing the house. Petitioners Nos.1 and 2/accused Nos.1 and 2 were accused in Crime No.91/2025. They are cooperating with the Investigating Officer in the investigation. The petitioners have not abetted the deceased to commit suicide. The petitioners are ready to cooperate with the Investigating Officer in the investigation and abide by any conditions to be imposed by this Court. Petitioner No.3/accused No.4 is a woman. With these, she prayed to allow the petition. 4. Per contra, learned Additional State Public Prosecutor for respondent would contend that, petitioner Nos.1 and 2 are accused Nos.1 and 2 in Crime No.91/2025 of Tirumalashettahalli Police Station, registered for offence under Section 108 of BNS. In the said case, the daughter of Gowramma had committed suicide and case has been - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8270 CRL.P No. 16279 of 2025 registered against them for abetting the suicide of the daughter of Gowramma namely Geethanjali. Petitioner Nos.1 and 2 were arrested in the said Crime No.91/2025 and after grant of bail to them, they were harassing the deceased and threatening her. Petitioners Nos.1 and 2 are having criminal antecedents. Petitioners Nos.1 and 2 are required for custodial interrogation. Petitioner No.3/accused No.4 who is the second wife of petitioner No.1/accused No.1 also abused the deceased and gave her mental harassment. With these, he prayed for dismissal of the petition. 5. Having heard the learned counsels appearing for parties, the Court has perused the FIR, complaint and other materials placed on record. 6. On the complaint filed by one Sri. Muniyappa, the husband of deceased Gowramma, a case came to be registered against the petitioners and another in Crime No.198/2025 of Tirumalashettahalli Police Station, for - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8270 CRL.P No. 16279 of 2025 offence under Section 108 of BNS. It is alleged that the petitioners and accused No.3 - Jayaram harassed the deceased Gowramma mentally and physically and threatened her and therefore she committed suicide. Prior to this, the daughter of Gowramma namely Geethanjali has committed suicide. In that regard, a case has been registered against petitioners Nos.1 and 2 in Crime No.91/2025 in Tirumalashettahalli Police Station for offence under Section 108 of BNS. In the said case, the petitioner Nos.1 and 2 were arrested. Subsequently, they have been granted bail. In the complaint, it is alleged that after petitioner Nos.1 and 2 were granted bail in the earlier case, petitioners Nos.1 and 2 were threatening the deceased stating that he will call the rowdies. Accused No.1 further stated that, when the house of petitioner No.1 was burnt, he alleged that the deceased had put fire to his house and made false propaganda. Petitioner No.1 was threatening the deceased that he will put her photo stating that she has put fire to his house and upload in the - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8270 CRL.P No. 16279 of 2025 facebook. Petitioner No.3/accused No.4 and accused No.3 namely Jayaram were also abusing the deceased in filthy language and were harassing her. 7. Considering the above aspects, petitioners Nos.1 and 2 are having criminal antecedents involved in Crime No.91/2025 of similar offence wherein Geethanjali - the daughter of deceased Gowramma committed suicide. Considering the said aspect, petitioner Nos.1 and 2 are not entitled for grant of discretionary relief of anticipatory bail. 8. Petitioner No.3/accused No.4 is a woman and there are no such serious allegations against her and she is not having any criminal antecedents. Considering the same, petitioner No.3/accused No.4 is entitled for grant of anticipatory bail with conditions. In the result, the following; ORDER The Criminal Petition filed by petitioner Nos.1 and 2/accused Nos.1 and 2 is dismissed. - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8270 CRL.P No. 16279 of 2025 The Criminal Petition filed by petitioner No.3/accused No.4 is allowed. The petitioner No.3/accused No.4 is granted anticipatory bail in Crime No.198/2025 of Tirumalashettahalli Police Station and is ordered to be released on bail in the event her arrest, subject to following conditions: i) Petitioner No.3/accused No.4 shall voluntarily appear before the Investigating Officer within 15 days from this day and execute bail bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with one surety for the like-sum to the satisfaction of the Investigating Officer. ii) Petitioner No.3/accused No.4 shall cooperate with the Investigating Officer in investigation. iii) Petitioner No.3/accused No.4 shall appear before the Investigating Officer whenever called for. iv) Petitioner No.3/accused No.4 shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8270 CRL.P No. 16279 of 2025 threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case, so as to dissuade her from disclosing such facts to the Court or to any Police Officer or tamper with the evidence. v) In case of filing of the charge sheet, Petitioner No.3/accused No.4 shall appear before the trial Court on all dates hearing unless exempted and cooperate for speedy disposal of the case. Sd/- (SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR) JUDGE KLV List No.: 1 Sl No.: 70