- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8904 CRL.A No. 20 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 12TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 20 OF 2026 BETWEEN: 1. PRKASH @ RICHARD LOBO S/O JON LOBO, AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS, PER/ADR: INDIRAGANDHI BADAVANE, KALLUDODDI, CHIKKAMAGALURU-577 101 R/ADR: THYVANA, ULUVALLI VILLAGE, SRINGERI, SANGATHI NAGARA, KALASA CHIKKAMAGALURU – 577 139. …APPELLANT (BY SRI. NAGENDRA B., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY SRINGERI P.S REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BANGALORE - 560 001. 2. NAVEEN N Y S/O NARAYANA, AGED ABOUT 26 YEARS, R/A. HOSKERE, NEMMURU VILLAG SRINGERI TALUK CHIKKAMGALURU DISTRICT-577139. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RAHUL RAI K., HCGP FOR R1; Digitally signed by MAHALAKSHMI B M Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8904 CRL.A No. 20 of 2026 R2 SERVED AND UNREPRESENTED) THIS CRL.A. IS FILED U/S 14(A)(2) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT, 2015 PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 21.02.2024 PASSED BY LEARNED I ADDL. DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT CHIKKAMAGALURU IN CRIME NO.68/2023 (SPL.C NO. 132/2023) PENDING ON THE FILE OF HTE I ADDL. DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT CHIKKAMAGALURU FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCES P/U/S 302, 201 OF IPC AND U/S 3(2)(v) OF SC/ST (PA) AMENDMENT ACT 2015 AND CONSEQUENTLY ENLARGED THE APPELLANT/ACCUSED ON REGULAR BAIL. THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA ORAL JUDGMENT The appellant has preferred this appeal against the order dated 21.02.2024 passed by the I Additional District and Sessions Judge, Chikkamagaluru in Special Case No.132/2023. 2. Brief facts leading to this appeal are that, on the basis of a complaint filed by Bharmappa Belagali, Sringeri Police registered a case in Crime No.68/2023 against the accused for the offences punishable under Sections 302, 201 of IPC and Section 3 (2) (v) of the - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8904 CRL.A No. 20 of 2026 Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015. After investigation, the Investigating Officer submitted the charge sheet against the accused for the aforesaid offences. The accused was arrested and produced before the Court and was remanded to judicial custody. 3. The appellant filed an application under Section 439 of Cr.P.C. seeking grant of bail. The same came to be rejected on 21.02.2024 by the I Additional District and Sessions Judge, Chikkamagaluru. Being aggrieved by the said order, the appellant has preferred this appeal. 4. I have heard the arguments on both sides and examined the material placed before this Court. 5. In the charge sheet, it is alleged as under: “±ÀÈAUÉÃj vÁ®ÆèPÀÄ, £ÉªÀiÁägÀÄ UÁæªÀÄzÀ ºÉƸÀÌgÉ ¸ÉÊn£À ªÁ¹AiÀiÁzÀ ¹qÀ§Æèå-1 gÀªÀgÀ vÁ¬ÄAiÀiÁzÀ D¢ PÀ£ÁðlPÀ eÁwUÉ ¸ÉÃjzÀ ªÀÄÈvÉ ²æêÀÄw ªÀ¸ÀAwAiÉÆA¢UÉ PÁ®A £ÀA. 12 gÀ°è, PÀAqÀ ªÉÄïÁÓwAiÀÄ Qæ²ÑAiÀÄ£ï eÁwUÉ ¸ÉÃjzÀ DgÉÆæAiÀÄÄ CPÀæªÀÄ ¸ÀA§AzsÀ «lÄÖPÉÆArzÀÄÝ, PÁ®A £ÀA. 12gÀ°è, PÀAqÀ DgÉÆæAiÀÄÄ ¢.17-03- - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8904 CRL.A No. 20 of 2026 2023 gÀAzÀÄ ¹qÀ§Æèöå-14 gÀªÀgÀ£ÀÄß ªÀÄzÀĪÉAiÀiÁVzÀÄÝ, DgÉÆævÀ£ÀÄ ªÀÄzÀĪÉAiÀiÁzÀ «ZÁgÀzÀ°è. ªÀÄÈvÉ ªÀ¸ÀAwAiÀÄÄ DgÉÆævÀ¤UÉ ¥ÀzÉà ¥ÀzÉà ¥sÉÇÃ£ï ªÀiÁr UÀ¯ÁmÉ ªÀiÁqÀÄwÛzÀÝjAzÀ DgÉÆæAiÀÄÄ ªÀÄÈvÉ ²æêÀÄw ªÀ¸ÀAwAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ºÉÃUÁzÀgÀÆ ªÀiÁr PÉÆ¯É ªÀiÁqÀ¨ÉÃPÉA§ GzÉÝñÀ¢AzÀ ¢£ÁAPÀ 29-03-2023 gÀAzÀÄ ¨É½UÉÎ ¸ÀĪÀiÁgÀÄ 10-00 UÀAmÉUÉ DgÉÆævÀ£ÀÄ ªÀÄÈvÉ ²æêÀÄw ªÀ¸ÀAwAiÀÄ ªÉƨÉʯï UÉ PÀgÉ ªÀiÁr ¸ÀAWÀPÉÌ ºÀt PÀlÖ®Ä PÉÆqÀÄvÉÛãÉ, ¤£Àß eÉÆvÉ ¸Àé®à ªÀiÁvÀ£ÁqÀ¨ÉÃPÀÄ vÁåªÀtzÀ PÀtÄÚPÀÄlÄè gÀ¸ÉÛUÉ §gÀĪÀAvÉ PÀgɹPÉÆAqÀÄ £ÀAvÀgÀ C¯Éè ¸À«ÄÃ¥À«gÀĪÀ ±ÀÈAUÉÃj vÁ®ÆèPÀÄ G¼ÀĪÀ½î, UÁæªÀÄzÀ ¸ÀªÉð £ÀA.63 gÀ ¸ÀPÁðj CgÀtå ¥ÀæzÉñÀPÉÌ PÀgÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ ºÉÆÃVzÀÄÝ, ªÀÄzsÁåºÀß ¸ÀĪÀiÁgÀÄ 12-30 jAzÀ 13-10 UÀAmÉAiÀÄ ªÀÄzsÀåzÀ CªÀ¢üAiÀÄ°è DgÉÆæUÀÆ ºÁUÀÆ ªÀÄÈvÉ ²æêÀÄw ªÀ¸ÀAwUÀÆ ªÀiÁwUÉ ªÀiÁvÀÄ ¨É¼ÉzÀÄ UÀ¯ÁmÉAiÀiÁVzÀÄÝ, DgÉÆævÀ£ÀÄ ²æêÀÄw ªÀ¸ÀAwAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¸Á¬Ä¸ÀĪÀ GzÉÝñÀ¢AzÀ PÉʬÄAzÀ ªÀÄÈvÀ¼À ªÉÄÊPÉÊUÉ ºÉÆqÉzÁUÀ ªÀÄÈvÀ¼À ¥ÉǰùUÉ ¥sÉÇÃ£ï ªÀiÁqÀÄvÉÛãÉAzÀÄ ºÉý ¥sÉÇãï vÉUÉzÀÄPÉÆAqÀÄ ¥sÉÇÃ£ï ªÀiÁqÀÄwÛgÀĪÁUÀ DgÉÆævÀ£ÀÄ vÀ£Àß §®PÉÊAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ªÀÄĶ×PÀnÖ §®ªÁV ²æêÀÄw ªÀ¸ÀAwAiÀÄ JqÀPÉ£ÉßUÉ ºÉÆqÉzÀÄ ²æêÀÄw ªÀ¸ÀAwAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¸Á¬Ä¹, F PÀÈvÀåªÀ£ÀÄß ªÀÄgɪÀiÁZÀĪÀ GzÉÝñÀ¢AzÀ ªÀÄÈvÉ ªÀ¸ÀAwAiÀÄ ªÀÄÈvÀzÉúÀªÀ£ÀÄß ºÉÆvÀÄÛPÉÆAqÀÄ ºÉÆÃV ¸À«ÄÃ¥ÀzÀ°è, ©¢ÝzÀÝ U˽ªÀÄgÀzÀ §ÄqÀzÀ°è ºÀÆvÀÄ ºÁQ ¸ÁPÀëåªÀ£ÀÄß £Á±ÀªÀiÁrgÀĪÀÅzÀÄ EzÀĪÀgÉV£À vÀ¤SɬÄAzÀ®Æ, ¸ÀܼÀzÀ «zÀåªÀiÁ£À¢AzÀ®Æ, ¸ÁQëzÁgÀgÀ ºÉýPɬÄAzÀ®Æ ºÁUÀÆ ¹.r.Dgï. «±ÉèõÀuɬÄAzÀ®Æ ¸Á©ÃvÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. «±ÉèõÀuɬÄAzÀ®Æ ¸Á©ÃvÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. ¹qÀ§Æèöå-1 gÀªÀgÀ vÁ¬ÄAiÀiÁzÀ ªÀÄÈvÉ ²æêÀÄw ªÀ¸ÀAwAiÀÄÄ ¥Àj²µÀÖ eÁwUÉ ¸ÉÃjzÀ D¢ PÀ£ÁðlPÀ eÁwUÉ ¸ÉÃjzÀªÀ¼ÉAzÀÄ UÉÆwÛzÀÝgÀÆ ¸ÀºÀ ªÉÄïÁÓwUÉ ¸ÉÃjzÀ DgÉÆævÀ£ÀÄ DPÉAiÉÆA¢UÉ CPÀæªÀÄ ¸ÀA§AzsÀ«lÄÖPÉÆAqÀÄ, £ÀAvÀgÀzÀ°è ªÀÄÈvÀ¼À£ÀÄß PÉÆ¯É ªÀiÁqÀĪÀ GzÉÝñÀ¢AzÀ PÁrUÉ PÀgɹPÉÆAqÀÄ PÉʬÄAzÀ ªÉÄÊPÉÊUÉ ºÉÆqÉzÀÄ £ÀAvÀgÀ §®PÉÌ ªÀÄĶ׬ÄAzÀ ªÀÄÈvÀ¼À JqÀPÉ£ÉßUÉ §®ªÁV ºÉÆqÉzÀÄ PÉÆ¯É ªÀiÁr, F PÀÈvÀåªÀ£ÀÄß ªÀÄgɪÀiÁZÀ®Ä ±ÀªÀªÀ£ÀÄß ªÀÄgÀzÀ §ÄqÀzÀ°è ºÀÆvÀÄ ºÁQgÀĪÀÅzÀÄ EzÀĪÀgÉV£À vÀ¤SɬÄAzÀ ¸Á©ÃvÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. DzÀÝjAzÀ ªÉÄîÌAqÀ PÀ®AUÀ¼À£ÀéAiÀÄ F zÉÆõÁgÉÆÃ¥Àt ¥ÀvÀæ vÀAiÀiÁj¹zÉ.” - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8904 CRL.A No. 20 of 2026 6. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the appellant that the accused has been in judicial custody from the date of his arrest, i.e., 22.08.2023. The evidence of PW.1 has been partly recorded. 7. A perusal of the materials placed before this Court, makes it clear that the accused is alleged to have committed the offence without using any weapon. The prosecution case is that the accused assaulted the deceased on her left cheek with his right fist and committed her murder. Whether the allegations made against the accused attracts Section 302 or 304 of the IPC has to be examined only after a full-fledged trial. The accused is not required for further investigation. He has been in judicial custody for more than 2 ½ years. 8. Considering the nature and gravity of offences and the accusation made against the accused, it is just and proper to allow the present appeal. Accordingly, I proceed to pass the following: - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:8904 CRL.A No. 20 of 2026 ORDER The appeal is allowed. The impugned order passed by the I Additional District and Sessions Judge, Chikkamagaluru in Spl. C. No.132/2023 dated 21.02.2024 is set aside. Consequently, the petition filed under Section 439 of Cr.P.C. is allowed subject to the following conditions; (i) The appellant shall be released on bail on executing a self bond for a sum of ` 1,00,000/- (Rupees One lakh only), with one surety for the likesum to the satisfaction of the Trial Court. (ii) The appellant shall appear before the Trial Court on all the dates of hearing without fail. (iii) The appellant shall not tamper or threaten the prosecution witnesses in any manner. Registry is directed to send copy of this order to the Trial Court. Sd/- (G BASAVARAJA) JUDGE MBM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 42