- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:13152 CRL.A No. 142 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 4TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.G.S. KAMAL CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.142 OF 2026 BETWEEN: 1. SRI SURAJ @ SURAJ SHEVANTIGE, S/O PRAMOD SHEVANTIGE, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, RESIDING AT NO.26, AVINAHALLI SAGAR ROAD, AVINAHALLI, SAGAR - 577453, SHIVAMOGGA. 2. SRI. RAGHUNANDAN @ RAGHUNANDAN SUNNAGHATTA PUTTASWAMY, S/O PUTTASWAMY S N, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, RESIDING AT NO.879, 4TH MAIN, 4TH CROSS, M.C. LAYOUT, VIJAYANAGARA, BANGALORE NORTH, BENGALURU. 3. SRI. DESAYE VEERABHADRA @ VEERABHADRAPPA DESAI, S/O PITAMBARAPPA, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, RESIDING AT B.C. NO.100, CAMP P.O., BELAGAVI RECORDS MLI, BELAGAVI 590009. 4. SRI. KEMPANNA @ KEMPANNA DODDA GOUDAR, S/O DUNDAPPA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, RESIDING AT AMMANAGI VILLAGE, BELAGAVI 591236. Digitally signed by DEVIKA M Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:13152 CRL.A No. 142 of 2026 5. SRI . SHIVAKUMAR H B, S/O HOLACHE BORAIAH, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, RESIDING AT NEAR BACHABORANAHATTI, GONUR POST, CHITRADURGA TALUK. 6. SRI. SIDDESH T, S/O THIMMANNA, AGED ABOUT 23 YEARS, RESIDING AT JAMPANNA NAYAKANA KOTE, CHITRADURGA TALUK. …APPELLANTS (BY SRI. SHASHANK V.K., ADVOCATE FOR SRI. GOUTHAM K V., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, BY CHITRADURGA RURAL POLICE STATION, REPRESENTED BY SPP, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU -560 001. 2. SRI. PRASHANTHA S, S/O MAHENDRANATH, AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, RESIDING AT NO.181, PRASHANTHI NILAYA, 9TH CROSS, SAHYADRI BADAVANE, CHITRADURGA, KARNATAKA-577 501. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. DIVAKAR M. MADDUR, HCGP FOR R-1) THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 14(A)(2) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT, 2015 PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 24.10.2025 PASSED BY THE HONBLE SPL. II ADDL. DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:13152 CRL.A No. 142 of 2026 CHITRADURGA IN CRL.MISC.NO.1224/2025 AND ALLOW THE APPEAL FILED BY THE APPELLANTS AND CONSEQUENTLY ENLARGE THE APPELLANTS ON BAIL IN THE EVENT OF THEIR ARREST IN CR.NO.0397/2025 OF CHITRADURGA RURAL POLICE STATION, FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 3(2), (v-a), 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s) OF THE SC/ST (POA) ACT 1989 AND SECTIONS 126(2), 115(2), 351(2), 190 AND 74 OF THE BNS 2023 BEFORE SPL. II ADDL. DISTRICT SESSIONS JUDGE, CHITRADURGA. THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR HEARING, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.G.S. KAMAL ORAL JUDGMENT The learned counsel for the appellants files a memo, which reads as under: “The counsel for the appellants craves leave of the Hon’ble Court and submits that by the order dated 27.02.2026, in Crl.P.No.15080/2025 c/w Crl.P.No.14094/2025, the FIR in Crime No.397/2025 and FIR in Crime No.399/2025, filed before Chitradurga Rural Police Station have been quashed. Therefore, the prayer sought for in the present appeal does not survive for consideration. Accordingly, the appeal may be disposed of in the interest of justice and equity.” - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:13152 CRL.A No. 142 of 2026 2. The memo is taken on record. 3. The criminal appeal is dismissed as having become infructuous. Sd/- (M.G.S. KAMAL) JUDGE MD List No.: 1 Sl No.: 30