- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:25558 CRL.P No. 111 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 2ND DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO.111 OF 2026 BETWEEN: 1. HARISH N @ LODDE S/O LATE SRINIVAS AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS NO.54, MYTHRI GARDEN 2ND GATE THATAGUNI, KENGERI HOBLI BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT PERMANENT ADDRESS, REDDY LAYOUT DODDAKALLASANDRA BENGALURU CITY - 560 062 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. PRAMOD M., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY SHO, HAROHALLI PS. BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT. REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HON'BLE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 01 2. JEETHENDRA S/O LATE RANGASWAMY AGED ABOUT 20 YEARS RANGEGOWDANA DODDI, BIDADI ROAD HAROHALLI HOBLI AND TALUK BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT - 562 112 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. R. RANGASWAMY, HCGP R2 - SERVED) Digitally signed by PAVITHRA B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:25558 CRL.P No. 111 of 2026 THIS CRL.P. IS FILED U/S 439 CR.P.C. (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING THAT THIS HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN CRIME NO.113/2025 AND SC NO.5045/2025 FOR ALLEGED OFFENCES P/U/S 61(1)(a), 49, 281, 125(a), 103(1), 249 R/W 190 OF BNS PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE HONBLE II ADDL.DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT KANAKAPURA. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Accused No.3 in SC.No.5045/2025 pending before the Court of II Addl. District and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru South District, sitting at Kanakapura, arising out of Crime No.113/2025 for the offences punishable under Sections 61(2)(a), 49, 281, 125(a), 103(1), 249 r/w Section 190 of BNS, 2023 is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and learned HCGP appearing on behalf of the respondent- State. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:25558 CRL.P No. 111 of 2026 3. FIR in Crime No.113/2025 was registered by the Harohalli Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 61(2)(a), 49, 281, 125(a), 103(1), 249 r/w Section 190 of BNSS, 2023 against two to three unknown persons based on the first information dated 03.05.2025 received from Jeethendra R who is the close relative of deceased Santhosh alias Santhu. During the course of investigation, the petitioner herein was arrested on 06.05.2025 and remanded to the judicial custody. After completion of investigation, charge sheet has been filed against five persons. The petitioner is arrayed as accused No.3 in the charge sheet. His bail application filed before the trial Court in Crl.Misc.No.5307/2025 was rejected on 16.12.2025. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that FIR was registered against two to three unknown persons. The first informant is the alleged eye witness to the alleged incident in question. During the course of investigation, the petitioner herein was arrested - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:25558 CRL.P No. 111 of 2026 on 06.05.2025 and remanded to judicial custody. In the charge sheet filed subsequently, it is alleged that accused No.1 had ill-will against deceased Santhosh who was involved in the murder case registered by Kumaraswamy Layout Police Station in Crime No.41/2023, in which, close relative of accused No.1 was murdered. It is in this background, accused No.1 along with other accused persons allegedly conspired to commit the murder of Santhosh alias Santhu. 5. In furtherance of such conspiracy, on 03.05.2025, accused Nos.1 and 2 followed the deceased Santhosh Kumar, who was riding a motor bike, in a car bearing registration No.KA-05-MB-4812. The petitioner allegedly was following the car of accused Nos.1 and 2 in his motor bike. At about 11.30 am on 03.05.2025, accused Nos.1 and 2 allegedly dashed the car bearing registration No.KA-05-MB-4812 against the motor bike of deceased Santhosh Kumar. In the said incident, both the vehicles got damaged and Santhosh Kumar allegedly tried - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:25558 CRL.P No. 111 of 2026 to run away, but accused Nos.1 and 2 who were holding longs in their hand allegedly chased Santhosh Kumar and thereafter, assaulted him with their longs multiple times and committed his murder. 6. Undisputedly, accused No.3 has not participated in the crime when accused Nos.1 and 2 assaulted Santhosh Kumar with deadly weapons. The allegation against accused Nos.4 and 5 is that they had conspired with accused No.1 to commit the murder of Santhosh Kumar and thereafter, assisted accused Nos.1 and 2 in destroying the evidence and also to escape from the spot of crime. Accused Nos.4 and 5 have been granted regular bail in Crl.P.No.14288/2025 and Crl.P.No.14328/2025. Undisputedly, the petitioner has no criminal antecedents and he is in judicial custody for more than one year. 7. Considering the above said aspects of the matter, I am of the opinion that without expressing any opinion on the merits and demerits of the case, prayer - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:25558 CRL.P No. 111 of 2026 made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following ORDER The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.113/2025 registered by Harohalli Police Station for the offences punishable under 2025 for the offences punishable under Sections 61(2)(a), 49, 281, 125(a), 103(1), 249 r/w Section 190 of BNSS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: a) Petitioner shall execute personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum, to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court; b) Petitioner shall appear regularly on all the dates of hearing before the Trial Court unless the Trial Court exempts their appearance for valid reasons; - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:25558 CRL.P No. 111 of 2026 c) Petitioner shall not directly or indirectly threaten or tamper with the prosecution witnesses; d) Petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future; e) Petitioner shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Trial Court without permission of the said Court until the case registered against them is disposed off. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE PB List No.: 1 Sl No.: 38