- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26002 CRL.P No. 1959 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 3RD DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 1959 OF 2026 (438(Cr.PC) BETWEEN: 1. MANJUNATH G R S/O REVANNASIDAPPA, AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, R/AT NO.75, GANGASANDRA, BENGALURU - 560 060 … PETITIONER (BY SRI. YASHAVANTH SAJJANAGOUDAR., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY JNANABHARATHI POLICE STATION, BENGALURU. … RESPONDENT (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.438 (FILED U/S.482 BNSS) CR.P.C., PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 28.01.2026 PASSED IN CRL.MISC.NO.467/2026 IN SO FAR AS IT RELATES TO PETITIONER NO.1, GRANT ANTICIPATORY BAIL TO THE PETITIONER NO.1 IN CRIME NO.279/2025 OF JNANABHARATHI POLICE STATION. THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY Digitally signed by VIJAYA P Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26002 CRL.P No. 1959 of 2026 ORAL ORDER The accused No.1 in Crime no. 279/2025 registered by the Jnanabharathi Police Station, Bangalore, for the offences punishable under Sections 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), 318(2) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 (hereinafter referred to as 'BNS, 2023' for short) is before this Court in this criminal petition filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Additional SPP appearing on behalf of the respondent/State. 3. FIR in Crime No. 279/2025 was registered by Jnanabharathi Police Station, Bangalore, for the aforesaid offences against the petitioner herein and others based on the first information dated 16.06.2025 received from Sri. Narayanaswami D, S/o. Late Channashetty. Apprehending arrest in the said case, petitioner had filed Crl.Misc. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26002 CRL.P No. 1959 of 2026 No.467/2026 which was rejected by the jurisdictional Sessions Court on 28.01.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. In the first information which is submitted on 16.06.2025, it is stated that the first informant had approached the petitioner in the year 2019 for the purpose of availing bank loan and accordingly, he had submitted his KYC documents. However the financial company had refused to sanction any loan to the first informant since his CIBIL rating was very low. On 08.02.2025, first informant had allegedly received a demand notice from the financial company for repayment of loan and on verification, he learnt that accused Nos. 2 and 3 named in the FIR had borrowed loan from Can Fin Homes Limited and for availing the said loan, first informant was made as a guarantor though he had not signed any document. According to the first informant, the petitioner had used his KYC documents which were collected in the year 2019 - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26002 CRL.P No. 1959 of 2026 and by forging his signature, loan was availed by accused Nos.2 and 3. 5. It is not in dispute that the petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. Bank loan appears to have been sanctioned in the year 2019 and only after recovery notice was issued in the year 2025, the first informant has approached the police. Petitioner who has no other criminal antecedents has undertaken to cooperate with the police for the purpose of investigation. Even otherwise, it is only accused nos. 2 and 3 who have borrowed the loan and not the petitioner herein. The alleged offences are triable by the Court of Magistrate and the maximum punishment for the same is imprisonment for a period of 7 years. 6. Under the circumstances, prayer made by the petitioner for grant of anticipatory bail needs to be answered affirmatively subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following: - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26002 CRL.P No. 1959 of 2026 ORDER The petition is allowed. The respondent - Police or any other police in the State of Karnataka are directed to release the petitioner in the event of his arrest in Crime No. 279/2025 registered by the Jnanabharathi Police Station, Bangalore, for the offences punishable under Sections 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), 318(2) read with Section 3(5) of the BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: 1. The petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer within 15 days from the date of receipt of the copy of this order and shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (One lakh only) with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer. 2. Petitioner shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26002 CRL.P No. 1959 of 2026 3. Petitioner shall not tamper with the prosecution witness and he shall co- operate with the police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon. 4. The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future. SD/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE VP