- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26250 CRL.P No. 15867 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 4TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO.15867 OF 2025 (439(CR.PC)/483(BNSS)) BETWEEN: MANJUNATHA @ MANJU S/O LATE REVANNA AGED ABOUT 26 YEARS R/O KODIGEHALLI VILLAGE AND POST YESHWANTHAPURA HOBLI BENGALURU NORTH TALUK-562130 (NOW IN JC) PERMANENTLY RESIDING AT VADDAVALU VILLAGE, HULIYURDURGA HOBLI CHOWDANAKUPPE POST KUNIGAL TALUK, TUMKURU DISTRICT-572123 (NOW IN JC). …PETITIONER (BY SRI/SMT.A.N.RADHA KRISHNA., ADVOCATE) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY TAVAREKERE POLICE REP. BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDINGS BENGALURU-560001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT.RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP) THIS CRIMINAL PETITION FILED UNDER SECTION 439 CR.P.C (U/S 483 BNSS) PLEASED TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN CR.NO.334/2024 REGISTERED BY TAVAREKERE POLICE, FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 126(2),127(2), 115(2),118(1), 103(1),3(5) OF BNS, 2023, NOW PENDING IN SC.NO.11/2025 ON THE FILE OF THE LEARNED III ADDITIONAL DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, RAMANAGARA. Digitally signed by DHANALAKSHMI MURTHY Location: HIGH COURTOF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26250 CRL.P No. 15867 of 2025 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.1 in S.C.No.11/2025 pending before the Court of III Additional District and Sessions Judge, Ramanagara, arising out of Crime No.334/2024 registered by Tavarekere Police Station, Ramanagara District for offences punishable under Sections 126(2), 127(2), 115(2), 118(1), 103(1) read with Section 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, is before this Court under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel appearing for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.334/2024 was registered by Tavarekere Police Station, Ramanagara District, initially for the offences punishable under Sections 103(1) and 127(2) of BNS against the petitioner-accused No.1 and others, on the basis of first information dated 04.11.2024 received from one Sri Nagesh. During the course of investigation, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26250 CRL.P No. 15867 of 2025 the petitioner was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 08.11.2024. Investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet has been filed against three persons. The petitioner herein is arraigned as accused No.1 in the charge sheet filed for the aforesaid offences. 4. The bail application filed by the petitioner before the Trial Court in Crl.Misc.No.263/2025 was dismissed on 05.04.2025. Therefore, he is before this Court. 5. A reading of charge sheet would go to show that the petitioner’s wife allegedly had illicit relationship with deceased Ambareesha. After coming to know about the same, the petitioner had advised Ambareesha and in spite of the same, he had continued his relationship with the petitioner’s wife. It is in this background, the petitioner had conspired with the other two accused to commit the murder of Ambareesha. 6. On 03.11.2024, the petitioner and two other persons allegedly followed Amabareesha and in an isolated - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26250 CRL.P No. 15867 of 2025 place, assaulted and committed his murder. The allegation of assaulting deceased Ambareesha with a knife is as against accused Nos.1 and 2. Accused No.2 has been granted regular bail by the Coordinate Bench of this Court in Crl.P.No.12754/2025 disposed of on 29.10.2025 and accused No.3 has been granted regular bail in Crl.P.No.8398/2025 disposed of on 10.07.2025. 7. Undisputedly, the petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. The entire case of the prosecution is based on circumstantial evidence. Having regard to the aforesaid aspects of the matter, I am of the opinion that, the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. 8. Accordingly, the following: ORDER The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in S.C.No.11/2025 pending before the Court of III Additional District and Sessions Judge, Ramanagara, arising out of Crime No.334/2024 registered by Tavarekere Police - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26250 CRL.P No. 15867 of 2025 Station, Ramanagara District for the offences punishable under Sections 126(2), 127(2), 115(2), 118(1), 103(1) read with Section 3(5) of BNS, subject to the following conditions: a) Petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with two sureties for the likesum, to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court; b) The petitioner shall appear regularly on all the dates of hearing before the Trial Court unless the Trial Court exempts his appearance for valid reasons; c) The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly threaten or tamper with the prosecution witnesses; d) The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future; Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE HA List No.: 1 Sl No.: 18