- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26367 CRL.P No. 3600 of 2026 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.3600 OF 2026 (438(Cr.PC) / 482(BNSS) BETWEEN: SRI. SHRAVAN RAGHAVA KOTIAN S/O RAGHAVA ANCHAN AGED ABOUT 26 YEARS R/AT NO.2-45, GANESH THOTA HOUSE, ARKULA VILLAGE MANGALURU- 574 143. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SUYOG HERELE E, ADVOCATE) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA THROUGH KANKANADY TOWN PS REPRESENTED BY SPP HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU – 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. RANGASWAMY R., HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.438 (FILED U/S.489 BNSS) CR.P.C PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS CRIMINAL PETITION AND DIRECT THE RESPONDENT KANKANADY TOWN P.S., TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN THE EVENT OF HIS ARREST IN CONNECTION WITH CRIME NO.13/2026 REGISTERED WITH THE RESPONDENT KANKANADY TOWN P.S., FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 143(3), 318(4), 316(2) OF BNS 2023 ON THE FILE OF THE LEARNED 6TH JMFC COURT, MANGALURU CITY, D.K.,DISTRICT. Digitally signed by CHANDANA B M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26367 CRL.P No. 3600 of 2026 THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused in Crime No.13/2016 registered by the Kankanady Town Police Station, Dakshina Kannada, for offence of punishable under Sections 143(3), 318(4), 316(2) of BNS, 2023, is before this Court in this Criminal Petition filed under Section 482 of BNSS seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned HCGP for the respondent – State. 3. FIR in Crime No.13/2026 was registered by the Kankanady Town Police Station, Dakshina Kannada, for the aforesaid offences against the petitioner herein based on the first information received from Prashantah Balakrishna Poojary. Apprehending arrest in the said case, the petitioner had filed Crl.Misc.No.87/2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was rejected on 19.02.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26367 CRL.P No. 3600 of 2026 4. In the FIR which is filed on 30.01.2026 it is stated that the first informant had approached the petitioner herein through his friend Akshay Ganiga for assisting him to go abroad for the purpose of employment. Petitioner, who had collected a sum of Rs.40,000/- from the first informant, thereafter made arrangements for the purpose of sending the first informant and two others to Cambodia. The allegations made in the FIR is that in the place where the first informant and others had gone for employment they were asked to upload photographs of Indian girls in the Instagram accounts and also to demand money from the business people. They were also allegedly asked to involve in online games. The first informant and others, who had gone along with him were not inclined to do the said work and therefore with the help of Indian Embassy they had returned to India and thereafter, the present case is registered against the petitioner. 5. The only allegation against the petitioner is that he had collected money from the first informant for the purpose of sending him to Thailand and on the other hand, he had sent him to Cambodia. Except the said allegation, there are no - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26367 CRL.P No. 3600 of 2026 other allegations against the petitioner. It is not in dispute that the petitioner had collected a sum of Rs.40,000/- from the first informant and had made arrangements for his travel to Cambodia. Arrangements for visa, flight, etc., were undisputedly made by the petitioner. It is also not in dispute that the petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. The alleged offences are triable by the Court of the Magistrate and the maximum punishment for the same is imprisonment for a period of seven years. Petitioner has undertaken to co-operate with the police authorities for investigation. Under these circumstances, I am of the view that his prayer for grant of anticipatory bail is to be answered in the affirmative. 6. 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.13/2026 registered by the Kankanady Town Police Station, Dakshina Kannada, for offence of punishable under Sections 143(3), 318(4), 316(2) of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26367 CRL.P No. 3600 of 2026 a) 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/- with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer. b) Petitioner shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. c) Petitioner shall not tamper with the prosecution witnesses and he shall co-operate with the police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon. d) The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE SV List No.: 1 Sl No.: 36