- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26363 CRL.P No. 2814 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.2814 OF 2026 (438(Cr.PC) / 482(BNSS) BETWEEN: SRI. SHRINIVASA K. @ SHRINIVASA NAYAKA S/O KRISHNAPPA L., AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS, R/AT NO.449/1, HONDAD CIRCLE ROAD, TALAVARA PETE HONDA CIRCLE, DAVANAGERE-577 001. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. RUPESH KUMAR S., ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA, BY RAJAJINAGAR POLICE STATION, REPRESENTED BY THE LEARNED STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDINGS, BANGALORE-560 001 …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. RANGASWAMY R., HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNNS) PRAYING TO GRANT ANTICIPATORY BAIL TO THEM BY ALLOWING THIS PETITION AND BY DIRECTING THE LEARNED 32ND ADDITIONAL CHIEF METROPOLITAN COURT, BENGALURU AND THE 1ST RESPONDENT POLICE TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN THE EVENT OF THEIR ARREST IN CRIME NO.160/2025 FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 376, 420, 354, 504, 506 READ WITH SECTION 34. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: Digitally signed by CHANDANA B M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26363 CRL.P No. 2814 of 2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused No.1 in Crime No.160/2025 registered by the Rajajinagar Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Sections 376, 420, 354, 504, 506 r/w 34 of IPC 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.160/2025 was registered by the Rajajinagar Police Station, Bengaluru, for the aforesaid offences against the petitioner and his relatives based on the first information dated 29.10.2025 received from the victim lady aged about 30 years. Apprehending arrest in the present case, the petitioner had filed Crl.Misc.No.485/2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was rejected on 04.02.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26363 CRL.P No. 2814 of 2026 4. In the first information which is submitted by the alleged victim, aged about 30 years she has stated that she is teacher by profession. She got acquainted with the petitioner in the year 2021 through social media and thereafter, they started loving each other. She has alleged that on the premise of marrying her, she was taken to a hotel at Rajajinagar by the petitioner on 03.10.2021 and in a room in the said hotel, he had sexual intercourse with her against her wish. She has further stated that thereafter on number of occasions, petitioner had taken her to various hotels at Bengaluru, Chitradurga, etc., and had sexual intercourse with her against her wish and he also had recorded the same in his mobile phone. She has further alleged that subsequently, the petitioner had refused to marry her and in the month of January 2024 he had threatened her with dire consequences. She has also stated that parents, grandmother and sister of the petitioner had threatened her through phone call. She has further stated that she had paid huge money to the petitioner, who had promised to return the same to her. It is in this background she had approached the police on 29.10.2025 and submitted the typed first information based on which FIR was - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26363 CRL.P No. 2814 of 2026 registered against the petitioner and his relatives. It is not in dispute that all the other relatives / accused persons have been granted anticipatory bail in the present case. 5. A reading of the FIR would go to show that the petitioner and the first informant were in relationship for a considerable period of time and merely for the reason that the said relationship got strained, criminality cannot be brought into the said relationship. Even otherwise, in the first information though the victim has alleged that in the month of January 2024 itself she was threatened with dire consequence if she insists the petitioner to marry her, the complaint is belatedly filed in the year 2025. It is not in dispute that the petitioner has no other criminal antecedents and he has undertaken to co-operate with the police authorities for investigation. Considering the nature of allegations found in the first information, I am of the view that petitioner’s 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.160/2025 - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:26363 CRL.P No. 2814 of 2026 registered by Rajajinagar Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 376, 420, 354, 504, 506 r/w 34 of IPC, subject to the following conditions: 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.: 32