- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27192 CRL.P No. 14342 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 8TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 14342 OF 2025 BETWEEN: MR. PARITOSH SOREN S/O SUNIL CHANDRA SOURAN AGED ABOUT 24 YEARS R/AT NO.780, 1ST FLOOR SANGEETHA BUILDING DOMLUR 2ND STAGE BENGALURU - 560 071. …PETITIONER (BY SRI SHREYAS NARAHARI, ADV., FOR SMT. BINDU S, ADV.) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY HALASURU POLICE STATION REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING BANGALORE - 560 001. 2. XXX …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI LAKSHMAN, HCGP FOR R-1; SMT. BHAVANA M, ADV., FOR R-2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER (ACCUSED) ON BAIL IN THE CR.NO.20/2025 REGISTERED BY THE RESPONDENT POLICE FOR UNDER 64 BNS AND UNDER SEC.4, 6, 7 AND 8 POCSO ACT, 2012 PENDING BEFORE ADDL. LXVI PRL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, FTSC-III BENGALURU CITY. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27192 CRL.P No. 14342 of 2025 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused in Spl.C.C.No.774/2025 pending before the Court of Addl. City Civil & Sessions Judge-FTSC-III, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.20/2025 registered by Halasur Police Station, Bengaluru City for the offence punishable under Section 64 of BNS, 2023 and Sections 4, 6, 7 & 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, is before this Court in this successive bail application filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and learned HCGP appearing for respondent No.1 - State and learned counsel for respondent No.2. 3. FIR in Crime No.20/2025 registered by Halasur Police Station, Bengaluru City against the petitioner, on the basis of first information dated 25.01.2025 received from respondent No.2 herein, who is the father of the victim girl, aged about 17 years 3 months, as on the said date. During the - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27192 CRL.P No. 14342 of 2025 course of investigation, the petitioner was arrested and produced before the jurisdictional Court on 25.01.2025 and remanded to judicial custody. Investigation in the case is completed and charge sheet has been filed against the petitioner for the aforesaid offences. 4. The bail application filed by the petitioner before the Trial Court was rejected and thereafter he had approached this Court in Crl.P.No.3504/2025, which was dismissed as withdrawn with liberty to file a fresh petition before the Trial Court, after charge sheet is filed. Subsequently, the petitioner had filed a bail application before the Trial Court which was also dismissed. Therefore, he had once again approached this Court in Crl.P.No.7550/2025 which was dismissed as withdrawn on 01.07.2025 with liberty to renew his bail application after the victim girl - CW-2 is examined before the Trial Court. It is under these circumstances, the petitioner is before this Court in this successive bail application filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 seeking regular bail. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27192 CRL.P No. 14342 of 2025 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner having reiterated the grounds urged in the petition submits that, the victim girl and her father are now examined before the Trial Court as PWs.1 and 2. Medical evidence does not suggest of any forcible act against the victim. The petitioner, aged 24 years is in custody for the last nearly 1½ years. Accordingly, he prays to allow the petition. 6. Learned HCGP appearing for respondent no.1 and learned counsel for respondent no.2 have opposed the petition. They submit that the petitioner and her father have supported the case of the prosecution during the course of their deposition. Serious allegations are found against the petitioner. Learned counsel for respondent no.2 also submits that the petitioner hails from West Bengal State and in the event he is enlarged on bail it would be difficult to secure his presence. Accordingly, they pray to dismiss the petition. 7. In the typed first information which was submitted on 25.01.2025 by the father of the victim girl, who was aged about 17 years 3 months as on the said date and studying in II - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27192 CRL.P No. 14342 of 2025 PUC, he has stated that on 23.01.2025 his daughter had returned home late in the evening and on enquiry she allegedly informed her mother that she had gone to meet the petitioner herein, who is a cameraman and was acquainted to her. She informed her mother that on 13.01.2025 she had gone to meet the petitioner for her photo shoot and on the said date no photo shoot was done. Thereafter, on 23.01.2025 she had once again gone to his house situated at Domlur for her photo shoot and on the said date he allegedly had forcible sexual intercourse with her. It is under these circumstances, FIR came to be registered against the petitioner for the aforesaid offences on 25.01.2025. 8. The victim girl was produced before the doctor for her medical examination immediately thereafter. However, medical report would go to show that, she had not suffered any external injury on her body. The petitioner, aged about 24 years having no criminal antecedents, is in custody for the last nearly one year 5 months. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27192 CRL.P No. 14342 of 2025 9. The victim girl and her father are now examined before the Trial Court as PWs.1 and 2. Therefore, there cannot be an apprehension that the petitioner may tamper with the material prosecution witnesses. Out of 35 charge sheet witnesses cited in the present case, as on this date only two charge sheet witnesses have been examined as PWs.1 and 2. Therefore, chance of trial being completed and case being disposed of on merits in the near future is very remote. 10. It is not in dispute that the petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. Continued detention of the petitioner in custody amongst hardcore criminals is likely to have an adverse impact on his future prospects and career. 11. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter, more so, the age of the petitioner and the victim girl, I am of the opinion that, the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. 12. Accordingly, the following: - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27192 CRL.P No. 14342 of 2025 ORDER The Criminal Petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Addl. City Civil & Sessions Judge-FTSC-III, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.20/2025 registered by Halasur Police Station, Bengaluru City for the offence punishable under Section 64 of BNS, 2023 and Sections 4, 6, 7 & 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012,, 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 (out of which one must be local surety) 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 offence in future. - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27192 CRL.P No. 14342 of 2025 e) The petitioner shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Trial Court without permission of the said Court, until the case registered against him is disposed of. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE NMS/List No.: 1 Sl No.: 30