- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27036 CRL.P No. 4528 of 2026 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. 4528 OF 2026 BETWEEN: 1. T. SRIDARA, S/O THIPPESWAMY, AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS, AGRICULTURIST, R/AT GUNTHAKOLAMMANAHALLI, NAYAKANAHATTY, CHALLAKERE TALUK, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT - 577536. 2. CHANDRAPPA S/O KAMPALAIAH, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, R/AT PELORAHATTI HAYKAL POST, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT - 577536. 3. M THIPPESWAMY, S/O MALIGE MALLAIAH, AGED ABOUT 69 YEARS, AGRICULTURIST, R/AT GUNTHAKOLAMMANAHALLI NAYAKANAHATTY CHALLAKERE TALUK HITRADURGA DISTRICT - 577536. 4. MANJAMMA W/O M THIPPESWAMY, AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS, HOUSE WIFE, R/AT GUNTHAKOLAMMANAHALLI Digitally signed by BHARATHI S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27036 CRL.P No. 4528 of 2026 NAYAKANAHATTY, CHALLAKERE TALUK, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT - 577536. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI SUMANTH ULLOD, ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA, BY NAYAKANAHATTI POLICE, CHALLAKERE TALUK, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT, REP. BY STATE PUBLIC ROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU - 560001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNSS) BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING THAT THIS HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONERS ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN CASE OF THEIR ARREST IN CONNECTION TO CR.NO.25/2026 FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 9,10,11 OF PROHIBITION OF CHILD MARRIAGE ACT 2006 FILED BY THE RESPONDENT POLICE ON THE FILE OF ADDL.CIVIL JUDGE AND J.M.F.C COURT CHALLAKERE, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27036 CRL.P No. 4528 of 2026 ORAL ORDER 1. Accused Nos.1 to 4 in Crime No.25/2026 registered by Nayakanahatti Police Station, Chitradurga District for the offences punishable under Sections 9, 10 and 11 of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, are before this Court in this petition filed under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023 seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and additional State Public Prosecutor on behalf of the State. 3. FIR in Crime No.25/2026 was registered by Nayakanahatti Police Station, Chitradurga District initially for the offences punishable under Sections 9, 10 and 11 of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. Subsequently, at the requisition of the police, FIR was permitted to be registered for the aforesaid offences under Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. Apprehending arrest in the said case, the petitioners who are arrayed as accused Nos.1 to 4 in the FIR had filed in Criminal Misc. No.226/2026 before the Jurisdictional Sessions Court which was rejected on 09.03.2026. Therefore, they are before this Court. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27036 CRL.P No. 4528 of 2026 4. First Information in the present case is filed by a Social Worker attached to District Child Protection Unit, Chitradurga. She had stated in her first information that on 12.01.2026, she had received a report about performance of marriage of the victim girl with accused No.1 on 15.12.2025. The allegations against the accused in the first information is that though they were aware that the victim was a minor, her marriage was performed with accused No.1 on the aforesaid date. Accused No.2 is the father of the victim girl and accused Nos.3 and 4 are the parents of accused No.1, with whom the marriage of the victim girl was performed by his parents in a Temple in their village. There is no allegation in the first information about the accused No.1 committing any sexual assault on the victim girl after marriage. FIR has been registered in the present case only for the offences punishable under Sections 9, 10, and 11 of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The said offences are not punishable with death or life imprisonment. The petitioners undisputedly do not have any criminal antecedents and they have undertaken to co-operate with the police for the purpose of investigation. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27036 CRL.P No. 4528 of 2026 5. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that, prayer made by the petitioners for grant of anticipatory bail needs to be answered affirmatively subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following: ORDER The petition is allowed. The respondent - Police or any other police in the State of Karnataka are directed to release the petitioners in the event of their arrest in Crime No.25/2026 registered by Nayakanahatti police station, Chitradurga for the offences punishable under Sections 9, 10 and 11 of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, subject to the following conditions: i. The petitioners 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) each with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer. 2. Petitioners shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27036 CRL.P No. 4528 of 2026 3. Petitioners shall not tamper with the prosecution witness and they shall co-operate with the police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon. 4. The petitioners shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE BS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 46