- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27038 CRL.P No. 2957 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. 2957 OF 2026 BETWEEN: BONTHA MANIKANTHA @ MANIKANTHA B, S/O. BONTHA SHIVAIAH, AGED ABOUT 27 YEARS, RESIDING AT 2ND MAIN, 8TH CROSS, VINAYAKA LAYOUT, NEAR DEEVA MART, CHINNAPPANAHALI, MARATHAHALLI, BENGALURU-560 037. …PETITIONER (BY SRI S R SREEPRASAD, ADVOCATE FOR SRI S M MUNIRAJA, ADVOCATE) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, BY WILSON GARDEN P S, BENGALURU, REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU -560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING THAT THIS HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO Digitally signed by BHARATHI S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27038 CRL.P No. 2957 of 2026 ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN S.C. NO. 1703/2025 (ARISING OUT OF CRIME NO. 97/2025) OF WILSON GARDEN POLICE STATION FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION 75 AND 108 OF THE BHARATIYA NYAYA SANHITA PENDING ON THE FILE OF HONBLE CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT BENGALURU (CCH-46) AND ETC. 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 S.C. No.1703/2025 pending before the Court of XLV Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru arising out of Crime No.97/2025 registered by Wilsongarden Police Station, Bengaluru for offences punishable under Sections 108 and 3(5) of BNS, 2023, is before this Court in this criminal petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Additional State Public Prosecutor on behalf of the State. 3. FIR in Crime No.97/2025 was registered by Wilson Garden Police Station initially for the offences punishable under Section - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27038 CRL.P No. 2957 of 2026 108 r/w 3(5) of BNS, 2023 against the petitioner and others based on the first information dated 26.07.2025 received from Smt. P. Shashikala - mother of deceased Krishnaveni who was aged about 23 years. During the course of investigation, petitioner was arrested on 18.09.2025 and remanded to judicial custody. Charge sheet has been filed thereafter for the aforesaid offences against the petitioner. His bail application filed before the trial Court in Criminal Misc. No.728/2026 was rejected on 09.02.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Deceased Krishnaveni had committed suicide by hanging herself on 20.07.2025. FIR in the present case was registered belatedly on 26.07.2025 on the basis of first information received from her mother, who suspected the petitioner and his parents for the death of her daughter Krishnaveni. 5. During the course of investigation, petitioner was arrested and charge sheet is now filed only against the petitioner for the aforesaid offences. Petitioner is in custody in the present case from 19.09.2025 onwards. 6. In the charge sheet, it is alleged that the petitioner and the victim girl got acquainted with each other, and thereafter - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27038 CRL.P No. 2957 of 2026 started loving each other. Subsequently, they had shifted to Bengaluru and it is stated that they used to go out together and also have sexual intercourse. On 19.07.2025, petitioner and the deceased allegedly had quarreled with each other over mobile phone and thereafter on 20.07.2025, deceased Krishnaveni had committed suicide. 7. There is no such allegation in the charge sheet about the petitioner committing any act, which would have resulted in instigating or abetting the deceased to commit suicide. Charge sheet material would suggest that relationship between the petitioner and the deceased Krishnaveni got strained because of their difference of opinion and they had quarreled over mobile phone and subsequently, Krishnaveni committed suicide. The petitioner has no criminal antecedents. He is in custody in the present case from 19.09.2025. The alleged offences in the charge sheet are not punishable either with the death or with life imprisonment. 8. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27038 CRL.P No. 2957 of 2026 answered affirmatively subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following: ORDER The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.97/2025 of Wilsongarden Police Station registered for the offences punishable under Sections 108, 3(5) of BNS, 2023 subject to the following conditions: a) The 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 date 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; - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27038 CRL.P No. 2957 of 2026 d) The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future; 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 BS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 41