- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27580 CRL.P No. 5892 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 9TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION No. 5892 OF 2026 (439(Cr.PC) / 483(BNSS)) BETWEEN: 1. SRI. MANJU, (ACCUSED), S/O. AMBANNA, AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS, R/AT HOUSE No.E/1/19/1, NEAR HANUMAN TEMPLE, BADYAPUR, VTC BADYAPUR, PO: DEVARGONAL, SUB DISTRICT: SHORAPUR, DISTRICT YADGIR-585 220. …PETITIONER (BY SRI SRIVASTHAVA H.K., ADVOCATE FOR SMT. RASHMI N. L., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, YELAHANKA NEW TOWN POLICE STATION, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE KARNATAKA. 2. DEVAPPA, S/O. LATE MARIYAPPA, AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, SURESH SITE SHED, NARAYAN GOWDA, BETTAHALLI LAYOUT, Digitally signed by VINUTHA B S Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27580 CRL.P No. 5892 of 2026 YELAHANKA NEW TOWN, BENGALURU CITY, KARNATAKA-560 064. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP FOR R1; R2 SERVED AND UNREPRESENTED) THIS CRL.P. IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED ON BAIL IN CR.No.0094/2026 REGISTERED BEFORE THE YELAHANKA NEW TOWN POLICE STATION FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION 64(2)m. 137(2) AND 87 OF THE BHARATIYA NYAYA SANHITA ACT 2023, AND SECTION 4,5(1),6 OF THE PROITECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT, 2012. 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 No.1 in Crime No.94/2026 registered by the Yelahanka New Town Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Sections 115(2), 351(2), 127(3), 64(2)m, 49, 87 of BNS, 2023 and Sections 5(l), 6 and 17 of POCSO Act, 2012 is before this Court in this criminal petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 seeking regular bail. 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned HCGP on behalf of respondent No.1-State. Respondent No.2, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27580 CRL.P No. 5892 of 2026 who is served in the matter, has remained unrepresented before this Court. 3. The FIR in Crime No.94/2026 was registered by the Yelahanka New Town Police Station, Bengaluru, against unknown persons initially for the offence under Section 137(2) of BNS, 2023 based on the first information dated 01.03.2026 received from respondent No.2, who is the father of the victim girl-aged 17 years as on the said date. During the course of investigation, petitioner was arrested on 11.03.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. His bail application filed before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.2665/2026 was rejected on 06.04.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. In the first information it is stated that victim girl was found missing from her house and efforts made to trace her had failed and therefore, her father had approached the police on 01.03.2026. During the course of investigation, petitioner was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 11.03.2026. The statement of the victim girl under Section 183(5) of BNSS, 2023 has been recorded in the present case by the jurisdictional Court of Magistrate on 10.04.2026. In the said - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27580 CRL.P No. 5892 of 2026 statement, victim girl aged 17 years, has stated that the petitioner was acquainted to her and on 28.02.2026, he had given her a chocolate and after eating the same, she had lost her conscious. When she woke up, she was in the house of the petitioner's uncle and found that the petitioner had assaulted and bitten her therefore, she had marks on her body. She has not made any allegation in her statement against the petitioner about he committing any kind of penetrative sexual assault on her, which would attract the alleged offences punishable under the POCSO Act. Victim girl was subjected to medical examination on 03.03.2026 and her medical report does not suggest any external injuries on her body. Petitioner aged 22 years, who has no other criminal antecedents, is in custody from 11.03.2026 onwards. Investigation of the case is now completed and charge sheet has been filed. Under the circumstances, I am of the view that his prayer for grant of regular bail is to be answered in the affirmative. 5. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.94/2026 registered by the Yelahanka New Town Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27580 CRL.P No. 5892 of 2026 punishable under Sections 115(2), 351(2), 127(3), 64(2)m, 49, 87 of BNS, 2023 and Sections 5(l), 6 and 17 of POCSO Act, 2012 subject to the following conditions: a) Petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties 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 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 off. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE VBS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 53