- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27604 CRL.P No. 6674 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. 6674 OF 2026 BETWEEN: SRI H.R. DARSHAN S/O RAJASHEKARAPPA AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS R/O. H. MALLENAHALLI HADIKERE POST TARIKERE TALUK CHIKKAMAGALUR DISTRICT - 577 228. …PETITIONER (BY SRI RAMESH K.R, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY TARIKERE TOWN POLICE CHIKKAMAGALUR DISTRICT BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDINGS BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.438 (FILED U/S.482 BNSS) CR.P.C PRAYING TO DIRECT THE STATE HOUSE OFFICER, OF TARIKERE TOWN POLICE STATION, TARIKERE SUB DIVISION CHIKKAMAGALURU DISTRICT TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER IN THE EVENT OF HIS ARREST IN CRIME NO.62/2026 FOR THE OFFENCE P/US.108,352,351(2),351(3),356 AND 190 OF BNS 2023, PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE SENIOR CIVIL JUDGE AND PRINCIPAL JMFC AT TARIKERE. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27604 CRL.P No. 6674 of 2026 ORAL ORDER 1. Accused No.7 in Crime No.62 of 2026 registered by Tarikere Town Police Station, Chikkamagalur for offences punishable under Sections 108, 352, 351(2), 351(3), 356 & 190 of BNS, 2023 is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 482 of BNSS 2023 seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel appearing for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.62 of 2026 was registered by Tarikere Town Police Station. Chikkamagalur for the aforesaid offences against one H. N. Jagadeesh and others based on the first information dated 24.03.2026, received from Sri H. N. Ramesh, husband of deceased, Smt. Pusha. Petitioner is named as accused no.7 in the said FIR. Apprehending arrest in the case, he had filed Crl.Misc.No.201 of 2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was rejected on 21.04.26. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. A reading of the detailed first information submitted in the present case would reveal that wife of the first informant was working as secretary in a Women Milk Producers Cooperative Society Ltd., According to the first informant, his wife Smt. Pushpa was properly maintaining the accounts of the society and there was no complaints against her for the last many years. After the new elected - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27604 CRL.P No. 6674 of 2026 body had taken over the management of the Society in year 2025, accused persons started enquiring about the accounts of the Society with Smt. Usha and they also started making allegation against her that she had misappropriated the money of the Society. It is in this background, Smt. Usha had committed suicide by hanging herself in her house on 23.03.2026. 5. In the first information, it is stated that Smt. Usha had left behind a death note and also certain videos, in which she had mentioned that accused named in the FIR are the cause for her death. Allegation against the accused persons is that they had asked the deceased to submit the accounts of the Society. For the purpose of attracting the offence punishable under Section 108 of BNS 2023, the act committed by the accused should be of such nature that the said act should have either instigated or abated a normal person to commit suicide. Such ingredients are conspicuously absent in the first information submitted in the present case. 6. The petitioner, who has no other criminal antecedents, has undertaken to cooperate with the police for the purpose of investigation. The alleged offences are neither punishable with death or life imprisonment. Under these circumstances, the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of anticipatory bail needs to be allowed subject to appropriate conditions. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27604 CRL.P No. 6674 of 2026 7. Accordingly, the following: ORDER The Criminal 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.62 of 2026 registered by Tarikere Town Police Station, Chikkamagalur for offences punishable under Sections 108, 352, 351(2), 351(3), 356 & 190 of BNS, 2023 is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 482 of BNSS 2023 subject to the following conditions: 1. The petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer in the present case within a period of fifteen days from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order on executing 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 investigating officer/jurisdictional Court. 2. The petitioner shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. 3. The petitioner shall not tamper with the prosecution witness and he shall co-operate with the Police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:27604 CRL.P No. 6674 of 2026 4. The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future. SD/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE NMS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 60