- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:28330 CRL.P No. 6326 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 11TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 6326 OF 2026 BETWEEN: RAVICHANDRA A S/O APPARAO ADARI A/A 38 YEARS R/A HOUSE NO.5441 4TH B MAIN, 11TH CROSS 9TH BLOCK, NEAR JODI BEVIN MARA, 3RD PHASE KANAKADASA NAGAR, MYSURU - 570 022. …PETITIONER (BY SRI ROHIT URS D, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY RANGE FOREST OFFICER BUFFER ZONE, BANDIPURA DIVISION GUNDLUPET, CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT, REP BY SPP, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI LAXMAN B, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.438 (FILED U/S.482 BNSS) CR.P.C PRAYING TO GRANT BAIL IN ANTICIPATORY OF ARREST IN CONNECTION WITH WLOR NO.16/2025-26 PENDING BEFORE THE SENIOR CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC, GUNDLUPET, CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT IN C.C.NO.271/2026 FOR OFFENCE P/S/ 9,39,51 OF WILD LIFE (PROTECTION) ACT 1972. 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:28330 CRL.P No. 6326 of 2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused No.1 in CC No.271/2026 pending before the Court of Senior Civil Judge and JMFC, Gundlupet, Chamarajanagar District, arising out of WLOR No.16/2025-26 registered for the offences punishable under Sections 9, 39 and 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023, seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR was registered by the Range Forest Officer, Gundlupet in WLOR No.16/2025-26 for the aforesaid offences on the basis of the report received from Ashok M, who was working as a Forest Guard at Gundlupet. Apprehending arrest in the case, petitioner had filed Crl.Misc.No.138/2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court which was rejected on 10.04.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that on 16.03.2026, Ashok M, who was working as Forest Guard in - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:28330 CRL.P No. 6326 of 2026 Gundlupet found a carcass of a tiger in property bearing Sy.No.323/2 of Padaguru Village, Gundlupet Taluk. On verification, it was found that the tiger had died after coming in contact with live electricity. It was found that electricity connection was given to the fence of the aforesaid property and after the tiger came in contact of the same, the tiger had died. Since the aforesaid land bearing Sy.No.323/2 stood in the name of the petitioner, he was arraigned as accused No.1 in the present case. First information and the other material made available to this Court would go to show that petitioner has leased the aforesaid property to one Parameshwarappa, who is arraigned as accused No.2 in the present case, under a Lease Deed dated 30.03.2024. The said lease is valid for a period of three years from 01.03.2024 and the possession of the property is given to the aforesaid Parameshwarappa under the aforesaid Lease Deed. 5. Undisputedly, petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. The maximum punishment for the alleged offences is imprisonment for a period of seven years. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:28330 CRL.P No. 6326 of 2026 petitioner for grant of anticipatory bail needs to be answered affirmatively, subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following:- 6. The 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 CC No.271/2026 pending before the Court of Senior Civil Judge and JMFC, Gundlupet, Chamarajanagar District, arising out of WLOR No.16/2025-26 registered for the offences punishable under Sections 9, 39 and 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, subject to the following conditions: 1. The Petitioner shall appear before the concerned Court 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/- with one surety for the likesum to the satisfaction of the concerned Court. 2. Petitioner shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:28330 CRL.P No. 6326 of 2026 3. Petitioner shall not tamper with the prosecution witnesses and he shall co-operate with the police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon. 4. The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE DN List No.: 1 Sl No.: 69