- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30027 CRL.P No. 5567 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 18TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 5567 OF 2026 BETWEEN: CHANNEGOWDA S/O SHRI NINGEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 63 YEARS NO.2, GROUNDFLOOR BANDIGALESHWARA NILAYA SVB NAGAR, 3RD CROSS MOODALAPALYA BENGALURU CITY - 560 072. …PETITIONER (BY SRI ANAND R.V, ADV.) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY GOVINDARAJA NAGAR POLICE STATION BENGALURU CITY - 560 072 REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR OFFICE ATTACHED TO HIGH COURT BUILDINGS BENGALURU - 560 001. 2. XXX …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP FOR R-1; VIDE ORDER DT:18.06.2026 NOTICE TO R-2 HELD SUFFICIENT) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE HIM ON REGULAR BAIL IN SPL.CASE NO.2148/2025 (CRIME NO.298/2025 (GOVINDARAJANAGAR POLICE STATION BENGALURU CITY) FOR THE OFFENCES U/SEC. 65(2) OF BNS AND SEC. 6 OF POCSO ACT, 2012 (PENDING ON THE FILE OF ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, FTSC-V AT BENGALURU CITY. Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30027 CRL.P No. 5567 of 2026 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 Special C.C.No.2148 of 2025 pending before the Court of Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, FTSC-V, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.298 of 2025 registered by Govindarajnagar Police Station, Bengaluru City, for offences punishable under Section 65(2) of BNS, 2023 and Section 6 of POCSO Act, 2012 is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and learned HCGP on behalf of respondent no.1. Respondent no.2, who is served in the matter has remained unrepresented before this Court. 3. A FIR in Crime No.298 of 2025 was registered by Govindarajanagar Police Station, Bengaluru, initially, for offence punishable under Section 64 of BNS, 2023 and Sections - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30027 CRL.P No. 5567 of 2026 4 and 8 of POCSO Act, 2012 against the petitioner herein, based on the first information dated 23.07.2025 received from respondent no.2 who is the mother of the victim girl, who was aged 6 years. In the said case petitioner was arrested on 23.07.2025 and subsequently remanded to Judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against him for the aforesaid offences. His bail application filed before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.1645 of 2026 was rejected on 17.03.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Material on record would go to show that, house of the first informant and the house of petitioner are adjacent to each other. In the first information dated 23.07.2025 it is alleged that, on 22.07.2025 at about 05.00 p.m., her minor daughter aged 6 years, who had gone to play with her friend Lahari, who is the granddaughter of the petitioner, came home weeping and informed her that petitioner had made her to sleep in a room in his house and after removing her clothes, he had inserted his finger into her private part. The first informant has stated that when she checked the private part of her minor - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30027 CRL.P No. 5567 of 2026 daughter, she found that blood was oozing from the private part of her minor daughter. It is under these circumstances, on 23.07.2025 she had approached the police and submitted her first information. During the course of investigation, petitioner was arrested on 23.07.2025 and remanded judicial custody. 5. The medical examination report of the victim girl who would reveal that except a scratch near her private part, she had not sustained any injury. In the statement of the victim girl that was recorded under Section 183 of BNSS, 2023 it is stated that alleged incident had taken place in the house of Kajal, whereas in the first information as well as in the other charge sheet documents, it is stated that alleged incident took place inside the house of petitioner, in a room where his granddaughter Lahari was also present. 6. Petitioner, aged about 63 years having no criminal antecedents is in custody for the last more than 10 months. Investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet is filed. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that the prayer - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30027 CRL.P No. 5567 of 2026 made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. 7. Accordingly, the following: ORDER Criminal petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Special C.C.No.2148 of 2025 pending before the Court of Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, FTSC-V, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.298 of 2025 registered by Govindarajnagar Police Station, Bengaluru City, for offences punishable under Section 65(2) of BNS, 2023 and Section 6 of POCSO Act, 2012, 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 dates of hearing before the Trial Court unless the Trial Court exempts his appearance for valid reasons; - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30027 CRL.P No. 5567 of 2026 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 NMS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 72