- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:29611 CRL.P No. 17262 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 17TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 17262 OF 2025 BETWEEN: VISHAL GOSWAMY @ VIAJYA @ VISHAL @RAVIND JAIN @ PRAKASH @AKASH SHARMA PURI GOSWAMY S/O LATE RAMESHWARI @ RAMESHWARA PRASAD GOSWAMY AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS R/AT, SHIVALALAK PURA GRAMA THANA CIVIL LINE MURENA DISTRICT MADHYA PRADESH - 400 602 (MENTIONED AS PER CHARGE SHEET) (PETITIONER IS IN JUDICIAL CUSTODY) …PETITIONER (BY SRI MOHAMMED TAHIR, ADV.) AND: STATE BY RAJAJI NAGARA P.S REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR OFFICE AT, HIGH COURT COMPLEX OPP. TO VIDHANA SOUDHA BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON REGULAR BAIL IN S.C.NO.344/2023 ARISING OUT OF CR.NO.62/2013 REGISTERED BY THE RESPONDENT RAJAJI NAGARA P.S. WHICH IS NOW PENDING BEFORE THE HONBLE LVI ADDL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSION JUDGE AT BENGALURU (CCH-57) FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 302,397,201 R/W 34 OF IPC WHEREIN PETITIONER IS ARRAYED AS ACCUSED NO.1. Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:29611 CRL.P No. 17262 of 2025 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 S.C.No.344/2023 pending before the court of LVI Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru arising out of Crime No.62/2013 registered by Rajajinagar Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the offences punishable under Sections 302, 201, 397 R/w Section 34 of IPC 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 Addl. SPP for respondent - State. 3. FIR in Crime no.62/2013 was registered by Rajajinagar Police Station, Bengaluru City, initially for the offences punishable under Sections 302, 201 & 397 of IPC against unknown persons, based on the first information dated 23.03.2013 received from Sri Vikas Bohara S/o Sri Mahendra Kumar. In the said case, after completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against four persons. Since, custody of the - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:29611 CRL.P No. 17262 of 2025 petitioner, who was in Sabaramathi Central Jail in Gujarat State, could not be secured, a split up case was registered against him and subsequently, his presence was secured and after committal, case is now pending against him in S.C.No.344/2023. His bail application filed before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in S.C.No.344/2023 was rejected on 06.10.2025. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner having reiterated the grounds urged in the petition submits that, accused nos.2 and 3 who were tried in S.C.No.392/2015 have been acquitted by the judgment and order dated 20.06.2024. The case as against accused no.4 has been split up and is pending in S.C.No.286/2024. Since the allegation against petitioner and accused nos.2 and 3 are similar, chances of petitioner herein being convicted is remote. Accordingly, he prays to allow the petition. 5. Per contra, learned Addl. SPP, who has strongly opposed the petition submits that, the petitioner is a person with criminal antecedents and he is involved in as many as 22 other criminal cases of similar nature. She submits that, the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:29611 CRL.P No. 17262 of 2025 petitioner has committed similar offences in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and other States of the country and he has been already convicted in two cases. If he is enlarged on bail, he is likely to flee away from justice. Accordingly, she prays to dismiss the petition. 6. The allegation as against the accused persons is that they had committed robbery in Rishab jewellery near ESI signal, Rajajinagar within the jurisdiction of Rajajinagar Police Station and when one of inmates in shop namely Shravan Kumar had tried to resist their act, he was stabbed repeatedly with a knife and murdered. Thereafter, the accused persons had escaped with gold jewellery totally weighing 5 kgs, silver item totally weighing nearly 20 kgs and also cash. 7. The allegation as against the accused persons in the present case is very serious and material on record would go to show that, the petitioner herein is involved in about 22 cases of similar nature and he has committed such offences in different States of the country. It is brought to the notice of this Court that petitioner is convicted in two cases. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:29611 CRL.P No. 17262 of 2025 8. It is brought to the notice of this Court by the learned Addl. SPP that the petitioner was earlier in custody in some other case at Sabaramathi Central Jail, Gujarat State and therefore, his presence could not be secured. Insofar as the present case is concerned, it appears that his presence was secured in the year 2023 and after committal of case, he is being now tried in S.C.No.344/2023. 9. Trial in the case is in an advanced stage and therefore, at this stage in the event, the petitioner is enlarged on bail, progress of the trial is likely to be hampered. 10. In view of the aforesaid aspects of the matter, the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to answered negatively. 11. Accordingly, the criminal petition is dismissed. The trial Court shall make endeavours to expedite the trial and dispose of the case, on merits, at the earliest. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE NMS/List No.: 1 Sl No.: 50