- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30106 CRL.P No. 6369 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. 6369 OF 2026 BETWEEN: HARISHA S/O THIMMANNA @THIMMAIAH AGED ABOUT 26 YEARS R/AT 1ST CROSS NEAR THIPPESH ADIKE GODOWN KATIHALLI VILLAGE CHITRADURGA TALUK CHITHRADURGA - 577 520. …PETITIONER (BY SRI M.D. THIMMIAH, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY CHITRADURGA WOMEN POLICE STATION, CHITHRADURGA - 577 520 REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, BANGALORE - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS ABOVE PETITION AND GRANT BAIL TO THE PETITIONER IN C.C.NO.281/2026 (ARISING OUT OF CR.NO.159/2025) REGISTERED BY CHITRADURGA WOMEN P.S, CHITRADURGA FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 80,85,3(5) OF BNS 2023 AND SEC.4 OF D.P ACT 1961 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE LEARNED I ADDL.SENIOR CIVIL JUDGE AND J.M.F.C, CHITRADURGA. 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:30106 CRL.P No. 6369 of 2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused no.1 in Crime No.159/2025 registered by Chitradurga Women Police Station, Chitradurga, for the offences punishable under Sections 80, 85, 3(5) of BNS, 2023, and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned Counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.159/2025 was registered by Chitradurga Women Police Station, Chitradurga, initially for the offences punishable under Sections Sections 103(1), 85, 54, 190, 80 of BNS, 2023, and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, against the petitioner and his family members based on the first information dated 23.12.2025 received from Durgesha - brother of deceased Pushpalatha. In the said case, petitioner was arrested on 23.12.2025 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed in the present case as against three persons. Petitioner is arrayed as accused no.1 in the charge sheet. His bail application filed - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30106 CRL.P No. 6369 of 2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl. Misc. No.357/2026 was rejected on 17.04.2026. Therefore, petitioner is before this Court. 4. In the first information which is submitted by the brother of deceased Pushpalatha, he has alleged that accused persons were ill-treating his sister in her matrimonial house in furtherance of their demand for dowry. He has also alleged that petitioner was addicted to various vices, and therefore, he was abusing and assaulting the deceased in her matrimonial home. It is also alleged that he had pledged the jewellery of the deceased and had misused the said money. It is further alleged that deceased Pushpalatha was unable to bear the torture meted out in the matrimonial home by her husband and in- laws, and therefore, she had committed suicide by hanging herself on 23.12.2025. It is under these circumstances, FIR was registered against the petitioner and his family members. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against three persons. 5. The charge sheet material would reveal that during her life time, deceased had earlier gone to the police station and - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30106 CRL.P No. 6369 of 2026 had made complaint against her husband. In the said complaints, she had not made any allegations about demand for dowry in her matrimonial home by her husband and that he had assaulted her in furtherance of such demand for dowry. 6. It appears that on 20.12.2025, deceased had once again gone to the jurisdictional police station and submitted a complaint stating that her husband was missing for the last 15 days and she had learnt that he was roaming around with another lady. Based on such complaint, a NCR case was registered by the police, and thereafter deceased as well as accused no.1-petitioner were summoned to the police station and after advising them, they were sent back and the NCR case was closed. Subsequently, on 23.12.2025, Pushpalatha had committed suicide in her house by hanging herself. Since the complaints lodged by the deceased during her life time do not reflect any allegation of she being harassed or tortured in her matrimonial home in furtherance of demand for dowry, the allegation now made against the accused persons becomes doubtful. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30106 CRL.P No. 6369 of 2026 6. Petitioner does not have any criminal antecedents. Investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet has been filed. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that petitioner's prayer for grant of regular bail is required to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order: 7. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.159/2025 registered by Chitradurga Women Police Station, Chitradurga, for the offences punishable under Sections 80, 85, 3(5) of BNS, 2023, and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, subject to the following conditions: a) Petitioner shall execute 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; - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30106 CRL.P No. 6369 of 2026 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 KK