- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30805 CRL.P No. 6830 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 22ND DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 6830 OF 2026 BETWEEN: MR MARUTHI DADDIKOPPA @ RAJESH AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS S/O SRI KRISHNAPPA KIRWADI VILLAGE AND POST NEAR MARIYAMMA TEMPLE HANGAL TALUK, HAVERI DISTRICT - 581 120 MENTIONED AS RAJESH IN F.I.R. …PETITIONER (BY SRI KIRAN N, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY WOMEN POLICE STATION UDUPI - 576 101 REPRESENTED BY S.P.P. HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BANGALORE - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THEM ON BAIL IN THE EVENT OF THEIR ARREST BY THE RESPONDENT IN CONNECTION WITH CR.NO.34/2025 REGISTERED BY UDUPI WOMEN P.S. PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE II ADDL.SENIOR CIVIL JUDGE AND A.C.J.M UDUPI FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 3,4,5,6 OF THE IMMORAL TRAFFIC PREVENTION ACT 1956 R/W 143 OF THE BNS 2023. 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:30805 CRL.P No. 6830 of 2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Petitioner, who is apprehending arrest in Crime No.34/2025 registered by Udupi Women Police Station, Udupi for the offences punishable under Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1956 and Section 143 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 for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.34/2025 was registered by Udupi Women Police Station, Udupi, for the aforesaid offences based on the first information dated 06.08.2025, submitted by Neelesh Chavan, police officer attached to the said police station. Apprehending arrest in the said case, petitioner had filed Crl.Misc.No.346/2025 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was rejected on 20.09.2025. Therefore, petitioner is before this Court. 4. The material on record would go to show that based on credible information received, first informant along with the - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30805 CRL.P No. 6830 of 2026 staff had conducted a raid to Genius Comfort Lodge, Badagubettu Village, Udupi Taluk and found two women inside the room No.201 of the said lodge. On enquiry, they informed that they were brought from Bengaluru by Rajesh for the purpose of prostitution and were being paid Rs.500/- per customer by the said Rajesh. After the said two ladies were rescued, FIR in the present case was registered against one Rajesh. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that he was working as staff in the aforesaid lodge and the police have been unnecessarily troubling him and an attempt is made to arrest him. Police, who have conducted a raid based on credible information, have registered FIR after rescuing the two victims ladies, who were allegedly found in Room No.201 of the said lodge. However, FIR does not reveal as to who is the owner of the lodge or who was the person who was running the said lodge as on the date when the raid was conducted. Petitioner, who has no criminal antecedents, has undertaken to co-operate with the police for the purpose of investigation. The alleged - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30805 CRL.P No. 6830 of 2026 offences are not punishable with death or life imprisonment. Under the circumstances, the following order:- 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 Crime No.34/2025 registered by Udupi Women Police Station, Udupi for the offences punishable under Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1956 and Section 143 of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: 1. The Petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer 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 two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer. 2. Petitioner shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. 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. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:30805 CRL.P No. 6830 of 2026 4. The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE DN List No.: 1 Sl No.: 92