- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31218 CRL.P No. 7383 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 23RD DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 7383 OF 2026 BETWEEN: SMT. LALITHA VANI POTULURI W/O LATE VENKATARAY POTULURI AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS RESIDING AT NO.1002, 14TH CROSS JUDICIAL LAYOUT, YELAHANKA BENGALURU - 560 065. …PETITIONER (BY SRI HARISH KUMAR M.C, ADV.) AND: STATE BY BELLANDUR POLICE REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNNS) PRAYING TO GRANT AN ANTICIPATORY BAIL TO THE PETITIONER IN THE EVENT OF HER ARREST BY THE RESPONDENT POLICE IN CRIME NO.602/2025 REGISTERED FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS U/S-305, 318(4), 319(2), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), 61(1) OF BNS-2023 BY THE RESPONDENT EELLANDURU POLICE PENDING ON THE FILE OF 41ST ACJM AT BENGALURU. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31218 CRL.P No. 7383 of 2026 ORAL ORDER 1. Accused no.3 in Crime No.602/2025 registered by Bellanduru Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the offences punishable under Sections 305, 318(4), 340(2), 336(2), 319(2), 336(3), 61(1) 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.602/2025 was registered by Bellanduru Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the aforesaid offences against one Venkatesh and others, based on the first information dated 19.12.2025 received from Dr. Shyamal Reddy. Apprehending arrest in the said case, petitioner had filed Crl. Misc. No.3559/2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was rejected on 28.04.2026. Therefore, she is before this Court. 4. Petitioner is a married lady, aged about 48 years. It is submitted by the learned Counsel for the petitioner that she has no criminal antecedents. The material made available to - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31218 CRL.P No. 7383 of 2026 this Court would go to show that petitioner herein has earlier approached Devanahalli Police Station on 27.09.2025 and submitted a first information alleging that Srinivas Reddy - son of the first informant and others named in the FIR had kidnapped her and also criminally intimidated her. From the aforesaid, it appears that there is a civil dispute between the parties. 5. The allegation now made in the present case is as against accused no.1 and others about they creating fraudulent documents. A reading of the first information would go to show that there is no serious allegation as against the petitioner and no specific role has been attributed to her in the alleged crime. The only allegation made in the first information so far as the petitioner is concerned is that she had accompanied the other accused persons who had visited the house of the first informant and allegedly committed theft of some of her property documents. Petitioner has undertaken to co-operate with the police for the purpose of investigation. The alleged offences are triable by the Court of Magistrate and the maximum punishment for the said offences is imprisonment for - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31218 CRL.P No. 7383 of 2026 a period of seven years. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that petitioner's prayer for grant of anticipatory bail is required to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order: 6. The Criminal 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 her arrest in Crime No.602/2025 registered by Bellanduru Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the offences punishable under Sections 305, 318(4), 340(2), 336(2), 319(2), 336(3), 61(1) 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 witness and she shall co-operate with - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31218 CRL.P No. 7383 of 2026 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 KK