- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31175 CRL.P No. 5840 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. 5840 OF 2026 BETWEEN: 1. RAMACHANDRAPPA S/O ANJINAPPA AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS R/AT KANIVEJOGIHALLI VILLAGE HORAKEREDEVAPURA VILLAGE HOLALKERE TALUK CHITRADURGA DISTRICT - 577 526. 2. RAVI S/O GUTHYAPPA AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS R/AT KANIVEJOGIHALLI VILLAGE HORAKEREDEVAPURA VILLAGE HOLALKERE TALUK CHITRADURGA DISTRICT - 577 526. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI S.G. RAJENDRA REDDY, ADV.) AND: THE STATE BY DEPUTY RANGE FOREST OFFICER JOGIMATTI SECTION CHITRADURGA RANGE CHITRADURGA DISTRICT RPTD. BY S.P.P., HIGH COURT BENGALURU - 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 ENLARGE THE PETITIONERS ON BAIL IN WLOR CR. NO.3/2025-26 OF RANGE FOREST OFFICE, JOGIMATTI SECTION, CHITRADURGA RANGE, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT, REGISTERED FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE U/SEC. 9, 30, 31, 32 AND 51 OF WILD Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31175 CRL.P No. 5840 of 2026 LIFE PROTECTION ACT 1972 AND U/SEC.9B(1)a OF THE EXPLOSIVES ACT 1884 AND U/SEC.4 OF THE EXPLOSIVES SUBSTANCES ACT 1908, PENDING ON THE FILE OF PRL. DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, CHITRADURGA. 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 Nos.1 and 2 in WLOR Crime No.3/2025-26 registered by the Deputy Range Forest Officer, Jogimatti Division, Chitradurga Range, for the offences punishable under Sections 9, 30, 31, 32 and 51 of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, Section 9(B)(1)(b) of the Explosives Act, 1884 and Section 4 of the Explosives Substances Act, 1908, are 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. It is the case of the prosecution that the Deputy Range Forest Officer, Jogimatti, Chitradurga, received credible information on 07.03.2026 that some persons had entered the reserved forest area and were attempting to hunt some wild animals by using explosives and on receipt of such information, - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31175 CRL.P No. 5840 of 2026 the first informant along with the staff went to the forest and apprehended petitioners herein and from their possession, 31 explosive balls, which were smeared with meat were recovered and subjected to panchanama. Subsequently, they were produced before the Court and remanded to judicial custody. Bail application filed by them before the jurisdictional Sessions Court was rejected on 26.03.2026. Therefore, they are before this Court. 4. Insofar as the present case is concerned, the staff of Forest Department have only recovered explosive balls which were allegedly smeared with meat from the possession of the petitioners and according to the prosecution, petitioners intended to use the same for the purpose of hunting wild animals. However, it is not in dispute that the petitioners had not hunted any wild animal and according to the prosecution, they were making attempts for the same. It appears that after the petitioners were remanded to judicial custody in the present case on 08.03.2026, in a separate incident, a jackal had died on 10.03.2026 after biting an explosive ball smeared with meat. In respect of the said incident, a separate case has - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31175 CRL.P No. 5840 of 2026 been registered in WLOR Crime No.4/2025-26 as against the petitioners herein. Insofar as the present case is concerned, there is no allegation as against the petitioners about hunting wild animals. They are in custody in the present case for the last more than three months. The offences alleged against the petitioners in the present case are not punishable with death or life imprisonment. Under the circumstances, the following order:- 5. The Criminal petition is allowed. The petitioners are directed to be enlarged on bail in WLOR Crime No.3/2025-26 registered by the Deputy Range Forest Officer, Jogimatti Division, Chitradurga Range, for the offences punishable under Sections 9, 30, 31, 32 and 51 of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, Section 9(B)(1)(b) of the Explosives Act, 1884 and Section 4 of the Explosives Substances Act, 1908, subject to the following conditions: a) Petitioners shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- each with two sureties for the likesum, to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court; - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31175 CRL.P No. 5840 of 2026 b) The petitioners shall appear regularly on all the dates of hearing before the Trial Court unless the Trial Court exempts their appearance for valid reasons; c) The petitioners shall not directly or indirectly threaten or tamper with the prosecution witnesses; d) The petitioners shall not involve in similar offences in future; e) The petitioners shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Trial Court without permission of the said Court until the case registered against them is disposed off. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE DN List No.: 1 Sl No.: 58