- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31691 CRL.P No. 6998 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 25TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 6998 OF 2026 BETWEEN: NAND KISHOR LAKHOTIA S/O BANSILA LAKHOTIA AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS NANDALAKOTIA CLOTH SHOP, R/AT NO. 12, 2ND FLOOR 1ST MAIN, 2ND STAGE NEAR GANESHA TEMPLE OKALIPURAM, SRIRAMPURAM BENGALURU - 560 021. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. VASANTHAPPA, ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA SRIRAMPURA POLICE STATION, RESPONDENT IS REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO ORDER FOR RELEASE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN THE EVENT OF ARREST IN CR.NO.66/2026 OF Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31691 CRL.P No. 6998 of 2026 SRIRAMPURA P.S. DATED 29.03.2026 FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 75 OF BNS ON THE FILE OF XLV ADDL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE BENGALURU CCH-46. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Accused in Crime No.66 of 2026 registered by Srirampura Police Station, Bengaluru for offence punishable under Section 75 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 appearing for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.66 of 2026 was registered by Srirampura Police Station, Bengaluru for the aforesaid offence against the petitioner herein, based on the first information dated 29.03.2026 received from the victim girl - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31691 CRL.P No. 6998 of 2026 aged about 20 years. Apprehending arrest in the said case petitioner herein had filed Crl.Misc.No.3401 of 2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was rejected on 22.04.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. A reading of the first information submitted on 29.03.2026 by the alleged victim would go to show that, she was earlier working in the cloth shop of the petitioner from the month of November-2025 to December-2025. The allegation against the petitioner is that while the victim was working in his shop, he used to inappropriately touch her with promise to pay her money. In the first information itself, it is mentioned that from December 2025 onwards, the victim has not gone to petitioner's shop for work. First information was submitted belatedly on 29.03.2026 with the aforesaid allegations. Under the circumstances, I pass the following: - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31691 CRL.P No. 6998 of 2026 ORDER i) The criminal petition is allowed. ii) 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.0066 of 2026 registered by Srirampura Police Station, Bengaluru for the offences punishable under Section 75 of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: 1. The Petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer within Fifteen 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/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with two sureties for the like-sum 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 he shall co-operate with the police for investigation and appear before them, whenever called upon. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31691 CRL.P No. 6998 of 2026 4. The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE DH List No.: 1 Sl No.: 48