- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35916 CRL.P No. 9320 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 14TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 9320 OF 2026 BETWEEN: SUNISH HEGDE S/O DR SUNIL HEGDE AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS R/AT NO.182/2 NEAR RMV 2ND STAGE SANJAYNAGAR BANGALORE - 560 094. …PETITIONER (BY SRI SANDESH J CHOUTA, SR. COUNSEL FOR SRI SAMPREETH V, ADV. ) AND: DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT REPRESENTED BY DEPUTY DIRECTOR BENGALURU ZONAL OFFICE OFFICER SITUTAED AT HMT MACHINE TOOLS COMPOUND BANGALORE COMPLEX, JALAHALLI BENGALURU - 560 013. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI MADHU N RAO, SPL.PP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO GRANT BAIL TO THE PETITIONER BASED ON THE ARREST CAUSED ON 08.05.2026 AND RELEASE HIM FROM CUSTODY IN THE CASE REGISTERED BY THE RESPONDENT IN ECIR/BGZO/01/2021 REGISTERED BY ENFORCEMENT DIRECTORATE PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE PRL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT BENGALURU AND SPL.JUDGE FOR PMLA CASES CCH-1. 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:35916 CRL.P No. 9320 of 2026 ORAL ORDER 1. Accused no.2 in ECIR/BGZO/01/2021 registered by the respondent pending before the Court of Prl. City Civil & Sessions Judge & Special Judge, Bengaluru, for PMLA cases, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Counsel appearing for the respondent who has filed his statement of objections. 3. Petitioner who was arrested on 08.05.2026 by the respondent in ECIR/BGZO/01/2021 registered for the offence punishable under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, had filed regular bail application before the Court of Special Judge in Crl. Misc. No.4820/2026 which was dismissed on 25.06.2026. It is under these circumstances, the petitioner is before this Court. 4. Learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the cases relating to the predicate offences were registered between the year 2017 and 2020. In all the said - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35916 CRL.P No. 9320 of 2026 cases, petitioner has been enlarged on bail. Subsequently, two separate ECIR cases were registered by the respondent. In the other ECIR case, petitioner was not arrested and after the final report was filed, in response to the summons received, petitioner had appeared before the Trial Court and he has been granted bail. In the present case, petitioner is arrested on 08.05.2026, and after completing investigation, final report has been filed on 06.07.2026. He submits that maximum punishment for the alleged offence is imprisonment for a period of seven years. Petitioner is a patient suffering with multiple ailments and he is now admitted in Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences & Research, Bengaluru. He, accordingly, prays to allow the petition. 5. Per contra, learned Counsel appearing for the respondent who has filed statement of objections submits that medical records only suggest that follow-up treatment is required for the alleged ailment of the petitioner. The specific treatment that is required has not been stated in the medical records. He submits that if patient can be treated in jail hospital, he is not entitled for bail on medical grounds. He submits that even on - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35916 CRL.P No. 9320 of 2026 merits of the case, petitioner is not entitled for the relief sought in the petition. Accordingly, he prays to dismiss the petition. 6. It is not in dispute that in the cases that were registered against the petitioner for predicate offences between the year 2017 and 2020, he has been enlarged on bail. It appears that subsequently two ECIR cases were registered in the year 2020 & 2021. The submission made by the learned Senior Counsel for the petitioner that in the ECIR which was registered in the year 2020, petitioner was never arrested during the course of investigation and after filing final report, in response to the summons received, the petitioner had appeared before the Trial Court and he was granted regular bail, has not been seriously disputed by the learned Counsel for the respondent. 7. In so far as the present case is concerned which is registered in the year 2021, petitioner has been taken to custody on 08.05.2026. Learned Senior Counsel for the petitioner during the course of arguments, has submitted that prior to the same, he had several times appeared before the Investigation Officer and co-operated for the purpose of - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35916 CRL.P No. 9320 of 2026 investigation. The investigation is now completed and final report has been filed on 06.07.2026. 8. The medical records of the petitioner which is now made available to this Court by the learned Counsel for the respondent would go to show that petitioner was admitted in the aforesaid hospital on 22.05.2026 in terms of the order passed by the Trial Court and he was diagnosed as suffering from acute coronary syndrome/unstable angina. Subsequently, petitioner was admitted in the said hospital on 25.05.2026 and after completing investigation, it was diagnosed that he was suffering from "acute coronary syndrome/unstable angina/diabetes/hypertension/chronic kidney disease, CAG, DVD, OMT", and petitioner underwent coronary angiogram on 01.06.2026 and he was discharged from the hospital on 02.06.2026. Subsequently, petitioner was advised nephrology opinion in view of acute kidney injury, diabetologist opinion in view of diabetic control, orthopedic opinion in view of right knee pain and was admitted for followup in the aforesaid hospital. 9. On 04.06.2026, the petitioner was referred to Victoria Hospital for the aforesaid ailments as per the advise from Sri - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35916 CRL.P No. 9320 of 2026 Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, and after a detailed investigation in Victoria Hospital, petitioner was diagnosed as Ischemic heart disease-DVD, acute kidney injury, cystitis T2DM (HbA1c-8.1), systemic hypertension and he was discharged from Victoria Hospital on 08.06.2026 and was advised medication. Thereafter, on 06.07.2026, petitioner was again referred to Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research and was advised to admission and the medical records would go to show that currently petitioner is under treatment in the aforesaid hospital. 9. Under the circumstances, considering the merits of the case and also having regard to the medical condition of the petitioner, I am of the opinion that his prayer for grant of regular bail is required to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order: 10. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in ECIR/BGZO/01/2021 registered by the respondent pending before the Court of Prl. City Civil & Sessions Judge & Special Judge, Bengaluru, for PMLA cases, subject to the following conditions: - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35916 CRL.P No. 9320 of 2026 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; 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