- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35490-DB WPHC No. 54 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 13TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T WRIT PETITION HABEAS CORPUS NO.54 OF 2026 BETWEEN: SMT. MANJULA W/O. MUNIRAJU AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS RESIDING AT DODDERI ROAD HEJJALA AT POST, BIDADI HOBLI RAMANAGARA TALUK BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT-562 109. …PETITIONER (BY SMT. J. KALADEEPA, FOR SRI PATEEL G.S., ADVOCATES) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF HOME VIDHANA SOUDHA DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU-560 001 REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY. 2. THE DIRECTOR GENERAL AND INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE NRUPATHUNGA ROAD BENGALURU-560 001. 3. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE BENGALURU RURAL NO.5, MILLER'S ROAD VASANTH NAGAR BENGALURU-560 051. 4. THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER ATTIBELE POLICE STATION ATTIBELE Digitally signed by RAKSHA Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35490-DB WPHC No. 54 of 2026 BENGALURU URBAN DISTRICT-562 107. 5. SRI GANESH S/O. LATE NAGARAJU AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS RESIDENT OF NEAR INDIA OIL PETROL BUNK ANEKAL TOWN-562 106. 6. SMT. PUSHPA W/O. S. SRIDHAR AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS. 7. SRI SRIDHAR S/O. J. SURESH AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS RESPONDENT NOS.6 AND 7 ARE RESIDING AT NO.2992, M-8 SAJJAD ALI CROSS MANDIMOHALLA MYSORE-570 001. 8. SMT. ANJINAMMA W/O. LATE MUNISWAMAPPA AGED ABOUT 85 YEARS RESIDENT OF MAYASANDRA @ POST ATTIBELE HOBLI, ANEKAL TALUK BENGALURU URBAN DISTRICT-562 107. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI B.N. JAGADEESH, SPP-I A/W SRI THEJESH P., H.C.G.P., FOR R-1 TO R-4; VIDE COURT ORDER DATED 19-5-2026, NOTICE TO R-5 TO R-8 IS DEFERRED) * * * THIS WPHC IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO ISSUE WRIT OR ORDER IN THE NATURE OF HABEAS CORPUS AGAINST THE RESPONDENTS NO.1 TO 4 TO SECURE SRI MUNIRAJU - THE HUSBAND OF THE PETITIONER FROM THE ILLEGAL CUSTODY OF RESPONDENT NOS.5 TO 8 AND TO HANDOVER HIM TO THE CUSTODY OF THE PETITIONER. THIS WPHC, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35490-DB WPHC No. 54 of 2026 ORAL JUDGMENT (PER: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN) This writ petition (Habeas Corpus) is filed seeking directions to respondent Nos.1 to 4 to secure husband of the petitioner from illegal custody of respondent Nos.5 to 8 and hand him over to the custody of the petitioner. 2. It is alleged in the writ petition that the petitioner's husband is missing from October 2025 and that he is possibly under the illegal detention of respondent Nos.5 to 8, who are his siblings and mother. It is submitted that on 08.10.2025 at around 07.30-8 a.m., husband of the petitioner left the house at Hejjala village without informing anybody and has not been traced till now. 3. A Status report has been placed on record by the learned SPP-I with a memo stating that a missing complaint has been registered as Crime No.41/2026 of the Attibele Police Station on 30.01.2026 stating that the writ petitioner's husband is missing from 07.01.2026. It is submitted that the investigation in the crime is ongoing. However, it is stated that an earlier complaint had been preferred in the year 2013 which - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35490-DB WPHC No. 54 of 2026 led to registration of Crime No.192/2013 on July 5TH 2013 and that, it had come to light that the missing person had abandoned his family and relocated to Chikkaballapura. It is further contended that there are loan liabilities outstanding as against the missing person and that, the mobile phone belonging to the missing person had been found in the petitioner's possession on 17.06.2026. 4. Having considering the contentions advanced, we are of the opinion that the instant case is not one of any illegal detention and that, it is for the police to take appropriate steps on the missing complaint registered by them in January 2026 in accordance with law. Accordingly, Writ Petition (Habeas Corpus) stands disposed of, leaving open all the contentions of the parties. Sd/- (ANU SIVARAMAN) JUDGE Sd/- (VENKATESH NAIK T) JUDGE AM List No.: 2 Sl No.: 1