- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35158 CRL.P No. 4691 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 10TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 4691 OF 2026 BETWEEN: VENU G S/O GOVINDAPPA AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS OCCUPATION FACTORY WORKER TAPASIHALLI, TUBAGERE, HOBLI DODDABALLAPURA, BENGALURU DIST KARNATAKA - 561 205. …PETITIONER (BY SRI SUNIL KUMAR S, ADV.) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY BENGALURU DISTRICT WOMEN P.S, REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP FOR SMT. BHAVAN PATIL, ADV., FOR R-2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE HIM ON REGULAR BAIL IN CRIME NO.240/2025 REGISTERED BY THE BENGALURU DISTRICT WOMEN POLICE STATION FOR THE OFFENCE P/US/ 80,85,54,74,115(2),352,190 OF BNS 2023 WHICH IS NOW PENDING IN S.C.NO.10006/2026 IV ADDL DISTRICT AND SESSIONS COURT, BENGALURU RURAL SITTING AT DODDABALLAPURA. 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:35158 CRL.P No. 4691 of 2026 ORAL ORDER 1. Accused No.1 in S.C.No.10006/2026 pending before the Court of IV Addl. District & Sessions Judge, (Sitting at Doddaballapura) Bengaluru Rural District arising out of Crime No.240 of 2025 registered by Bengaluru District Women Police Station, Bengaluru District for offences punishable under Sections 80, 85, 54, 74, 115(2), 352 and 190 of BNS 2023 is 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. FIR in Crime No.240 of 2025 was registered by Bengaluru District Women Police Station, Bengaluru District for the aforesaid offences against petitioner herein and his relatives, based on the first information dated 20.10.2025, received from Sri M. Narayanappa, father of deceased Smt. Pushpavati. In the said case, petitioner was arrested on 20.10.2025 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against six persons and petitioner is arraigned as accused no.1 in the charge sheet. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35158 CRL.P No. 4691 of 2026 His bail application filed before the trial Court in S.C.No.10006 of 2026 was rejected on 12.03.2026. Therefore, he before this Court. 4. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that marriage of accused no.1 with the deceased was solemnized on 11.11.2024. After the marriage, they had lived happily for a short time. It appears that thereafter there was a dispute between the husband and wife and on 10.08.2025 deceased had approached Doddaballapura Women Police Station and submitted a complaint based on which, FIR in Crime No.178 of 2025 was registered against her husband and relatives for offences punishable under Sections 74, 85, 115(2), 351(2), 352 and 190 of BNS 2023. In the said case, charge sheet has been filed and case was pending in C.C.No.7142 of 2025. Undisputedly, no allegation about demand of dowry was made in the said case. 5. Charge sheet allegation would go to show that, after registering Crime No.178 of 2025, the victim was staying separately from her husband. It appears that, prior to the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35158 CRL.P No. 4691 of 2026 deceased committing suicide, on 13.10.2025 and 14.10.2025, petitioner allegedly had abused and assaulted the deceased. Subsequently, she had committed suicide on 20.10.2025 by jumping into a check dam. Even in the charge sheet which is filed in the present case, the offences punishable under the provisions of Dowry Prohibition Act have not been invoked as against the accused. Therefore, a doubt arises with regard to the allegations found in the charge sheet. 6. In the present case, petitioner is in custody from 20.10.2025. Investigation of the case is now completed and charge sheet is filed. Accused nos.2 and 3 have been granted regular bail by this Court in Criminal Petition No.4708 of 2026 disposed of on 11.06.2026 Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that the payer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively subject to appropriate conditions. 7. Accordingly, the following :- ORDER Criminal petition is allowed. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35158 CRL.P No. 4691 of 2026 The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in S.C.No.10006/2026 pending before the Court of IV Addl. District & Sessions Judge, (Sitting at Doddaballapura) Bengaluru Rural District arising out of Crime No.240 of 2025 registered by Bengaluru District Women Police Station, Bengaluru District for offences punishable under Sections 80, 85, 54, 74, 115(2), 352 and 190 of BNS 2023, subject to the following conditions: a) The petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) 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 - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35158 CRL.P No. 4691 of 2026 the said Court until the case registered against him is disposed off. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE NMS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 32