- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010389672026 NC: 2026:KHC:36639 CRL.P No. 8207 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 5302 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. 8207 OF 2026 C/W CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 5302 OF 2026 IN CRL.P No. 8207/2026: BETWEEN: SRI RAVI @ PALLA S/O SELVA AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS R/AT NO.128, 3RD CROSS CHOWDIAH BLOCK R.T. NAGAR, BENGALURU - 560 032. …PETITIONER (BY SRI ABHILASH KUMAR M.N, ADV., FOR SRI NANJUNDA GOWDA M.R, ADV.) AND: STATE BY KORAMANGALA POLICE REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING DR AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.439 (FILED U/S.483 BNSS) CR.P.C PRAYING TO ENLARGE HIM ON REGULAR BAIL IN S.C.NO.1416/2021 (IN CRIME NO.156/2021 OF KORAMANGALA POLICE STATION) NOW WHICH IS PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE LXVI ADDL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGALURU CITY (CCH-57) FOR THE OFFENCE P/US/ 143,145,147,148,120(B),201,302,307,35,37 R/W SEC.149 OF IPC AND SEC.25(1)(1-B) AND 27(3) OF INDIAN ARMS ACT. Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010389672026 NC: 2026:KHC:36639 CRL.P No. 8207 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 5302 of 2026 IN CRL.P NO. 5302/2026: BETWEEN: 1. PRADEEP @ CHOTTE S/O LATE CHANDRA SHEKAR AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS RESIDING AT NO.47 1ST CROSS, 1ST MAIN ROAD M G GARDEN, NEELASANDRA BENGALURU. ...PETITIONER (BY SRI TIGADI VEERANNA GADIGEPPA, ADV.) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY KORAMANGALA P.S REP BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU - 560 001. ...RESPONDENT (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONERS ON BAIL IN SC NO.1416/2021 (CRIME NO.156/2021) OF OFFENCE P/U/S 143, 145, 147, 148, 120(B), 201, 302, 35, 37, R/W 149 OF IPC SECTION 25(1), (1-B), 27(3) OF INDIAN ARMS ACT 1959 FILED BY THE RESPONDENT KORAMANGALA POLICE PENDING BEFORE THE HONBLE COURT OF THE LXVI ADDL.CITY AND SESSIONS JUDGE, AT BENGALURU (CCH-67) THESE PETITIONS, 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.4 and 6 in Crime No.156/2021 registered by Koramangala Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010389672026 NC: 2026:KHC:36639 CRL.P No. 8207 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 5302 of 2026 punishable under Sections 302, 307, 143, 145, 147, 148, 120B, 201, 35, 37 read with Section 149 of IPC and Sections 25(1)(1- B) and 27(3) of Indian Arms Act, 1959, are before this Court in these petitions filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.156/2021 was registered by Koramangala Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Sections 143, 145, 147, 148, 120B, 307, 302 read with Section 149 of IPC, against nine named persons and others based on the first information dated 19.07.2021 received from Smt. Jennifer, wife of deceased Joseph Babu. During the course of investigation, petitioners herein were arrested on 23.07.2021 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against 11 persons and petitioners are arraigned as accused Nos.4 and 6 in the charge sheet. Their bail application filed in Crl.P.No.1942/2024 and Crl.P.No.13331/2023, were dismissed by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court on 26.03.2024. It is - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010389672026 NC: 2026:KHC:36639 CRL.P No. 8207 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 5302 of 2026 under these circumstances, petitioners are before this Court in these successive bail applications. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that allegation as against accused Nos.5 and 7 and the petitioners herein are similar in the charge sheet. Accused Nos.5 and 7 have been granted regular bail by this Court in Crl.P.No.280/2026 disposed off on 25.03.2026 considering the delay in trial. They submit that even accused Nos.5 and 7 had criminal antecedents. They also submit that accused Nos.8 to 11 have also been granted regular bail in the present case. 5. Per contra, learned HCGP, who has opposed the petitions however, does not dispute the submission made by learned counsel for petitioners. 6. Perusal of the charge sheet material would go to show that allegation of assaulting deceased Joseph Babu in the alleged incident with deadly weapons is found as against accused Nos.1 to 3, who are in custody. Petitioners along with the other accused persons had conspired to commit the murder of deceased Joseph Babu and on the date of incident, - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010389672026 NC: 2026:KHC:36639 CRL.P No. 8207 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 5302 of 2026 petitioners armed with deadly weapons were found outside the bank threatening the public. Similar allegation is found even as against accused Nos.5 and 7 in the charge sheet. There is no allegation against the petitioners about they assaulting the deceased. Accused Nos.5 and 7 have been granted regular bail by this Court in Crl.P.No.280/2026 disposed off on 25.03.2026. Accused Nos.8 to 10 have been granted regular bail by the Co- ordinate Bench of this Court in Crl.P.No.1984/2023 and Crl.P.No.2039/2023 disposed off on 08.12.2023. Accused No.11 has been granted regular bail by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in Crl.P.No.15099/2025 disposed off on 12.01.2026. 7. It is not in dispute that the aforesaid accused persons, who have been enlarged on bail by this Court, also were persons with criminal antecedents. However, considering the period of their incarceration and the delay in trial, this Court has granted regular bail to them. In the present case, petitioners are in custody for the last nearly five years. Out of 111 charge sheet witnesses cited in the present case, as on this date, only 15 charge sheet witnesses have been examined as PW1 to PW15. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010389672026 NC: 2026:KHC:36639 CRL.P No. 8207 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 5302 of 2026 that prayer made by the petitioners for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively considering their period of incarceration. Accordingly, the following order:- 8. The petitions are allowed. The petitioners are directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.156/2021 registered by Koramangala Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Sections 302, 307, 143, 145, 147, 148, 120B, 201, 35, 37 read with Section 149 of IPC and Sections 25(1)(1- B) and 27(3) of Indian Arms Act, 1959, 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; 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; - 7 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010389672026 NC: 2026:KHC:36639 CRL.P No. 8207 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 5302 of 2026 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.: 82