- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35740 CRL.P No. 6364 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. 6364 OF 2026 (439(Cr.PC) / 483(BNSS) BETWEEN: MANJUNATHA K S/O LATE KALLAPPA AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, R/AT DABBAGUNTE VILLAGE, JADIGENAHALLI HOBLI, HOSKOTE TALUK, BANGALORE RURAL DISTRICT …PETITIONER (BY SRI. VEERESH MAHESH UPPIN.,ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY HOSKOTE PS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BUILDING DR. AMBEDKAR ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 001 …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. RANGASWAMY R.,HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO GRANT REGULAR BAIL THEREBY DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT NO.1 I.E HOSKOTE P.S. TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER IN CR.NO.306/2024 IN S.C.NO.16/2025 FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 103(1) OF THE BNS PENDING ON THE FILE OF IX ADDL.DIST. AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGALURU RURAL BENGALURU. Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35740 CRL.P No. 6364 of 2026 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 No.1 in SC.No.16/2025 pending before the Court of IX Additional District and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.306/2024 registered by the Hosakote Police Station, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru for the offence punishable under Section 103(1) of BNS, 2023, is before this Court in this successive bail application filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.306/2024 was registered by the Hosakote Police Station, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru for the aforesaid offence against petitioner herein based on first information dated 24.09.2024 received from Chandru K, brother of deceased Govindappa. In the said case, petitioner was arrested on - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35740 CRL.P No. 6364 of 2026 24.09.2024 and remanded to the judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against him for the aforesaid offence. His bail application filed before the trial Court was rejected. Thereafter, he had earlier approached this Court in Criminal Petition No.4702/2025, which was dismissed as not pressed with liberty to the petitioner to renew his bail application after examination of CW.11, who is the alleged eye witness in the present case. Subsequently, petitioner filed a fresh bail application before the trial Court in Criminal Misc.No.70/2026, after examination of CW.11. The said application was rejected by the trial Court on 28.01.2026. Therefore, the petitioner is before this Court seeking regular bail. 4. As per the charge sheet allegations, petitioner and CW.15 - Malleshappa, are direct brothers. They had a dispute with regard to certain properties left behind by their father. CW.15 allegedly had requested the deceased - Govindappa to make arrangements for sale of - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35740 CRL.P No. 6364 of 2026 the said properties and the petitioner, who had opposed the said sale, had allegedly quarreled with Govindappa on earlier occasion. Despite the same, Govindappa continued to bring intending purchasers. In this background, on 24.09.2024, petitioner had quarreled with Govindappa and had assaulted him with a bamboo club on his head. Though, Govindappa was shifted directly to KVJ hospital, he died before reaching the hospital. Under these circumstances, FIR was registered against the petitioner for the aforesaid offence. CW.11-Ramakrishna, is the eyewitness to the incident in question. He is now examined as PW.3. Out of 30 charge sheet witnesses cited in the present case as on this day, 3 charge sheet witnesses are examined as PW.1 to PW.3, though PW.3 was examined before the trial Court on 27.10.2025 itself. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that after PW.3 was examined, there is no progress in the case and no witness has been examined till date. It is not in dispute that the petitioner has no criminal antecedents. He - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35740 CRL.P No. 6364 of 2026 has been in custody for the last twenty-two months. Since, the material charge-sheet witness has been now examined, there cannot be any apprehension that the petitioner may tamper with the said witness. Under these circumstances, the following: ORDER i) The petition is allowed. ii) The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in SC.No.16/2025 pending before the Court of IX Additional District and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.306/2024 of Hosakote Police Station, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru registered for the offences punishable under Section 103(1) of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: a) Petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:35740 CRL.P No. 6364 of 2026 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 PHM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 53