- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010382622026 NC: 2026:KHC:36679 CRL.P No. 8037 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 17TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 8037 OF 2026 (439(Cr.PC) / 483(BNSS)) BETWEEN: 1. SRI. CHANDRASHEKHAR. B., S/O SHARABHAYYA, AGE ABOUT 46 YEARS, R/AT No.442/2, 1ST MAIN, 17TH CROSS, KTJ NAGAR, BASAVANHALU, DAVANGERE - 577002. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. YALLALINGESHWAR, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA, BY CYBER CRIME POLICE STATION, BENGALURU CITY, REPRESENTED BY THE SPP HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU - 560001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI RANGASWAMY R., HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED No.4 ON BAIL IN S.C. No. 441/2026 ARISING OUT OF CRIME No.69/2025 FOR THE OFFENCE PUNISHABLE U/S 67 AND 66(C) OF THE IT ACT, 2000 AND U/S 351(3), 352, 75(3), 351(2), 79 READ WITH SECTION Digitally signed by VINUTHA B S Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010382622026 NC: 2026:KHC:36679 CRL.P No. 8037 of 2026 3(5) OF THE BNS, 2023 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE CCH 46, XLV ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGALURU. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused No.1 in S.C. No.441/2026 pending before the Court of XLV Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.69/2025 registered by the Cyber Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the offences punishable under Sections 67, 66 (C ) of Information Technology Act, 2000 and under Sections 351(3), 352, 75(3), 351(2), 79 r/w 3(5) of BNS, 2023 is before this Court in this successive bail application filed under Section 483 of BNSS seeking regular bail. 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned HCGP for the respondent. 3. FIR in Crime No.69/2025 was registered by the Cyber Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the aforesaid offences against unknown persons based on the first information dated - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010382622026 NC: 2026:KHC:36679 CRL.P No. 8037 of 2026 24.12.2025 received from the Vijayalakshmi. In the said case, petitioner as arrested on 03.01.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. His bail application filed before the trial Court was rejected and therefore, he had approached this Court earlier in Crl.P. No.1921/2026, which was dismissed on 29.05.2026. It is under these circumstances, petitioner is before this Court in this successive bail application. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner having reiterated the grounds urged in the petition submits that investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet is filed. The charge sheet was not produced before this Court in Crl.P. No.1921/2026. Maximum punishment for the alleged offences is imprisonment for a period of 7 years. Accused No.2 has been granted regular bail by the trial Court after the charge sheet was filed. Accordingly, he prays to allow the petition. 5. Per contra, learned HCGP has opposed the petition and submits that mere filing of a charge sheet cannot be considered as a change in circumstance. Accordingly, he prays to dismiss the petition. - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010382622026 NC: 2026:KHC:36679 CRL.P No. 8037 of 2026 6. Perusal of the order passed by this Court in Crl.P. No.1921/2026 would go to show that the said petition was reserved for orders on 08.04.2026. It appears that orders were pronounced in the said petition by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court on 29.05.2026. 7. From a reading of the orders passed in Crl.P.No.1921/2026, it is apparent that the charge sheet which was filed in the present case was not placed on record before the Court. 8. On the other hand, a submission was made by learned HCGP that investigation of the case is still under progress. 9. Petitioner, who has no other criminal antecedents, is in custody in the present case for the last more than six months. Investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet has been filed. It is not in dispute that after the charge sheet was filed in the present case, accused No.2 has been granted regular bail by the Jurisdictional Sessions Court. Maximum punishment for the alleged offences is imprisonment for a - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010382622026 NC: 2026:KHC:36679 CRL.P No. 8037 of 2026 period of 7 years. It is trite that a person cannot be kept in custody as a punitive or preventive measure. Under the circumstances, I am of the view that his prayer for grant of regular bail is to be answered in the affirmative. 10. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in S.C. No.441/2026 pending before the Court of XLV Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.69/2025 registered by the Cyber Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the offences punishable under Sections 67, 66 (C ) of Information Technology Act, 2000 and under Sections 351(3), 352, 75(3), 351(2), 79 r/w 3(5) 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 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; - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010382622026 NC: 2026:KHC:36679 CRL.P No. 8037 of 2026 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; Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE VBS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 68