- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010489322026 NC: 2026:KHC:37144 CRL.P No. 10492 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 20TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 10492 OF 2026 BETWEEN: 1. DR. KAVERI BASAVARAJ KADAPPANAVAR D/O BASAVARAJ KADAPPANAVAR AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS. 2. BASAVARAJA KADAPPANAVAR D/O VEERAPPA K AGED ABOUT 68 YEARS. 3. PRAKASH JANGAMANI S/O BASAPPA JANGAMANI AGED ABOUT 54 YEARS R/A A1403, LIBERTY SQUARE SY NO.23, 80 FEET BDA ROAD NEAR KSJT COLLEGE, GUBBALALA BANGALORE SOUTH BANGALORE - 560 001. 4. SMT. SUJATA BASAVARAJ KADAPPANAVAR W/O BASAVARAJ KADAPPANAVAR AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS. 5. DR. PULIKESHI BASASVARAJ KADAPPANVAR S/O BASAVARAJ KADAPPANAVAR AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS. PETITIONER NO.1, 2 4 & 5 ARE RESIDING AT NO. 108, RAJASHRI 2ND CROSS, 2ND MAIN, MICO LAYOUT BEHIND RELIANCE FRESH OUTLET BTM II STAGE, BENGALURU - 560 076. …PETITIONERS Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010489322026 NC: 2026:KHC:37144 CRL.P No. 10492 of 2026 (BY SRI ADIT CHANDANGOUDAR, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY CCB (OCW) POLICE STATION EAST WING, BENGALURU CITY REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT.RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONERS / ACCUSED NO.1 TO 5 ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN THE EVENT OF THEIR ARREST IN CR.NO.73/2026 OF CCB (OCW) P.S. BENGALURU CITY NOW PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE COURT OF THE LEARNED I A.C.J.M BENGALURU FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 43,66,66C,66E,67,67A,72 OF I.T ACT 2000 AND SEC.61(2),77,308,351(3) R/W 3(5) OF BNS 2023 BY DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT POLICE TO RELEASE THE PETITIONERS ON BAIL IN THE EVENT OF THEIR ARREST. 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 nos.1 to 5 in Crime No.73 of 2026 registered by CCB Bengaluru City Police, Bengaluru for offences punishable under Sections 67, 66, 66(E), 66(C), 43, 67A & 72 of Information Technology Act, 2000 and Sections 61(2), 351(3), 308 & 77 R/w Section 3(5) of BNS, 2023 are before - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010489322026 NC: 2026:KHC:37144 CRL.P No. 10492 of 2026 this Court in this petition filed under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023 seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Additional State Public Prosecutor on behalf of respondent - State. 3. FIR in Crime No.73 of 2026 was registered by CCB Bengaluru City Police, Bengaluru for the aforesaid offences against the petitioners herein, based on the first information dated 05.06.2026 received from Smt Akshata Shankar Patil, who is the alleged victim in the present case. Apprehending arrest, petitioners who are arrayed as accused nos.1 to 5 in the FIR had filed Crl.Misc.No.5944 of 2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was rejected on 13.07.2026. Therefore, the petitioners are before this Court. 4. First informant is the sister of Mahesh Shankar Gauda Patil, who is the husband of accused no.1 herein. Accused nos.2 and 4 are the parents and accused no.5 is the brother of accused no.1. Accused no.3 is the uncle of accused - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010489322026 NC: 2026:KHC:37144 CRL.P No. 10492 of 2026 no.1. Allegation in the first information is that accused no.1 had recorded certain private videos of the first informant. After the relationship between accused no.1 and her husband got strained, she allegedly threatened to release the said videos and demanded money. It is under these circumstances, FIR was registered based on the first information dated 05.06.2026 submitted by the sister-in-law of accused No.1 wherein allegation of extortion, defamation, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy is made as against accused No.1 and her family members. 5. Material on record would go to show that on the requisition of the Investigation Officer, a search warrant was issued in the present case by the jurisdictional Court of Magistrate to search the house of accused nos.1 and 2. 6. Learned counsel for the petitioners has submitted that during the course of search, laptop and other electronic devices of the accused persons were seized. - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010489322026 NC: 2026:KHC:37144 CRL.P No. 10492 of 2026 7. It is not in dispute that petitioners herein do not have criminal antecedents. Accused Nos.1 and 5 are doctors by profession and accused nos.2 and 4 are their parents. The alleged offences are triable by the Court of Magistrate and maximum punishment for the same is imprisonment for a period of seven years. 8. Considering the nature of allegations found against the petitioners, who are the close relatives of the first informant, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioners for grant of anticipatory bail needs to be answered affirmatively. 9. Accordingly, the following:- ORDER The Criminal Petition is allowed. The respondent - Police or any other police in the State of Karnataka are directed to release the petitioners in the event of their arrest in Crime No.73 of 2026 registered by CCB Bengaluru City Police, Bengaluru for offences punishable under Sections 67, 66, 66(E), 66(C), 43, 67A & 72 of Information - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010489322026 NC: 2026:KHC:37144 CRL.P No. 10492 of 2026 Technology Act, 2000 and Sections 61(2), 351(3), 308 & 77 R/w Section 3(5) of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions:- 1. The petitioners shall appear before the Investigating Officer in the present case within a period of fifteen days from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order on executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) each with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer/jurisdictional Court. 2. The petitioners shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. 3. The petitioners shall not tamper with the prosecution witness and they shall co-operate with the Police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon. 4. The petitioners shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE NMS/List No.: 1 Sl No.: 44