- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010377222026 NC: 2026:KHC:37346 CRL.P No. 7850 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 21ST DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 7850 OF 2026 (438(Cr.PC) / 482(BNSS)) BETWEEN: SRI. ANNI SHAM S/O. LATE CHANDRAPPA, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, RESIDING AT WARD NO. 26, GEETHA MANDIRA LAYOUT, IJOOR, RAMANAGARA TOWN, BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT - 562 159. (DETAILS OF THE PETITIONER FURNISHED AS PER AADHAR CARDS ANNEXED WITH THE VAKALATH) …PETITIONER (BY SRI. RAVISHA M G.,ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY RAMANAGARA TOWN POLICE STATION, RAMANAGARA DISTRICT. REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT.RASHMI JADHAV., ADDL. SPP) THIS CRL.P FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO ALLOW THE ABOVE PETITION AND ENLARGE HIM ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN CR.NO.95/2025 REGISTERED BY THE RAMANAGARA TOWN POLICE RAMANAGARA FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 316(2),318(4) R/W 3(5) OF BNS 2023 AND ETC., Digitally signed by DHANALAKSHMI MURTHY Location: HIGH COURTOF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010377222026 NC: 2026:KHC:37346 CRL.P No. 7850 of 2026 THIS CRIMINAL PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Petitioner, who is apprehending arrest in Crime No.95/2025 registered by the Ramanagara Town Police Station, Ramanagara District, for the offences punishable under Sections 316(2), 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'BNS, 2023') for short), is before this Court in this criminal petition filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, (for short ‘BNSS, 2023’) seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and learned Addl. SPP appearing for the respondent-State. 3. FIR in Crime No.95/2025 was registered by the Ramanagara Town Police Station, Ramanagara District against the petitioner and three others for the aforesaid offences based on the first information dated 02.09.2025 received from Sri Imran Ahammad, the alleged victim in - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010377222026 NC: 2026:KHC:37346 CRL.P No. 7850 of 2026 the present case. Apprehending arrest in the said case, petitioner had filed Criminal Misc.No.111/2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was dismissed on 09.04.2026. Therefore, the petitioner is before this Court. 4. Perusal of the first information dated 02.09.2025 submitted by the alleged victim would go to show that the allegation against accused Nos.1 to 4 in the FIR is that they had induced the first informant and other similarly placed persons to join the allegedly illegal chit business conducted by them and thereafter, had not repaid the money to the subscribers of the chit fund. Accused Nos.2 to 4, against whom similar allegations are found in the FIR, have been granted anticipatory bail by the Co- ordinate Bench of this Court in Crl.P. No.2434/2026, disposed of on 23.03.2026. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner has produced the copy of the licence in the name of the petitioner to run the chit fund, which is valid up to 31.05.2027. The petitioner, - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010377222026 NC: 2026:KHC:37346 CRL.P No. 7850 of 2026 who has no criminal antecedents, has undertaken to cooperate with the Police for the purpose of investigation. The alleged offences are to be tried by the Court of the Magistrate and are punishable with imprisonment for a period of seven years. 6. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of anticipatory bail needs to be answered affirmatively subject to imposing appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following order: ORDER i) The criminal petition is allowed. ii) The respondent - Police or any other police in the State of Karnataka are directed to release the petitioner in the event of his arrest in Crime No.95/2025 registered by the Ramanagara Town Police Station, Ramanagara District, for the offences punishable under Sections 316(2), 318(4) and 3(5) of the BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010377222026 NC: 2026:KHC:37346 CRL.P No. 7850 of 2026 1. The Petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer within 15 days from the date of receipt of the copy of this order and shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer. 2. The petitioner shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. 3. The Petitioner shall not tamper with the prosecution witness and he shall co-operate with the police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon. 4. The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE HA List No.: 1 Sl No.: 51