- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010393982026 NC: 2026:KHC:37562 CRL.P No. 8298 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. 8298 OF 2026 BETWEEN: MAHADEVASWAMY S/O. PINNASHETTY, AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS, R/AT ANNURUKERI VILLAGE, ANNURUKERI HOBLI, GUNDLUPETE TALUK, CHAMARAJANAGARA DISTRICT, PINCODE - 571 111. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. ANIL KUMAR A.S., ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY CHAMARAJANAGAR TOWN POLICE STATION, CHAMARAJANAGAR - 571 313. REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT 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 HIM ON BAIL IN CRIME NO.01/2026 OF CHAMARAJANAGAR TOWN POLICE STATION FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 316(2), 318(4) OF THE BNS 2023 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE LD PRL.CIVIL JUDGE (SR.DN) AND CJM AT CHAMARAJANAGAR. Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010393982026 NC: 2026:KHC:37562 CRL.P No. 8298 of 2026 THIS CRL.P, 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.3 in Crime No.1/2026 registered by Chamarajanagar Town Police Station, Chamarajanagar, for the offences punishable under Sections 316(2), 318(4) of BNS, 2023, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned Counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.1/2026 was registered by Chamarajanagar Police Station, for the aforesaid offences against Yogesh and others based on the first information dated 02.01.2026 received from Shobha.C., W/o Guruswamy.M., who is one of the victims in the present case. In the said case, petitioner herein was arrested on 18.01.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against four persons and petitioner herein, is arrayed as accused no.3 in the charge sheet. His bail application filed before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010393982026 NC: 2026:KHC:37562 CRL.P No. 8298 of 2026 Misc. No.165/2026 was rejected on 08.05.2026. Therefore, petitioner is before this Court. 4. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that accused nos.1 & 2 are persons who had established a firm known as Samagra Abhivrudhi (Benefit Fund Nidhi) Ltd., and had collected money in the form of pigmy from the public. Petitioner is said to be the person who had collected pigmy amount on behalf of the company which was established by accused nos.1 & 2. Accused nos.1 & 2 have been granted regular bail by this Court in Crl.P.No.7595/2026. In paragraph nos.4 & 5 of the order passed in Crl.P.No.7595/2026 disposed of on 02.07.2026, it has been observed as under: "4. The allegation in the first information as well as in the charge sheet against the petitioners is that they had established a firm known as Samagra Abhivrudhi (Benefit Fund Nidhi) Ltd., and had collected money in the form of pigmy from the public, and thereafter, had not repaid the money collected from the public and thereby misappropriated the amount of Rs.20,49,000/-. 5. Investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet has been filed. It is brought to the - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010393982026 NC: 2026:KHC:37562 CRL.P No. 8298 of 2026 notice of this Court that with similar allegations, two other cases are registered against the petitioners and in the said case, they have been already granted bail. In so far as the present case is concerned, the maximum punishment for the alleged offences is imprisonment for a period of seven years and the alleged offences are triable by the Court of Magistrate." 5. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that petitioner's prayer for grant of regular bail is required to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order: 6. The petition is allowed. The petitioner are directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.1/2026 registered by Chamarajanagar Town Police Station, Chamarajanagar, for the offences punishable under Sections 316(2), 318(4) of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: a) Petitioner shall execute 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 - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010393982026 NC: 2026:KHC:37562 CRL.P No. 8298 of 2026 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. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE KK