- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010304932026 NC: 2026:KHC:37029 CRL.P No. 6564 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. 6564 OF 2026 BETWEEN: SRI. MAHADEVASWAMY S/O LATE MAHADEVASHETTY AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, R/AT HARAVE VILLAGE, CHAMARAJANAGARA TALUK AND DISTRICT - 571 313 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. PRASANNA KUMAR B., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE BY WOMEN POLICE CHAMARAJANAGARA, REPRESENTED BY S.P.P. HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU - 560 001 2. XXX …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, ASPP FOR R1 R2 - SERVED) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONERS ON BAIL IN CR.NO.40/2024 REGISTERED BY THE WOMEN POLICE STATION CHAMARAJANAGARA IN SPL.C.NO.335/2024 FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 75, 77, 79 OF BNS, AND SEC.NO.8, 12, 14, 15 OF POCSO ACT AND 66E, 67(B) OF IT ACT PENDING Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010304932026 NC: 2026:KHC:37029 CRL.P No. 6564 of 2026 BEFORE THE ADDL. DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE AND FTSC-1 AT CHAMARAJANAGARA DISTRICT. 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 in SC No.335/2024 pending before the Court of Addl. District and Sessions Judge and FTSC-I, Chamarajanagara, arising out of Crime No.40/2024 registered by Women Police Station, Chamarajanagara, for the offences punishable under Sections 64, 65(1), 351(3) and 238 of BNS, 2023, Sections 4, 6, 8, 12, 14 and 15 of the POCSO Act, 2012 and Sections 66(E) and 67(B) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, 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.40/2024 was registered by Chamarajanagara Women Police Station, Chamarajanagara, initially for the offences punishable under Sections 75, 77, and 79 of BNS, 2023, sections 8, 12, 14 and 15 of the POCSO Act, 2012 and Sections 66(E) and 67(B) of the Information - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010304932026 NC: 2026:KHC:37029 CRL.P No. 6564 of 2026 Technology Act, 2000, against the petitioner herein based on the first information dated 13.10.2024 received from respondent No.2, who is the mother of the victim girl, aged about 13 years. During the course of investigation of the case, petitioner was arrested on 14.10.2024 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against him for the aforesaid offences. His bail application filed before the Trial Court in Special Case No.335/2024 was rejected on 03.02.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Perusal of the first information would go to show that FIR was registered in the present case against the petitioner based on the first information received from the mother of the victim girl, who had approached the police after seeing a video clip which was forwarded to her by the petitioner herein from his mobile phone. In the said video clipping, her minor daughter was found without clothes on her body. During the course of investigation, petitioner was arrested and after completing investigation, charge sheet is now filed invoking the offences punishable under Sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act and - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010304932026 NC: 2026:KHC:37029 CRL.P No. 6564 of 2026 Section 64 and Section 65(1) of BNS, 2023, against the petitioner. 5. Victim girl in her statement recorded under Section 183 of BNSS, 2023, has made serious allegations against the petitioner, who is a married man having family. It appears that petitioner, who was in relationship with the mother of the victim girl, had misbehaved with the victim girl in the absence of her mother in the house and had sexually assaulted her. Police during the course of investigation have collected video recordings in the mobile phone of the petitioner, which were allegedly forwarded by him to the first informant. Perusal of the material would go to show that presence of petitioner is found in some of the said videos. Trial in the case is yet to commence and therefore, at this stage, petitioner's prayer for grant of regular bail cannot be entertained. Accordingly, the petition is dismissed with a request to the Trial Court to expedite the trial and dispose off the main case at the earliest. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE DN/List No.: 1 Sl No.: 54