- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401672026 NC: 2026:KHC:37861 CRL.P No. 8461 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 22ND DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 8461 OF 2026 BETWEEN: SRI. LIKHMARAM S/O. AMARARAM AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, R/AT. MANGANAHALLI CROSS, BENGALURU - 560 056 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SHUBHANG M., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY JNANABHARATHI P.S. REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT COMPOUND, BENGALURU - 560 001 2. XXX …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, HCGP FOR R1 R2 - SERVED) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED ON REGULAR BAIL IN CONNECTION WITH CRIME NO.0188/2026 REGISTERED BY THE JNANABHARATHI POLICE STATION FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 8 AND 12 OF POCSO ACT 2012 AND SECTION 75 OF THE BNS 2023 CURRENTLY PENDING ON THE Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401672026 NC: 2026:KHC:37861 CRL.P No. 8461 of 2026 FILE OF THE LD ADDL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, FTSC-I BENGALURU. 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 Crime No.188/2026 registered by Jnanabharathi Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Section 75 of BNS, 2023 and Sections 8, 12, 9(m) and 10 of the POCSO Act, 2012, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Addl. SPP for respondent No.1. Respondent No.2, who is served in the matter has remained unrepresented before this Court. 3. FIR in Crime No.188/2026 was registered by Jnanabharathi Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Section 75 of BNS, 2023 and Sections 8 and 12 of the POCSO Act, against the petitioner herein, based on first information dated 14.05.2026 received from respondent - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401672026 NC: 2026:KHC:37861 CRL.P No. 8461 of 2026 No.2, who is the father of the alleged victim. During the course of investigation, petitioner was arrested in the present case on 14.05.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. His bail application filed before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.5161/2026 was rejected on 10.06.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. In the typed first information, which is submitted on 14.05.2026, it is stated that, at about 09.00 a.m. on the said day, the victim girl aged 11 years had informed to the first informant that a person standing near the tea stall in front of their house has been making signs to her for the last 3 to 4 days and on 13.05.2026, he had provided her juice and ice cream and also touched her shoulder. She had also stated that he had requested her to come near the bus station and had promised to pay her Rs.500/-. On 14.05.2026, when the said person was standing near the tea shop, first informant allegedly went to him and asked his name and thereafter, enquired as to why he had come there and why he had called his daughter. Immediately thereafter the said person allegedly ran away from the spot. During the course of investigation, petitioner herein - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401672026 NC: 2026:KHC:37861 CRL.P No. 8461 of 2026 was arrested in the case on 14.05.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been now filed against him for the aforesaid offences. 5. The allegation against the petitioner in the charge sheet is that in addition to providing juice and ice cream to the victim girl, the petitioner also had hugged her and kissed her on her cheek. It is not in dispute that petitioner aged 37 years has no other criminal antecedents. He is in custody for the last more than two months. The maximum punishment for the alleged offences is imprisonment for a period of seven years. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter and more so, the nature of allegations found against the petitioner, I am of the opinion that his prayer for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order:- 6. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.188/2026 registered by Jnanabharathi Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Section 75 of BNS, 2023 and Sections 8, 12, 9(m) and 10 of the POCSO Act, 2012, subject to the following conditions: - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401672026 NC: 2026:KHC:37861 CRL.P No. 8461 of 2026 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; 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; e) The petitioner shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Trial Court without permission of the said Court until the case registered against him is disposed off. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE DN List No.: 1 Sl No.: 52