- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010348852026 NC: 2026:KHC:37344 CRL.P No. 7421 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. 7421 OF 2026 (439(Cr.PC) / 483(BNSS)) BETWEEN: SUNIL N S/O NARASIMHAPPA AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, RESIDING AT NO.75, DODDA CHEEMANAHALLI VILLAGE, DEVANAHALLI TALUK, BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT BENGALURU – 562 110. (PETITIONER IN JUDICIAL CUSTODY) …PETITIONER (BY SRI. GIRISH R.,ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY THALAGHATTAPURA PS, NOW REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU – 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI.RANGASWAMY R., HCGP) THIS CRL.P FILED U/S.439 (FILED U/S.483 BNSS) CR.P.C PRAYING TO PASS AN ORDER GRANTING BAIL THEREBY DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT THALAGHATTAPURA POLICE TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER IN C.C.NO.4076/2026 IN CR.NO.422/2025 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE HONBLE II ACJM, BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT, BENGALURU FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S. 111(2),61(2),140(3),308(2),118(1), 351(2),352,190 OF BNS 2023 AND ETC., Digitally signed by DHANALAKSHMI MURTHY Location: HIGH COURTOF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010348852026 NC: 2026:KHC:37344 CRL.P No. 7421 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. Accused No.7 in Crime No.422/2025 registered by the Thalaghattapura Police Station, for offences punishable under Sections 61(2), 111(2), 140(3), 308(2), 118(1), 351(2), 352 and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'BNS, 2023'), is before this Court in this criminal petition filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, (for short ‘BNSS, 2023’) seeking regular bail. 2. Heard learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and learned HCGP appearing for the respondent-State. 3. FIR in Crime No.422/2025 was registered by the Thalaghattapura Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 140(3), 308(2), 118(1), 351(2), 352 and 190 of the BNS, 2023 against Prajwal and others, based on the first information dated 21.11.2025 received from - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010348852026 NC: 2026:KHC:37344 CRL.P No. 7421 of 2026 the alleged victim, Lokesh M., son of Mahadeva. In the said case, the petitioner was arrested on 20.12.2025 and remanded to judicial custody. In the remand application, he was arraigned as accused No.13. Thereafter, the charge sheet has been filed and he is now arraigned as accused No.7 in the case. The bail application filed by the petitioner before the Trial Court in Crl.Misc.No.843/2026 was dismissed on 16.05.2026. Therefore, the petitioner is before this Court. 4. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that FIR in the present case was registered against 11 named accused and others. The petitioner's name is not found in the FIR. During the course of investigation, the petitioner herein was arrested on 20.12.2025 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, the charge sheet has been filed against ten accused persons. - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010348852026 NC: 2026:KHC:37344 CRL.P No. 7421 of 2026 5. A reading of the charge sheet would go to show that the first informant, who is the alleged victim in the present case, was working as a Business Advisor in the real estate office of accused No.4. It appears that gold jewellery weighing about 150 grams, which was pledged by accused No.4 with Kosamattam Finance, was got released by the first informant-CW.1, and he had not handed over the same to accused No.4. It also appears that certain property documents belonging to accused No.4 were collected by CW.1 and kept in his custody. Under the said circumstances, the accused persons kidnapped CW.1 on 11.11.2025 and, after recovering the gold jewellery, property documents, etc., released him on 14.11.2025. The alleged victim approached the Police belatedly on 21.11.2025, nearly a week after he was released by the accused persons, who had allegedly kidnapped him. Investigation of the case is now completed and the charge sheet has been filed. Considering the nature of allegations found against the petitioner, who is in custody from - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010348852026 NC: 2026:KHC:37344 CRL.P No. 7421 of 2026 20.12.2025, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following order: ORDER i) The criminal petition is allowed. ii) The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.422/2025 registered by the Thalaghattapura Police Station, for offences punishable under Sections 61(2), 111(2), 140(3), 308(2), 118(1), 351(2), 352 and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, subject to the following conditions: a) The 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 Trial Court exempts his appearance for valid reasons; - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010348852026 NC: 2026:KHC:37344 CRL.P No. 7421 of 2026 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 HA List No.: 1 Sl No.: 47