- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401292026 NC: 2026:KHC:37998 CRL.P No. 8490 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 23RD DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 8490 OF 2026 BETWEEN: SANDEEP BANVASI S/O B NATARAJ, AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, HOUSE NO.NC/15 WARD NO.23 SUDHA CROSS, LLC COLONY, CANTONMENT, BELLARY-583101. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. JAYASHEELAREDDY T S, ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY RAJARAJESHWARINAGAR POLICE STATION, REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU-560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, ASPP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO GRANT THE ANTICIPATORY BAIL TO THE PETITIONER IN THE EVENT OF ARREST MADE BY RAJARAJESHWARINAGARA POLICE / RESPONDENT IN CRIME NO.81/2026, REGISTERED BY THE RESPONDENT POLICE FOR Digitally signed by BHARATHI S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401292026 NC: 2026:KHC:37998 CRL.P No. 8490 of 2026 THE OFFENCES P/U/S 316(2) AND 318(4) OF THE BNS, PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE IV ACMM, BENGALURU. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Accused in Crime No.81/2026 registered by Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru, for offences punishable under Sections 316(2) and 318(4) of BNS, 2023, is before this Court under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023, seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.81/2026 was registered by Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru, for the aforesaid offences based on the first information dated 16.03.2026 received from Sneha S Nair, daughter of M.K.Shiva Prakash. Apprehending arrest in the said case, the petitioner had filed Crl.Misc.No.4952/2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was dismissed on 04.06.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401292026 NC: 2026:KHC:37998 CRL.P No. 8490 of 2026 4. The learned counsel for the petitioner having reiterated the grounds urged in the petition submits that none of the candidates have made any complaint against the petitioner. He submits that prior to registration of the FIR, the first informant in the present case had approached the Cyber Crime Police, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru and had submitted a complaint against the petitioner. If the contents of the said complaint is read, allegations now made in the present FIR becomes doubtful. The petitioner has no other criminal antecedents and he is ready and willing to co-operate with the police for the purpose of investigation. Accordingly, he prays to allow the petition. 5. Per contra, the learned Additional State Public Prosecutor, who has opposed the petition submits that totally a sum of ₹42,02,000/- has been deposited to the account of the petitioner by the first informant and her friend after collecting the same from the candidates. The allegation against the petitioner is that he had not provided employment to the candidates from whom money was collected. The statement of - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401292026 NC: 2026:KHC:37998 CRL.P No. 8490 of 2026 the candidates is yet to be recorded. Accordingly, she prays to dismiss the petition. 6. In the typed first information dated 16.03.2026 submitted by the first informant Sneha S Nair, she has stated that she is working as a HR and Technical Trainer in a company known as AXES-6 Technologies situated at Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru-98, and she got acquainted with the petitioner in year 2025, who was working as a vendor in a company known as Teamlease Services Ltd., which was in the business of marketing/placement. She has averred that the petitioner had represented to her that he would be providing employment to eligible candidates and for the said purpose the candidates were required to pay a sum of ₹1.5 lakhs. Accordingly, the first informant had collected money from the aspiring candidates and had deposited the same in the bank account of the petitioner. The allegation against the petitioner is that though the first informant had collected money from about 40 to 50 candidates and deposited the same into the bank account of the petitioner, he had not provided - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401292026 NC: 2026:KHC:37998 CRL.P No. 8490 of 2026 employment to any candidate and thereby has committed the alleged offences. 7. It is not in dispute that the statement of anyone of the candidates has not been recorded till date, though the FIR has been registered in the present case on 16.03.2026 itself. The learned counsel for the petitioner has filed a memo along with a document, which would go to show that on 01.02.2026 the first informant in the present case had submitted a complaint against the petitioner before the Cyber Crime Police, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, alleging that the petitioner had collected an amount of ₹1,80,000/- from her on the assurance of providing a job to her and had failed to keep up his assurance. Except the aforesaid allegation, there is no other allegation found in the said complaint, which was lodged by the first informant in the present case on 01.02.2026. The FIR in the present case is registered on 16.03.2026 making allegation that the petitioner has not provided employment to the candidates from whom money was collected by the first informant and forwarded to the petitioner. - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401292026 NC: 2026:KHC:37998 CRL.P No. 8490 of 2026 8. It is not in dispute that the petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. The alleged offences are triable by the Court of Magistrate and the maximum punishment for the same is imprisonment for a period of 7 years. The petitioner has undertaken to co-operate with the police for the purpose of investigation. 9. 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 appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following: ORDER The petition is allowed. 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.81/2026 registered by Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru, for offences punishable under Sections 316(2) and 318(4) of BNS, 2023, is before this Court under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: - 7 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010401292026 NC: 2026:KHC:37998 CRL.P No. 8490 of 2026 1. The Petitioner shall appear before the investigating officer at 10.30 a.m., on 31.07.2026 and on the said date the investigation officer is at liberty to take the petitioner to custody for the purpose of interrogation. It is made clear that on the same day on or before 6.00 pm., the petitioner shall be released from custody subject to he executing 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 witnesses 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 ND List No.: 1 Sl No.: 56