- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417412026 NC: 2026:KHC:38714 CRL.P No. 8843 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 27TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 8843 OF 2026 BETWEEN: SRI. VENKATESH @ VENKATACHALA S/O THIMMAIAH, AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS, R/O GANGARAJANAHALLI VILLAGE, KASABA HOBLI, RAMANAGARA TALUK BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT - 562 159. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. G.R. SREENIVAS, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE BY RAMANAGARA WOMEN PS., RAMANAGARA, KARNATAKA - 562 159, REPRESENTED BY HCGP, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE - 560 001. 2. SMT. SOWMYA H.R. W/O LOHITH, LEGAL PROBATION OFFICER, DISTRICT CHILDREN PROTECTION UNIT, BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT - 562 159. 3. VICTIM REPRESENTED BY HER MOTHER, Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417412026 NC: 2026:KHC:38714 CRL.P No. 8843 of 2026 SMT. NAGARATHNAMMA, R/AT ARISHINAKUNTE, VASANTHANAGARA, MAGADI TALUK, BENGALURU SOUTH DISTRICT - 562 123. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RANGASWAMY R, HCGP FOR R1; NOTICE TO R2 IS HELD SUFFICIENT, VIDE ORDER DATED 27.07.2026) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN SPL.CASE NO.60/2026 (CRIME NO.07/2026) FILED BY THE RESPONDENT POLICE (RAMANAGARA WOMEN POLICE STATION, RAMANAGARA) AND PENDING BEFORE THE HONOURABLE I ADDITIONAL DISTRICT AND SESSION JUDGE, RAMANAGARA U/S 65(1) OF BNSS AND U/S 4, 6 OF PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCE ACT 2012 BY ALLOWING THIS APPLICATION. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Learned High Court Government Pleader submits that father of the victim girl has been served. Submission is placed on record. 2. Accused in Special Case No.60/2026, pending before the Court of I Additional District and Session Judge, - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417412026 NC: 2026:KHC:38714 CRL.P No. 8843 of 2026 and Special Judge, Ramanagara, arising out of Crime No.7/2026 registered by Ramanagara Women Police Station, Bangalore South District, for offences punishable under Section 4 and 6 of POCSO Act and Sections 137(2), 65(1) of BNS, 2023, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 3. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned High Court Government Pleader on behalf of respondent No.1. Respondent No.2 and the father of the victim, who are served in the matter, have remained unrepresented before this Court. 4. FIR in Crime No.7/2026 was registered by the Ramanagara Women Police Station, for the aforesaid offences against the petitioner based on the first information dated 22.01.2026, received from respondent No.2 herein, who is the officer attached to District Children Protection Unit, Bangalore South District. In the said case, - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417412026 NC: 2026:KHC:38714 CRL.P No. 8843 of 2026 petitioner was arrested on 26.02.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. His bail application filed before the trial Court in Crl.Misc.No.180/2026 was rejected on 17.04.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 5. In the first information, it is stated that on 23.12.2025, when the victim girl staying in the State Home for girls in Bangalore South District was enquired, she had not made any allegations. But during the course of her subsequent enquiry on 06.01.2026, she had stated that she was in love with the petitioner and had therefore left her home and had gone with him. Subsequently, they had resided together in his house and during such stay, petitioner had sexual intercourse with her. Under these circumstances, FIR was registered against the petitioner for the aforesaid offences on the basis of the first information received from the respondent No.2. 6. During the course of investigation, petitioner was arrested on 26.02.2026 and remanded to judicial - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417412026 NC: 2026:KHC:38714 CRL.P No. 8843 of 2026 custody. Statement of the victim girl under Section 161 of Cr.P.C. and also under Section 164 of Cr.P.C. has been recorded in the present case. In the said statement, the victim girl has stated that she is in love with the petitioner, her father was in jail and her mother had contracted a second marriage. Since her mother was insisting her to marry a person aged about 42 years, she had left her house with the petitioner and was residing in his house. Parents of the petitioner had accepted her to their family. She has not made any allegation against the petitioner about he committing any kind of sexual assault, in her statement that was recorded under Section 164 of Cr.P.C. by the jurisdictional Magistrate. Investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet has been filed. 7. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that the petitioner's prayer for grant of regular bail, needs to be answered affirmatively, subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following: - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417412026 NC: 2026:KHC:38714 CRL.P No. 8843 of 2026 ORDER (i) The criminal petition is allowed. (ii) The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Special Case No.60/2026, pending before the Court of I Additional District and Session Judge, and Special Judge, Ramanagara, arising out of Crime No.7/2026 registered by Ramanagara Women Police Station, Bangalore South District, for offences punishable under Section 4 and 6 of POCSO Act and Section 137(2), 65(1) 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 Trial Court exempts his appearance for valid reasons; - 7 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417412026 NC: 2026:KHC:38714 CRL.P No. 8843 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 MCR List No.: 1 Sl No.: 95