- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010413892026 NC: 2026:KHC:38718 CRL.P No. 8769 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. 8769 OF 2026 BETWEEN: MADAN S/O. RAMANNA, AGED ABOUT 20 YEARS, R/AT MURUVAPALLI VILLAGE, CHANDALACHARLE POST, MADAKASHIRA TALUK, SATYASAI DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH STATE. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. HEMANTH KUMAR K.B., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REP. BY THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER, KODIGEHALLI P.S., BANGALORE. REP. BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, CITY CIVIL COURT, BANGALORE - 560 009. 2. SMT. NGAMANI W/O NAGARAJU, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, R/AT NO. 9, 1ST CROSS, BALAJI LAYOUT, Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010413892026 NC: 2026:KHC:38718 CRL.P No. 8769 of 2026 BHADRAPPA LAYOUT, BENGALURU - 560 094. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RANGASWAMY, HCGP FOR R1; SRI. VINAY S., ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ALLOW THE PETITION AND RELEASE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN SPL.CC NO.916/2026 (ARISING OUT OF CRIME NO.66/2026) KODIGEHALLI POLICE STATION FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S.87, 64(2)(M) OF THE BNS AND SECTION 5(L), 6 OF THE POCSO ACT PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE HONBLE FTSC-IV ADDL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT 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 Spl.CC.No.916/2026 pending before the Court of Additional City Civil and Session Judge, FTSC-IV, Bangalore, arising out of Crime No.66/2026 registered by Kodigehalli Police Station, Bangalore, for offences punishable under Sections 87, 64(2) (m) of BNSS, 2023 and Sections 5(L) and 6 of POCSO Act, 2012, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010413892026 NC: 2026:KHC:38718 CRL.P No. 8769 of 2026 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.66/2026 was registered by Kodigehalli Police Station, Bangalore for offence punishable under Section 137(2) of BNSS, 2023 against unknown person based on the first information dated 11.02.2026, received from respondent No.2 who is the mother of the victim girl who was aged 17 years as on the date of registration of the FIR. In the said case, petitioner was arrested on 05.01.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet is filed against him for the aforesaid offences. His bail application filed before the trial Court in Criminal Misc.No.5095/2026 was rejected on 16.06.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. The first information in the present case was registered after the victim girl aged 17 years was found missing from her house. Efforts made to trace her had failed and therefore, her mother had reported to the - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010413892026 NC: 2026:KHC:38718 CRL.P No. 8769 of 2026 police. During the course of investigation, the petitioner and the victim girl were traced together. Petitioner aged 20 years having no criminal antecedents is in custody in the present case for the last more than six months. 5. The victim, in her statement recorded under Section 183 of BNSS, 2023, before the jurisdictional Magistrate has not made any serious allegations as against petitioner and on the other hand she has stated that she is in love with the petitioner. Victim girl is now examined in- chief before the trial Court as PW-1. Even during the course of her examination-in-chief, she has clearly stated that petitioner did not have any physical relationship with her. 6. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter, I am of the opinion that prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively, subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following: - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010413892026 NC: 2026:KHC:38718 CRL.P No. 8769 of 2026 ORDER (i) The criminal petition is allowed. (ii) The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Spl.CC.No.916/2026 pending before the Court of Additional City Civil and Session Judge, FTSC-IV, Bangalore, arising out of Crime No.66/2026 registered by Kodigehalli Police Station, Bangalore, for offences punishable under Sections 87, 64(2) (m) of BNSS, 2023 and Sections 5(L) and 6 of POCSO Act, 2012, 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; - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010413892026 NC: 2026:KHC:38718 CRL.P No. 8769 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.: 91