- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010388832026 NC: 2026:KHC:39464 CRL.P No. 8280 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 29TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 8280 OF 2026 (439(CR.PC) / 483(BNSS)) BETWEEN: ASHOK KUMAR @ APPU S/O LATE SRI. SELVAMANI AGED 30 YEARS R/AT NO. 3, 11TH CROSS ANEPALYA, BENGALURU 560027 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SRINIDHI S., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE ASHOK NAGAR POLICE STATION BENGALURU CITY REP. BY SATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU-560001. 2. SMT. JOYCE WILLIAMS W/O SRI. ANTHURAJ AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS R/AT NO. 9/1, BAZAR SWEETS 1ST CROSS, NEELSANDRA BENGALURU 560047 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RANGASWAMY R., HCGP: Digitally signed by DHANALAKSHMI MURTHY Location: HIGH COURTOF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010388832026 NC: 2026:KHC:39464 CRL.P No. 8280 of 2026 SRI M.S.NARAYAN, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED UNDER SECTION 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO GRANT AND ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN SPL.C.NO.780/2026 ARISING OUT OF CR.NO.7/2026 REGISTERED BY ASHOK NAGAR POLICE PRESENTLY PENDING BEFORE THE HON’BLE ADDL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, FTSC-IV, BENGALURU FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 64(2)(M), 65(1), 87 OF THE BNS 2023 AND SEC.4(2),5(L),6 OF POCSO ACT 2012. 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 Special Case No.780/2026, pending before the Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, FTSC- IV, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.7/2026 registered by Ashok Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru for offences punishable under Sections 64(2)(m), 65(1) and 87 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short, ‘BNS, 2023’) and Sections 4(2), 5(L) and 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (for short, ‘POCSO Act’), is before this Court, in this petition, filed under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short, ‘BNSS, 2023’), seeking regular bail. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010388832026 NC: 2026:KHC:39464 CRL.P No. 8280 of 2026 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.7/2026 was registered against unknown persons, for an offence punishable under Section 137(2) of BNS, 2023, based on the first information dated 05.01.2026, received from the respondent No.2, who is the mother of the victim girl. During the course of investigation, the petitioner and the victim girl were traced and the petitioner was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 09.01.2026. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against him for the aforesaid offences. His bail application filed before the trial court was rejected and therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Victim girl was found missing from her house on 04.01.2026. Efforts made to trace her had failed and, therefore, on 05.01.2026, her mother had approached the police and FIR was registered against unknown persons for the offence punishable under Section 137(2) of BNS, 2023. During the course of investigation, petitioner and - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010388832026 NC: 2026:KHC:39464 CRL.P No. 8280 of 2026 the victim were traced together in his house. Statement of the victim girl under Section 183 of BNSS, 2023 has been recorded in the present case by the jurisdictional Magistrate on 23.01.2026, in which, victim girl has stated that, there was a quarrel in her house and, therefore, she had left her house and had stayed in the house of the petitioner, with whom she was in love. She has stated that, she was in the said house for 3 days and her mother had given a police complaint. Therefore, the police came to the said house and brought her back. She has not made any kind of allegation against the petitioner, who has no other criminal antecedents. He is in custody from 09.01.2026. Investigation of the case is already completed. Under the circumstances, the following: ORDER The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.7/2026 registered by Ashok Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru for offences - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010388832026 NC: 2026:KHC:39464 CRL.P No. 8280 of 2026 punishable under Sections 64(2)(m), 65(1) and 87 of BNS, 2023 and Sections 4(2), 5(L) and 6 of POCSO Act, 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; 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; - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010388832026 NC: 2026:KHC:39464 CRL.P No. 8280 of 2026 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 CM LIST NO.: 1 SL NO.: 55