- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010428552026 NC: 2026:KHC:39648 CRL.P No. 9139 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. 9139 OF 2026 BETWEEN: MANJUNATHA C S/O CHANDRAPPA AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS OCC: DRIVER R/O BOMMAKKANAHALLI VILLAGE CHITRADURGA TALUK DISTRICT PIN - 577 517. …PETITIONER (BY SRI SUYOG HERELE E, ADV.) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA THOROUGH TURUVANURU POLICE STATION CHITRADURGA DISTRICT REPRESENTED BY ITS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING BANGALORE - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS PETITION AND DIRECT THE RESPONDENT - POLICE TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN CR.NO.163/2024 (ON THE FILE OF THE LEARNED 1ST ADDL.DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT CHITRADURGA IN S.C.NO.73/2025) REGISTERED BY TURUVANURU P.S. CHITRADURGA DIST. FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 54,103(1) R/W 3(5) OF BNS 2023. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010428552026 NC: 2026:KHC:39648 CRL.P No. 9139 of 2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused no.1 in S.C.No.73/2025 pending before the Court of I Addl. District & Sessions Judge, Chitradurga, arising out of Crime No.163/2024 registered by Turuvanur (Jogi) Police Station, Chitradurga District, for the offences punishable under Sections 54, 103(1) read with 3(5) of BNS, 2023, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned Counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.163/2024 was registered by Turuvanur (Jogi) Police Station, Chitradurga District, for the offences punishable under Sections 103(1) read with 3(5) of BNS, 2023, against the petitioner and others based on the first information dated 20.09.2024 received from Harishta - daughter of deceased Thippamma and Hanumantappa. During the course of investigation, petitioner herein was arrested on 28.10.2024 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet was filed against four persons and petitioner - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010428552026 NC: 2026:KHC:39648 CRL.P No. 9139 of 2026 herein is arrayed as accused no.1 in the charge sheet. His bail application filed before the Trial Court in S.C.No.73/2025 was rejected on 15.05.2026. Therefore, petitioner is before this Court. 4. First informant in the present case is the daughter of deceased Thippamma and Hanumantappa. Petitioner is the husband of the first informant. It appears that after the relationship between the petitioner and his wife got strained, she had left the matrimonial home and had taken shelter in her parents house. On 19.09.2024 at about 4.00 p.m., the parents of the first informant had gone to their agricultural field, but had not returned home till 7.00 p.m. Subsequently, first informant learnt that the dead body of her parents was lying in their property and since she had suspected the hand of the petitioner and others, FIR in the present case was registered against the petitioner and others. 5. During the course of investigation, petitioner and others were arrested and remanded to judicial custody. In the charge sheet which is subsequently filed, it is alleged that on - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010428552026 NC: 2026:KHC:39648 CRL.P No. 9139 of 2026 19.09.2024, petitioner who came near the agricultural property of the deceased, allegedly quarreled with them for the reason that they were not sending his wife to his house. Thereafter, he allegedly assaulted them with a sickle at the instigation of accused nos.2 to 4 and committed their murder. 6. There is no direct evidence to the crime allegedly committed by the petitioner in which he had committed the murder of his in-laws. The entire case of the prosecution is based on circumstantial evidence. During the course of investigation, the police had collected blood stained mud and hair from the spot of crime which contained the blood of a third party and forwarded the same to FSL. The report from the FSL would go to show that petitioner is excluded from being contributor to the blood stains and hair found at the spot of crime which was sent to FSL. It is not in dispute that petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. He is in custody for the last 20 months. Trial in the case is yet to commence. Accused nos.2 to 4 have already been enlarged on bail. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter, I am of the opinion that - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010428552026 NC: 2026:KHC:39648 CRL.P No. 9139 of 2026 petitioner's prayer for grant of regular bail is required to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order: 7. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in S.C.No.73/2025 pending before the Court of I Addl. District & Sessions Judge, Chitradurga, arising out of Crime No.163/2024 registered by Turuvanur (Jogi) Police Station, Chitradurga District, for the offences punishable under Sections 54, 103(1) read with 3(5) 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; 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: KAHC010428552026 NC: 2026:KHC:39648 CRL.P No. 9139 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 KK