- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010403092026 NC: 2026:KHC:42006 CRL.P No. 8462 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 7TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 8462 OF 2026 BETWEEN: VENKATESH P S/O LATE MUNISHANKARAYYA, AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, R/AT NO.256, NEAR SHANIMAHATHMA TEMPLE, ASHRAYANAGAR PUBLIC TOILET, PEENYA SRS, BENGALURU - 560 058. …PETITIONER (BY SMT. NALINI D, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY R.M.C YARD POLICE STATION, BENGALURU CITY, REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDINGS, BENGALURU - 560 001. 2. VICTIM GIRL MINOR REPRESENTED BY HER MOTHER SMT. SHASHIKALA W/O LATE RANJITHKUMAR, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS R/AT HOUSE NO.155, NEAR SHANIMAHATMA TEMPLE Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010403092026 NC: 2026:KHC:42006 CRL.P No. 8462 of 2026 ASHRAYANAGARA, BEHIND PUBLIC TOILET PEENYA SRS, BENGALURU - 560 058. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RANGASWAMY R, HCGP FOR R1; SMT. PARINEETA S. CHANAL, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON REGULAR BAIL IN CRIME NO.15/2026 REGISTERED BY R.M.C YARD POLICE STATION, BENGALURU CITY, NOW PENDING IN SPL.C.C.NO.822/2026 ON THE FILE OF THE HONBLE FTSC-II COURT, BENGALURU, FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 65(1) OF THE BNS, 2023 AND SECTIONS 5(1) AND 6 OF THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT, 2012, ON SUCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS THIS HONBLE COURT DEEMS FIT AND PROPER. 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.C.C.No.822/2026 pending before the court of Additional City Civil and Session Judge, FTSC-II court, Bengaluru City arising out of Crime No.15/2026 registered by R.M.C Yard Police Station, Bengaluru for the offences punishable under Section 65(1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 5(L) and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (hereinafter referred to as 'POCSO Act') is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010403092026 NC: 2026:KHC:42006 CRL.P No. 8462 of 2026 of Bharatiya Nagarak Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 seeking regular bail. 2. Heard learned counsel appearing for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.15/2026 was registered by R.M.C. Yard Police Station, Bengaluru against the petitioner herein based on the first information dated 25.01.2026 received from respondent No.2, who is the mother of the alleged victim girl. In the said case, the petitioner was arrested on 26.01.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge-sheet has been filed against him for the aforesaid offences. His bail application filed before the Trial Court in Crl.Mis.No.3458/2026 was rejected on 08.06.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. In the first information dated 25.01.2026, it is stated by the mother of the victim girl that her minor daughter was suffering from fever and was taken by her to KC General Hospital for a medical check-up and it was found that the girl was pregnant. On enquiry, the victim girl allegedly stated that the petitioner, who is their relative and staying in the adjacent - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010403092026 NC: 2026:KHC:42006 CRL.P No. 8462 of 2026 house, had induced her and thereafter sexually assaulted her in the month of September 2025. He had repeated the said act multiple times due to which she had conceived. It is under these circumstances, FIR was registered against the petitioner and he was arrested in the present case on 26.01.2026. Investigation of the case is now completed and charge-sheet is filed. Though the victim girl has made allegations against the petitioner in her statement recorded under Section 183 of BNSS 2023, the DNA test report of the foetus would go to show that the petitioner is excluded from being the biological father of the foetus of the victim girl. It is not in dispute that the petitioner has no other criminal antecedent and he is a married man. Under these circumstances, this Court passes the following: ORDER (i) The criminal petition is allowed. (ii) The petitioner/accused is ordered to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.15/2026 registered by R.M.C. Police Station, Bengaluru for the offences punishable under Sections 65(1)of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Sections 5(L) and 6 of the POCSO Act, 2012 subject to the following conditions: - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010403092026 NC: 2026:KHC:42006 CRL.P No. 8462 of 2026 a) The petitioner shall execute personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) 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; 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 of. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE HDK List No.: 1 Sl No.: 21