- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010433512026 NC: 2026:KHC:40134 CRL.P No. 9205 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 30TH DAY OF JULY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 9205 OF 2026 BETWEEN: RABHINDRA KUMAR BEHERA @ PANDU S/O METTU BEHERA AGED ABOUT 23 YEARS R/O BENIPALLI VILLAGE MOCHISAHI MANDALA G. DENGAPADAR POST GANJAM DISTRICT ODISHA STATE - 761 124. …PETITIONER (BY SRI NATARAJ D, ADV.) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY RAMAMURTHY NAGAR POLICE STATION BANGALORE, REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR OFF/AT HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BANGALORE - 560 001. 2. DARSHAN KUMAR S/O SWARAGI NANDLAL AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS NO.21, KANAKA NAGAR K CHANNASANDAR RAMAMURTHY NAGAR BENGALURU CITY KARNATAKA - 560 016. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP FPR R-1; R-2 SERVED) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON REGULAR BAIL U/S 483 Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010433512026 NC: 2026:KHC:40134 CRL.P No. 9205 of 2026 OF THE CODE OF BNSS, 2023 IN CRIME NO.697/2025 AND (SPL.C.NO.228/2026) OF RAMAMURTHY NAGAR POLICE STATION, BENGALURU CITY, NOW PENDING IN BEFORE THE HONBLE ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE FTSC-III, BENGALURU CITY, FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCES P/U/S BNS, 2023 U/S 137(2), 64(2)(m), 65(1) PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT 2012 U/S 4, 5,(L), 6 PROHIBITION OF CHILD MARRIAGE ACT 2006 U/S 9, PASS SUCH OTHER ORDER OR ORDERS AS THIS HONBLE COURT MAY DEEM FIT. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused in Special Case No.228/2026 pending before the Court of Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge FTSC-III, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.697/2025 registered by Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Sections 137(2), 64(2)(m) and 65(1) of BNS, 2023, Sections 4, 5(L) and 6 of the POCSO Act, 2012 and Section 9 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, 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 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010433512026 NC: 2026:KHC:40134 CRL.P No. 9205 of 2026 3. FIR in Crime No.697/2025 was registered by Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru, for offence punishable under Section 137(2) of BNS, 2023, against the petitioner herein based on the first information dated 18.10.2025 received from respondent No.2, who is the father of the victim girl. During the course of investigation, petitioner and the victim girl were traced together in his house at Ganjam District, Odisha State and they were brought back. Petitioner was arrested on 12.01.2026 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.Misc.No.2753/2026 was rejected on 08.05.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Material on record would go to show that victim girl was found missing from her house on 17.10.2025. Efforts made to trace her had failed. Since the family members of the victim girl suspected petitioner's hand, FIR was registered against him for the offence punishable under Section 137(2) of BNS, 2023. During the course of investigation, the victim girl was traced in the house of the petitioner at Ganjam District in Odisha State. - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010433512026 NC: 2026:KHC:40134 CRL.P No. 9205 of 2026 Statement of the victim girl was thereafter recorded under Section 161 of Cr.P.C. and also under Section 164 of Cr.P.C. Perusal of the same would go to show that petitioner and the victim girl were in love and the victim girl had voluntarily accompanied the petitioner from Bengaluru and had traveled to Ganjam District in Odisha State. Petitioner and the victim girl thereafter got married in a temple and stayed together in petitioner's house along with his parents and other family members for a period of more than 20 days. Subsequently, the police and the family members of the victim girl traced them and brought them back. 5. Investigation of the case is now completed and charge sheet has been filed. Petitioner, who is aged 23 years has no other criminal antecedents. Trial in the case is yet to commence. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order:- - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010433512026 NC: 2026:KHC:40134 CRL.P No. 9205 of 2026 6. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Special Case No.228/2026 pending before the Court of Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge FTSC-III, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.697/2025 registered by Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Sections 137(2), 64(2)(m) and 65(1) of BNS, 2023, Sections 4, 5(L) and 6 of the POCSO Act, 2012 and Section 9 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, subject to the following conditions: a) Petitioner shall execute a 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: KAHC010433512026 NC: 2026:KHC:40134 CRL.P No. 9205 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 DN List No.: 1 Sl No.: 62