- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010412212026 NC: 2026:KHC:39809 CRL.P No. 8731 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. 8731 OF 2026 BETWEEN: PRAMOD S/O CHANDRESH, AGED ABOUT 21 YEARS, RESIDING AT HOREYALA VILLAGE GUNDLUPET TALUK CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT - 571 109. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. ANIRUDH Y.A, ADVOCATE FOR SRI. PARAMESWARAPPA C, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY VIJAYANAGAR POLICE STATION, MYSURU - 570 017 REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU - 560 001. 2. GOWRAMMA W/O RAJU C.M, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, R/AT CHANAVADEYANAPURA VILLAGE, HOREYALA POST, BEGOORU HOBALI GUNDLUPETE TALUK Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010412212026 NC: 2026:KHC:39809 CRL.P No. 8731 of 2026 CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT - 571 109. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, ASPP FOR R1; R2 - SERVED) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO HIM ON BAIL IN CONNECTION WITH THE CRIME NO.140/2025 OF THE VIJAYANAGAR POLICE STATION PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE LD ADDL.DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, FTSC-I MYSURU IN SPL.C NO.450/2025 FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 8, 12, 14, 15, 17 OF THE POCSO ACT 2012 AND SECTION 115(2), OF THE BNS 2023 AND 75 OF JUVENILE JUSTICE (CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN) ACT 2015 AND SECTION 66(E) OF THE IT ACT 2000. 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.450/2025 pending before the Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, FTSC- 1, Mysuru arising out of Crime No.140/2025 registered by Vijayanagara Police Station, Mysuru City for the offences punishable under Section 8, 12, 14, 15, 17 of POCSO Act, - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010412212026 NC: 2026:KHC:39809 CRL.P No. 8731 of 2026 2012, Section 115(2) of BNS, 2023, Section 75 of JJ Act, 2015 and Section 66(E) of IT Act, 2008, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNS, 2023 seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.140/2025 was registered by Vijayanagar Police Station, Mysuru City for offences punishable under Section 8, 12, 14, 15 and 17 of POCSO Act, 2012 against the petitioner herein and others, based on the first information dated 15.09.2025 received from respondent No.2, who is the mother of the victim girl. In the said case, the petitioner had surrendered before the jurisdictional Sessions Court on 08.04.2026 and on the said day he was remanded to judicial custody. His bail application filed before the Trial Court in Spl.C.No.450/2025 was rejected on 09.06.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010412212026 NC: 2026:KHC:39809 CRL.P No. 8731 of 2026 4. In the first information, which was submitted by the mother of the victim girl, aged about 17 years, it is alleged that the petitioner had induced the victim girl to love him and after threatening her, he had recorded her obscene videos in his mobile phone. It is under these circumstances, FIR was registered against the petitioner for the aforesaid offences punishable under the POCSO Act. During the course of investigation, the statement of the victim girl under Section 183 of BNSS, 2023 was recorded on 27.09.2025. She has not made any allegation against the petitioner of having committed any kind of penetrative sexual assault on her. Allegation against the petitioner is that he had induced the victim girl to love him and thereafter, criminally intimidated her and asked her to undress while on video call and had recorded the same and thereafter, threatened to circulate the said video in social media. 5. Petitioner aged 21 years is in custody in the present case for more than 3 months. Investigation of the - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010412212026 NC: 2026:KHC:39809 CRL.P No. 8731 of 2026 case is already completed. Maximum punishment for the alleged offences is imprisonment for a period of 7 years. 6. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively, subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following: O R D E R (i) The Criminal Petition is allowed. (ii) The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Special Case No.450/2025 pending before the Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, FTSC-1, Mysuru arising out of Crime No.140/2025 registered by Vijayanagara Police Station, Mysuru City for the offences punishable under Section 8, 12, 14, 15, 17 of POCSO Act, 2012, Section 115(2) of BNS, 2023, Section 75 of JJ Act, 2015 and Section 66(E) of IT Act, 2008, subject to the following conditions: - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010412212026 NC: 2026:KHC:39809 CRL.P No. 8731 of 2026 a) The 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; Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE AMM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 52