- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010450602026 NC: 2026:KHC:40686 CRL.P No. 9631 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 3RD DAY OF AUGUST, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 9631 OF 2026 BETWEEN: MANJUNATHA H.S S/O SIDDAGANGAIAH AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS R/ AT HABBATHANAHALLI OLD RAILWAY GATE MALLASANDRA, KASABA HOBLI TUMAKURU CITY - 572 101 (ACCUSED IN J.C) …PETITIONER (BY SRI V. LAKSHMIKANTH RAO, ADV.) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY TUMAKURU RURAL P.S. REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA COURT COMPLEX, BANGALORE - 560 001. 2. SMT.HEMALATHA W/O GANAGARAJU AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, R/AT HEGGERE, KASABA HOBLI TUMKURU TALUK AND DISTRICT. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP FOR R-1; R-2 SERVED) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.439 (FILED U/S.483 BNSS) CR.P.C PRAYING TO ENLARGE THIS PETITIONER ON BAIL IN S.C.NO.35/2024 IN CRIME NO.282/2023 OF TUMAKURU RURAL POLICE STATION FOR THE OFFENCE P/US/ 302,201,109 OF IPC, PENDING BEFORE VI ADDL DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT TUMAKURU. Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010450602026 NC: 2026:KHC:40686 CRL.P No. 9631 of 2026 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 No.1 in SC No.35/2024 pending before the Court of VI Additional District and Sessions Judge, Tumakuru, arising out of Crime No.282/2023 registered by Tumakuru Rural Police Station, Tumakuru, for the offences punishable under Sections 302, 201 and 109 of IPC, is before this Court in this successive bail application filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.282/2023 was registered by Tumakuru Rural Police Station, Tumakuru, against petitioner herein for the offences punishable under Sections 302 and 201 of IPC, based on the first information dated 04.10.2023 received from Hemalatha, sister of deceased - Vanishree. In the said case, petitioner was arrested on 04.10.2023 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against two persons and petitioner is arraigned as accused - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010450602026 NC: 2026:KHC:40686 CRL.P No. 9631 of 2026 No.1 in the charge sheet. His bail application filed before the Trial Court was rejected and therefore, he had earlier approached this Court in Crl.P.No.17353/2025, which was dismissed as withdrawn on 02.02.2026 with liberty to the petitioner to file a fresh bail application after CW1 to CW4 and CW6 are examined before the Trial Court. It is under these circumstances, the petitioner is before this Court. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that petitioner, who has no other criminal antecedents is in custody for the last nearly three years. Case of the prosecution is based on circumstantial evidence. Material charge sheet witnesses are now examined. Accordingly, he prays to allow the petition. 5. Per contra, learned Addl. SPP, who has opposed the petition, submits that material charge sheet witnesses have supported the case of the prosecution. Accordingly, she prays to dismiss the petition. 6. Deceased Vanishree was the wife of petitioner. It appears that Vanishree was suffering from kidney disease and she was under treatment. Petitioner allegedly developed illicit - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010450602026 NC: 2026:KHC:40686 CRL.P No. 9631 of 2026 relationship with accused No.2, who subsequently instigated the petitioner to commit the murder of Vanishree and it is in this background, petitioner had smothered his wife Vanishree to death and committed her murder. The entire case of the prosecution is based on circumstantial evidence. CW1 to CW4 and CW6 are said to be the material charge sheet witnesses in the present case, who are now examined before the Trial Court as PW1 to PW5. Out of the 43 charge sheet witnesses cited in the present case, till date, five charge sheet witnesses have been examined as PW1 to PW5. Petitioner, who has no other criminal antecedents is in custody for the last nearly three years. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that his prayer for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively, without expressing any opinion on merits and demerits of the case. Accordingly, the following order:- 7. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in SC No.35/2024 pending before the Court of VI Additional District and Sessions Judge, Tumakuru, arising out of Crime No.282/2023 registered by Tumakuru Rural Police - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010450602026 NC: 2026:KHC:40686 CRL.P No. 9631 of 2026 Station, Tumakuru, for the offences punishable under Sections 302, 201 and 109 of IPC, 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; 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.: 92