- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010499202026 NC: 2026:KHC:45024 CRL.P No. 10904 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 19TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 10904 OF 2026 BETWEEN: ABHISHEK RAJASHEKHAR HOTTEGOWDAR S/O RAJASHEKHAR HOTTEGOWDAR, AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS, PRESENT RESIDING AT NO 11, 3RD FLOOR, 7TH MAIN, SATHYANARAYANA LAYOUT, KURUBARAHALLI, BENGALURU – 560 086. PERMANENT RESIDING AT NO 280, YALLAPURA VILLAGE, KARAGUPPI POST, HUKKERI, …PETITIONER (BY SRI. GIRISH.R, ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY MAHALAKSHMIPURA PS NOW REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU – 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING THAT THIS HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO PASS AN ORDER GRANTING BAIL THEREBY DIRECTING RESPONDENT MAHALAKSHMIPURA PS TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER IN Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010499202026 NC: 2026:KHC:45024 CRL.P No. 10904 of 2026 CR.NO.8/2025 IN S.C.NO.729/2026 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE HONBLE XLV ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, AT BENGALURU (CCH-46) FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 85, 80 OF THE BNS, 2023 AND SEC. 4 OF D.P ACT.THE LXVII ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, C/C. XLV ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGALURU HAS REJECTED THE BAIL PETITION ON 15.07.2026 IN CRL.MISC.NO.5910/2026. 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 in SC No.729/2026 pending before the Court of XLV Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.8/2026 registered by Mahalakshmipuram Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Sections 85 and 80 of BNS, 2023 and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, 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.8/2026 was registered by Mahalakshmipuram Police Station, Bengaluru, against the petitioner herein based on first information dated 15.01.2026 received from Kiran Chandrashekhar Ghatage, brother of - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010499202026 NC: 2026:KHC:45024 CRL.P No. 10904 of 2026 deceased Aishwarya Chandrashekhar Ghatage. In the said case, petitioner was arrested on 16.01.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. His bail application filed before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.5910/2026 was rejected on 15.07.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that marriage of the petitioner with the deceased Aishwarya was a love marriage. It appears that parents and relatives of the petitioner had not agreed for the said marriage and therefore, about 15 months prior to the alleged date of incident, against the wishes of his parents and relatives, petitioner had married the deceased and thereafter, they were residing together in a rented premises. Aishwarya had consumed pesticide on 13.01.2026 and immediately thereafter, she was shifted to Hospital. It is under the circumstances, FIR was registered against the petitioner. Subsequently, Aishwarya had died in the Hospital on 16.01.2026. Thereafter, petitioner was arrested and remanded to judicial custody. Investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet is filed. - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010499202026 NC: 2026:KHC:45024 CRL.P No. 10904 of 2026 5. Considering the fact that petitioner had married Aishwarya against the wishes of his parents, the allegation now made by the relatives of deceased, that he was ill-treating and torturing his wife in furtherance of demand for dowry becomes doubtful. The material on record would go to show that after Aishwarya had consumed pesticide, petitioner had taken her to Hospital and provided her treatment. However, she had died while undergoing treatment. 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. Accordingly, the following order:- 6. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in SC No.729/2026 pending before the Court of XLV Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.8/2026 registered by Mahalakshmipuram Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Sections 85 and 80 of BNS, 2023 and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 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 - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010499202026 NC: 2026:KHC:45024 CRL.P No. 10904 of 2026 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.: 85