- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010490712026 NC: 2026:KHC:45760 CRL.P No. 10550 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 25TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO.10550/2026 (438(Cr.PC)/ 482(BNSS)) BETWEEN: H.Y RAJU @ CAT EYES RAJU (A-1) S/O LATE YELUMALAI, AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, R/AT NO. 2033/4 8TH CROSS, GANDHI NAGARA, MANDYA KARNATAKA 571401 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SHIVANANDA REDDY R V, ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY HEBBAGODHI POLICE STATION REPTD BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, DR B R AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BENGALURU 571401 …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. RANGASWAMY R, HCGP) THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED UNDER SECTION 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE HIM AN ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN CRIME NO.775/2014 (HEBBAGODI POLICE) IN CC.NO.1305/2016 SAME IS PENDING BEFORE THE HONBLE II ADDL. CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC AT ANEKAL REGISTERED AGAINST HIM FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 395 OF IPC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010490712026 NC: 2026:KHC:45760 CRL.P No. 10550 of 2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused No.1 in Crime No.775/2014 registered by Hebbagodi Police Station, Bengaluru for the offences punishable under Section 395 of IPC on the file of II Additional Civil Judge and JMFC, Anekal, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023, seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned HCGP for the respondent - State. 3. FIR in Crime No.775/2014 registered by Hebbagodi Police Station, Bengaluru for the aforesaid offence against four unknown persons based on first information dated 18.12.2014 received from Nandesh B.J., S/o Jayaram, who is the alleged victim in the present case. Apprehending in the present case, the petitioner has filed Crl.Misc.No.5309/2026 before the Sessions Court, which was rejected on 30.06.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010490712026 NC: 2026:KHC:45760 CRL.P No. 10550 of 2026 4. FIR in the present case was registered against four unknown persons based on the first information received from the alleged victim Nandesh B.J., S/o Jayaram. In the first information, it is stated that on 18.12.2014, at about 3.45 a.m., a Tata Indica Vista Car bearing registration No.KA-02- AD.3373 which was driven by the alleged victim was intercepted by four strangers and after threatening the alleged victim, who was driving the car, they allegedly pulled him out of the car and thereafter drove away the car. It is under these circumstances, FIR was registered against four unknown persons. After completing investigation, charge sheet is filed against eight persons and petitioner is arraigned as accused No.1 in the charge sheet. 5. The material on record would go to show that after FIR was registered in the present case on 18.12.2014, petitioner was arrested in Crime No.5/2015, which was registered by Ramanagar Rural Police Station for the offence punishable under Section 395 of IPC. In the said case, the petitioner's confession statement was recorded by Ramanagar Rural Police Station on 15.01.2015. Subsequent to the same, charge sheet - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010490712026 NC: 2026:KHC:45760 CRL.P No. 10550 of 2026 was filed in the present case on 28.02.2015 arraigning the petitioner as accused No.1 in Crime No.775/2014. Though the petitioner was in custody in Crime No.5/2015 and he had allegedly confessed about his involvement in the present crime, he was not produced before the jurisdictional Court in the present case by the Police. It is not in dispute that petitioner has been enlarged on bail in Crime No.5/2015 registered by the Ramanagar Rural Police Station. It appears that after charge sheet was filed against the petitioner in the present case, coercive steps are being taken against him and therefore, he had approached the jurisdictional Sessions Court seeking Anticipatory Bail. 6. It is brought to the notice of this Court that after the year 2015, no other criminal case has been registered against the petitioner. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that in all the other criminal cases registered against the petitioner, he has been enlarged on bail and he has been diligently appearing before the Courts in all the criminal cases registered against him. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter, I am of the opinion that his prayer for grant of - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010490712026 NC: 2026:KHC:45760 CRL.P No. 10550 of 2026 anticipatory bail needs to be answered affirmatively, subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following:- 7. The petition is allowed. The respondent - Police or any other police in the State of Karnataka are directed to release the petitioner in the event of his arrest in Crime No.775/2014 registered by Hebbagodi Police Station, Bengaluru for the offences punishable under Section 395 of IPC on the file of II Additional Civil Judge and JMFC, Anekal, subject to the following conditions: i) The Petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer within 15 days from the date of receipt of the copy of this order and shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer. ii) Petitioner shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. iii) Petitioner shall not tamper with the prosecution witnesses and he shall co-operate with the police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon. - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010490712026 NC: 2026:KHC:45760 CRL.P No. 10550 of 2026 iv) The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE MDS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 64