- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010551962026 NC: 2026:KHC:44967 CRL.P No. 12007 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 20TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12007 OF 2026 BETWEEN: B. NAGENDRA S/O. B. ANJANEYULU AGED 54 ABOUT YEARS RESIDING AT D302, 3RD FLOOR, RAMKAY UTSAV APARTMENTS. NEW BEL ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 094 AND ALSO AT MATHRU KRUPA, SITE NO.A32, BEL GANESH COLONY, SHANKAR COLONY, 17TH WARD, S.N.PET, BELLARY - 583 101. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. K.N. PHANINDRA, SR. COUNSEL FOR SRI. CHANDRASHEKAR R.P, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, REPRESENTED BY ITS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, BANGALORE ZONAL OFFICE 3RD FLOOR, BLOCK-B, BMTC BUILDING SHANTHINAGAR, K.H.ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 027. (AS PER COMPLAINT) (REPRESENTED BY SRI P.PRASANNA KUMAR, SPECIAL PUBLIC PROSECUTOR Digitally signed by CHETAN B C Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010551962026 NC: 2026:KHC:44967 CRL.P No. 12007 of 2026 HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA) 2. DILEEP MANGAWA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF ENFORCEMENT, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, BANGALORE ZONAL OFFICE 3RD FLOOR, BLOCK-B, BMTC BUILDING SHANTHINAGAR, K.H.ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 027 (AS PER COMPLAINT) …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. ARAVIND KAMATH, ASGI A/W SMT. ANUPARNA BORDOLOI, ADVOATE FOR R1 AND R2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439(1)(b) OF CR.P.C (U/S 483(1)(b) BNSS) PRAYING TO DELETE CONDITION NO.C IMPOSED IN THE ORDER DTD 14.10.2024 PASSED IN CRL.MISC.NO.7892/2024 BY THE 81st ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BANGALORE CITY, CCH-82, THEREBY PERMITTING THE PETITIONER TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE STATE OF KARNATAKA WITHOUT OBTAINING PRIOR PERMISSION OF THE LEARNED TRIAL COURT. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010551962026 NC: 2026:KHC:44967 CRL.P No. 12007 of 2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA ORAL ORDER The petitioner is before the Court seeking the following prayer: "WHEREFORE, it is most respectfully prayed that this Hon'ble court be pleased to delete Condition No.(C) imposed in the order dated 14.10.2024 passed in Crl. Misc. No. 7892/2024 by the 81st Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bangalore City, CCH 82, thereby permitting the petitioner to travel outside the State of Karnataka without obtaining prior permission of the learned trial Court, in the interest of justice and equity." 2. Heard Sri. K.N. Panindra, learned Senior counsel for Sri. Chandrashekar R.P., learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Sri. Aravind Kamath, learned Additional Solicitor General of India along with Smt. Anuparna Bordoloi, learned counsel appearing for respondents No.1 and 2. 3. The petitioner, presently a Minister in the Cabinet of the Government of Karnataka has knocked at the doors of this Court seeking relaxation of a condition that was imposed upon him while bail was granted by the concerned Court. 4. The petitioner was enlarged on bail by a detailed order of the concerned Court in Crl.Misc.No.7892/2024 - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010551962026 NC: 2026:KHC:44967 CRL.P No. 12007 of 2026 disposed on 14.10.2024. The operative portion of the order reads as follows: "ORDER Bail Application filed by the the petitioner under Sec.439 of Cr.P.C., in ECIR/BGZO/14/2024 registered by the respondent authority for the offences punishable under Sec.3 and 4 of PMLA, 2002 pending on the file of this court is hereby allowed and the petitioner is hereby admitted to bail on executing a personal bond for Rs.2,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the court subject to following conditions: a) The petitioner shall not threaten and tamper the prosecution witnesses or the complainant and victim; b) The petitioner shall not evade the Investigation and shall appear before the I.O. whenever called by him for the purpose of investigation; c) The petitioner shall furnish his passport to the Court and shall not leave the State without obtaining written permission from the Court. d) The petitioner shall not in any manner interfere with the investigation or tamper the evidence directly or indirectly; e) The petitioner shall not indulge in similar offence." Though the order was passed on 14.10.2024, the petitioner had not sought for quashing of those conditions till the day the present petition was preferred on 07.08.2026. - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010551962026 NC: 2026:KHC:44967 CRL.P No. 12007 of 2026 5. The petition was preferred in the wake of the petitioner being sworn in as a Minister of the Cabinet in the Government of Karnataka. Owing to the necessity, this Court had granted an interim order suspending the effect of that condition that had imposed that the petitioner should not travel beyond the jurisdiction by the order dated 07.08.2026. 6. The learned Additional Solicitor General would project three contentions; one, that the petitioner ought to have approached the concerned Court itself, seeking dilution of the said condition and not approach this Court directly seeking the relief that he has sought for and would further contend that changed circumstance no doubt would enure to the right of the accused to seek relaxation of conditions, but this is not a changed circumstance that this Court must entertain, as at every time for the last 2 years whenever he is wanting to travel he has sought permission of relaxation of the condition and then has travelled. Therefore, that method ought to have been adopted. He cannot now approbate and reprobate by accepting the condition for 2 years and now seeking its dilution. The learned ASGI would further submit that the remedy lie before - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010551962026 NC: 2026:KHC:44967 CRL.P No. 12007 of 2026 the concerned Court, as he was seeking that remedy all through the two years that the order was in subsistence. 7. Per contra, Sri. K.N. Panindra, learned Senior counsel would submit that the circumstance today is not that he should knock at the doors of the concerned Court every time that he has to leave the jurisdiction. Owing to his present position that he may have to travel beyond the shores of the jurisdiction, the petition is sought and as also the time that is consumed before the concerned Court when the application is filed, which is not allowed ex-parte, but after hearing the State and all the rigmarole to be followed later. 8. In the light of the aforesaid submission and the contra submission what necessitates consideration is whether the petitioner is entitled to deletion of the said clause in owing to the circumstance that is narrated hereinabove. The prayer of the petitioner is deletion of condition (c) imposed on 14.10.2024. The condition is quoted supra. The position of the petitioner today being the Minister in the Cabinet of Government of Karnataka is an admitted fact. In the light of - 7 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010551962026 NC: 2026:KHC:44967 CRL.P No. 12007 of 2026 him being the Cabinet Minister of Karnataka and holding 'A' portfolio or 'B' portfolio, would necessarily require to travel beyond the shores of the jurisdiction. In the light of the said circumstance, while observing that the petitioner cannot travel without the permission of the concerned Court or this Court beyond the shores of the nation, the petitioner is free to travel within the country, as not permitting him to travel within the country would undoubtedly curtail his liberty and the position that he is holding today. 9. The learned Additional Solicitor General of India would submit that the petitioner should co-operate with the enquiry/investigation. 10. The learned Senior counsel submits that he has never stopped from co-operating with the investigation or enquiry and he will continue to co-operate. 11. In that light, I deem it appropriate to pass the following: ORDER (i) The Criminal Petition is allowed. - 8 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010551962026 NC: 2026:KHC:44967 CRL.P No. 12007 of 2026 (ii) The condition No. c) The petitioner shall furnish his passport to the Court and shall not leave the State without obtaining written permission from the Court stands deleted in the light of the aforesaid reasons so rendered by the concerned Court. (iii) It is made clear that the petitioner cannot leave the shores of the nation, at any point in time without the concerned Court or this Court permitting him to do so on an appropriate application so filed. Sd/- (M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE JY List No.: 1 Sl No.: 7