- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010610762026 NC: 2026:KHC:47500 CRL.P No. 13426 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 1ST DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 13426 OF 2026 BETWEEN: SMT SUNEETA AGE 29 YEARS OCCUPATION HOUSE WIFE R/O HAROGOPPA, POST BILAHALLI TQ RANEBENNUR, DIST HAVERI PIN - 581 208. …PETITIONER (BY SRI PATIL TIPPANAGOUDA REVANAGOUDA, ADV.) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA HONNALI P S REPRESENTED BY R/BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU PIN - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI RANGASWAMY R, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.438 (FILED U/S.482 BNSS) CR.P.C PRAYING TO DIRECT THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER IN CHARGE OF HONNALI POLICE STATION CRIME NO.184/2026 REGISTERED FOR THE OFFENCE P/US/ 48,108,351(2) R/W SEC.190 OF BNS TO RELEASE OF THIS PETITIONER ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN THE EVENT OF HIS ARREST. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR FINAL HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010610762026 NC: 2026:KHC:47500 CRL.P No. 13426 of 2026 ORAL ORDER 1. Accused No.1 in Crime No.184 of 2026 registered by Honnali Police Station, Davanagere District for offences punishable under Sections 48, 108, 351(2) R/w Section 190 of BNS, 2023 is filed in this petition under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023 seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.184 and 2026 was registered by Honnali Police Station, Davanagere District for the aforesaid offences against the petitioner herein and others, based on first information dated 18.07.2016, received from Smt. Dakshayanamma, mother of deceased Manikanta. Apprehending arrest in the case, the petitioner had filed Crl.Misc.No.710 of 2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was rejected on 19.08.2026. Therefore, she is before this Court. 4. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that, the marriage of the petitioner with Manikanta, who is the deceased in the present case, was solemnized on 29.04.2026. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010610762026 NC: 2026:KHC:47500 CRL.P No. 13426 of 2026 It appears that after the marriage, on 30.05.2026 the petitioner and Manikanta had visited Mantralaya and had stayed there. Petitioner allegedly had informed her husband in Mantralaya that she had an affair with accused no.6 - Satisha. The allegation against the petitioner is that she had continued her affair with Satisha, even after marriage, and therefore, Manikanta had committed suicide on 16.07.2026. In the death note allegedly left behind by Manikanta, he has not made any such allegation that his wife had continued her relationship with accused no.6 even after her marriage. On the other hand, in the said death note Manikanta had mentioned that his conscious does not permit him to live and therefore, he was committing suicide. 5. For the purpose of invoking offence punishable under Section 108 of BNS, 2023, the act committed by the accused should have some proximity to the death of deceased and such an act should have either abetted or instigated the deceased to commit suicide. There is no mention of any such act committed by the petitioner, in the first information. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010610762026 NC: 2026:KHC:47500 CRL.P No. 13426 of 2026 the petitioner for grant of anticipatory bail needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following:- ORDER (i) The Criminal Petition is allowed. (ii) The respondent - Police or any other police in the State of Karnataka are directed to release the petitioner in the event of her arrest in Crime No.184 of 2026 registered by Honnali Police Station, Davanagere District for offences punishable under Sections 48, 108, 351(2) R/w Section 190 of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: 1. The petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer in the present case within a period of fifteen days from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order on executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer/jurisdictional Court. 2. The petitioner shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons. - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010610762026 NC: 2026:KHC:47500 CRL.P No. 13426 of 2026 3. The petitioner shall not tamper with the prosecution witness and she shall co-operate with the Police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon. 4. The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE NMS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 16