- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010462622026 NC: 2026:KHC:47678 CRL.P No. 10008 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 13497 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 2ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 10008 OF 2026 C/W CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 13497 OF 2026 IN CRL.P No. 10008/2026 BETWEEN: 1. G. PAVANKUMAR S/O GANGAPPA AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS OCC: LINEMEN, R/O KASAPURA, KUDLIGI TALUK, VIJAYANAGARA DISTRICT. NOW RESIDING IN BENGALURU 2. G. SRINIVASA S/O LATE GANGAPPA, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURIST, R/O KASAPURA, KUDLIGI TALUK. VIJAYANAGARA DISTRICT. NOW RESIDING AT NI LAYOUT MOLAKALMURU TOWN. …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. G.M. SRIKANTH, ADVOCATE) Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010462622026 NC: 2026:KHC:47678 CRL.P No. 10008 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 13497 of 2026 AND: STATE BY MOLAKALMURU POLICE STATION CHITRADURGA DISTRICT REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDINGS, BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. RANGASWAMY R, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONERS OR REGULAR BAIL IN CONNECTION WITH CRIME NO.89/2026 OF MOLAKALMURU POLICE STATION, CHITRADURGA, REGISTERED FOR OFFENCES P/U/S 303(2), 316(2), 318(4) AND 310(2) R/W SEC.190 OF THE BNS, 2023, PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE LEARNED CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC, MOLAKALMURU. IN CRL.P NO. 13497/2026 BETWEEN: MYLAPPA @ MYLANNA S/O SANNA GANGAPPA AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS R/O KASAPURA VILLAGE, KUDLIGI TQ, VIJAYANAGARA DIST. - 583 103. ...PETITIONER (BY SRI. NAVEEN H.M, ADVOCATE) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY MOLAKALMURU POLICE - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010462622026 NC: 2026:KHC:47678 CRL.P No. 10008 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 13497 of 2026 CHITRADURGA DIST., REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU - 560 001. ...RESPONDENT (BY SRI. RANGASWAMY R, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.439 (FILED U/S.483 BNSS) OF CR.P.C PRAYING TO RELEASE HIM ON BAIL IN CRIME NO.89/2026 AND C.C.NO.665/2026 OF REGISTERED FOR THE OFFENCE P/US/ 190, 310(2), 318(4) OF BNS 2023 PRESENT PENDING BEFORE CIVIL JUDGE (Jr.Dn.) AND JMFC COURT AT MOLAKALMURU. THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Accused Nos.1, 4 and 6 in Crime No.89 of 2026 registered by Molakalmuru Police Station, Chitradurga for the offences punishable under Section 190, 310(2) and 318(4) of BNS, 2023, are before this Court in these two petitions filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 seeking regular bail. - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010462622026 NC: 2026:KHC:47678 CRL.P No. 10008 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 13497 of 2026 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.89 of 2026 was registered by Molakalmuru Police Station, Chitradurga against one Venkatesha and others, based on the first information dated 19.04.2026 received from Jayaramulu, Son of Venkataramappa, who is the alleged victim in the present case. During the course of investigation, accused Nos.1 and 4 were arrested on 02.05.2026 and accused No.6 was arrested on 23.06.2026. After completing investigation, charge sheet is now filed against 7 persons and petitioners herein are arraigned as accused Nos.1, 4 and 6 in the charge sheet. Their bail application filed before the jurisdictional Sessions Court was rejected and therefore, they are before this Court. 4. In the first information dated 19.04.2026 submitted by Jayaramulu, who is the alleged victim in the present case, it is stated that on 12.04.2026, his son-in- law Janardhana had telephoned him and informed him that - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010462622026 NC: 2026:KHC:47678 CRL.P No. 10008 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 13497 of 2026 accused No.1-Venkatesh, who was known to him, was in possession of gold coins, which he had found while digging the land in his village at Udupi and he allegedly requested the first informant to purchase the said gold coins, which Venkatesha was intending to sell. Therefore, on 16.04.2026 first informant and his son-in-law had met Venkatesha, who had shown them two gold coins. 5. On verification, the said coins were found to be genuine gold coins. On 19.04.2026, first informant and his son-in-law/Janardhan again met Venkatesha and the other accused persons, who had promised them to hand over the gold coins. First informant who had carried a sum of Rs.28,00,000/- in a bag, handed over the same to Venkatesha. Thereafter, Venkatesha handed over another bag, allegedly containing gold coins and hurriedly left the spot. On verification, it was found that the said bag contained spurious gold coins and it is under these circumstances, FIR was registered against Venkatesha and others. During the course of investigation, petitioners were - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010462622026 NC: 2026:KHC:47678 CRL.P No. 10008 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 13497 of 2026 arrested and after completing investigation, charge sheet is now filed against 7 persons. 6. It is not in dispute that the petitioners do not have any similar criminal antecedents. During the course of investigation, the police have recovered totally a sum of Rs.24,84,000/- from the arrested accused. Accused Nos.2, 5 and 7 are shown as absconding in the charge sheet. Since the investigation is already completed and charge sheet is filed, custody of the petitioners is no more required. The alleged offences against the petitioners are not exclusively punishable with life imprisonment or with death sentence. Trial in the case in set to commence. 7. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioners for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively, subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following: O R D E R - 7 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010462622026 NC: 2026:KHC:47678 CRL.P No. 10008 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 13497 of 2026 The Criminal Petitions are allowed. The petitioners are directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.89 of 2026 registered by Molakalmuru Police Station, Chitradurga for the offences punishable under Section 190, 310(2) and 318(4) of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: a) The petitioners shall execute personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- each with two sureties for the likesum, to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court; b) The petitioners shall appear regularly on all the dates of hearing before the Trial Court unless the Trial Court exempts their appearance for valid reasons; c) The petitioners shall not directly or indirectly threaten or tamper with the prosecution witnesses; d) The petitioners shall not involve in similar offences in future; e) The petitioners shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Trial Court without - 8 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010462622026 NC: 2026:KHC:47678 CRL.P No. 10008 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 13497 of 2026 permission of the said Court until the case registered against them is disposed off. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE AMM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 46