- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010598462026 NC: 2026:KHC:48424 CRL.P No. 13343 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 7TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 13343 OF 2026 BETWEEN: SUGANDHI W/O. SANTHOSHA, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, R/AT ANUGRAHA NILAYA, MUNGRIHITHLU PADIGARA, PERDOOR VILLAGE, UDUPI DISTRICT - 576 124. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. BALAKRISHNA M.R, ADVOCATE) AND: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA SHO, HIRIADKA POLICE STATION UDUPI DIST., REPRESENTED BY ITS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. CHANNAPPA ERAPPA, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO PASS AN ORDER TO RELEASE HER ON BAIL PENDING TRIAL IN CRIME NO.39/2026 DATED 13.06.2026 FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCES P/U/S 316(4) 318, 336(3), 340(2) OF Digitally signed by ANNAPURNA G Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010598462026 NC: 2026:KHC:48424 CRL.P No. 13343 of 2026 BNS 2023 ON THE FILE OF THE PRL.CIVIL JUDGE (SR.DN) AND CJM COURT, UDUPI DISTRICT REGISTERED BY THE RESPONDENT HIRIADKA POLICE STATION UDUPI. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Accused No.1 in Crime No.39/2026 registered by Hiriadka Police Station, Udupi, for the offences punishable under Sections 316(4), 318, 336(3), 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (hereinafter referred to as the 'BNS' for short), is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the arguments of the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.39/2026 was registered by Hiriadka Police Station, Udupi, for the aforesaid offences - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010598462026 NC: 2026:KHC:48424 CRL.P No. 13343 of 2026 against the petitioner herein, based on the first information dated 13.06.2026 received from Smt. Shyamala S.P., President of Padma Kamala Sanjeevani Grama Panchayat Union (R) Shree Shakti Sangha, Perdoor, Udupi. In the said case, accused No.1 was arrested on 05.07.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. The bail application filed by accused No.1 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.309/2026 was rejected on 12.08.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. A perusal of the first information would reveal that the petitioner was allegedly working as the Chief Writer in the aforesaid Society, of which the first informant was the President. The allegation against the petitioner is that, out of the amount of Rs.42,00,000/- released by the State Government under a scheme in favour of the Society, she had misappropriated a sum of Rs.23,00,000/-. 5. During the course of investigation, accused Nos.1 and 2 were arrested. Accused No.2 is said to have - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010598462026 NC: 2026:KHC:48424 CRL.P No. 13343 of 2026 been enlarged on bail by the jurisdictional Sessions Court. Investigation of the case is now completed and the chargesheet has already been filed. The petitioner is a married lady aged 40 years. The allegations found in the chargesheet against the petitioner are based on documentary evidence. The petitioner has now been dismissed from service and, therefore, the question of her tampering with the documentary evidence, which is in custody of the Society, does not arise. 6. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter and also having regard to the proviso to Section 480 of the BNSS, 2023, the following: O R D E R i) The Criminal Petition is allowed. ii) The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crl.Mis.No.309/2026 pending before the Court of the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Udupi arising out of - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010598462026 NC: 2026:KHC:48424 CRL.P No. 13343 of 2026 Crime No.39/2026 registered by Hiriadka Police Station, Udupi for the offences punishable under Sections 316(4), 318, 336(3), 340(2) of the BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: a) The petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the 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 her 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 - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010598462026 NC: 2026:KHC:48424 CRL.P No. 13343 of 2026 permission of the said Court until the case registered against him is disposed off. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE SHS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 71