- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010556422026 NC: 2026:KHC:49549 CRL.P No. 12320 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 10TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12320 OF 2026 BETWEEN: HARSHAVARDHAN SHRIKANT NALAWADE S/O. SHRIKANT NALAWADE AGED ABOUT 21 YEARS R/AT H.NO.101/102, F 10 VRUSHALI APARTMENT, 410 SADAR BAZAR, SATARA MAHARASHTRA - 415 001. …PETITIONER (BY SRI K. PRASANNA SHETTY, ADV.) AND: STATE BY S.H.O. UDUPI TOWN POLICE STATION, UDUPI DISTRICT REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI CHANNAPPA ERAPPA, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE ACCUSED NO.3/PETITIONER HEREIN ON BAIL IN CRIME NO.156/2025 REGISTERED BY RESPONDENT UDUPI TOWN POLICE STATION PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE ADDL.CIVIL JUDGE (SR.DN) AND ACJM COURT, UDUPI FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 179, OF THE BNS 2023. 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: KAHC010556422026 NC: 2026:KHC:49549 CRL.P No. 12320 of 2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused no.3 in Crime No.156/2025 registered by Udupi Town Police Station, Udupi, for the offence punishable under Section 179 of BNS, 2023, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned Counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.156/2025 was registered by Udupi Town Police Station, Udupi, for the aforesaid offences against Swathi P.Mayya based on the first information dated 22.08.2025 received from Archana.N. - officer of Canara Bank, Udupi Branch. During the course of investigation of the said case, petitioner was arrested on 10.06.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. His bail application filed before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl. Misc. No.263/2026 was rejected on 07.07.2026. Therefore, petitioner is before this Court. 4. Material on record would go to show that accused no.1 - Swathi P.Mayya had deposited seven notes of Rs.500/- denomination to her bank account in Canara Bank, Udupi - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010556422026 NC: 2026:KHC:49549 CRL.P No. 12320 of 2026 Branch, which were found to be counterfeit notes. It is under these circumstances, FIR was registered against her. Accused no.2 in the present case is husband of accused no.1. Accused nos.1 & 2 have been granted regular bail by the coordinate bench of this Court in Crl.P.No.13856/2025 vide order dated 13.10.2025. After accused nos.1 & 2 were released, petitioner was arrested on 10.06.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. 5. The allegation against the petitioner is that he had forwarded the counterfeit notes to accused no.1 through courier who inturn had deposited the same in her bank account. Petitioner is said to be a student pursuing his Engineering course in Dayanand Sagar University, Bengaluru. It is not in dispute that petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter and also the age of the petitioner, I am of the opinion that his prayer for grant of regular bail is required to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order: 6. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.156/2025 registered by Udupi - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010556422026 NC: 2026:KHC:49549 CRL.P No. 12320 of 2026 Town Police Station, Udupi, for the offence punishable under Section 179 of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: a) Petitioner shall execute 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 his 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. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE KK