- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010525012026 NC: 2026:KHC:50084 CRL.A No. 1289 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 15TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 1289 OF 2026 (U/S 14(A) (2)) BETWEEN: 1. NAGAPPA POOJARI @ NAGAPPA S/O ABHIMANYU, AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, R/AT NO. CHIKKA MANNURU VILLAGE, GUBBI HALA PANCHAYITI, INDI TALUK, VIJAYAPURA, KARNATAKA-586111 CURRENTLY IN JUDICIAL CUSTODY CENTRAL PRISON, BENGALURU …APPELLANT (BY SRI. MUZAFFAR AHMED., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY SESHADRIPURAM POLICE STATION, REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BANGALORE-560001. 2. SOMANINGA SHANKARAPPA SALOTAGI, S/O SHANKARAPPA SALOTAGI, AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS, R/AT NAADAKEDA VILLAGE, INDI TALUK, VIJAYAPURA, KARNATAKA - 586217. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. NAGESHWARAPPA K., HCGP FOR R1, R2 SERVED BUT UNREPRESENTED.) CRL.A FILED U/S 14(A)2) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE APPELLANT PRAYING THAT THIS Digitally signed by LAKSHMINARAYAN N Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010525012026 NC: 2026:KHC:50084 CRL.A No. 1289 of 2026 HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO SET ASIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 27.06.2026 PASSED IN SPL.C.NO.777/2026 BY THE LEARNED LXX ADDL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AND SPL.JUDGE BENGALURU CCH.NO.71 AND ENLARGE THE APPELLANT ON BAIL WHO IS ARRAYED AS ACCUSED NO.1 IN SPL.C.NO.777/2026 ARISING OUT OF CR.NO.169/2025 REGISTERED BY THE RESPONDENT POLICE SESHADRIPURAM P.S. FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 103(1) OF BNS 2023 AND SEC.3(2)(V) OF THE SC/ST (POA) ACT 1989 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE LEARNED LXX ADDL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AND SPL.JUDGE BENGALURU CCH.NO.71. THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA ORAL JUDGMENT The appellant/accused has preferred this appeal against the order passed by the LXXVIII Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge, Special Judge, Bengaluru, C/c. LXX Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge, Special Judge, Bengaluru in Spl.C No.777/2026 dated 27.06.2026. 2. For the sake of convenience, the parties herein are referred to as per their status before the trial Court. 3. I have heard the arguments of the learned counsel for the appellant and learned HCGP for the - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010525012026 NC: 2026:KHC:50084 CRL.A No. 1289 of 2026 respondent-State. Despite service of notice respondent No.2 remained absent and unrepresented. 4. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the appellant that the appellant that he has not committed any offence as alleged against him. The investigation is already completed and charge-sheet is already filed against the accused. The custodial interrogation of the appellant is no longer required. The accused has been in judicial custody since 23.02.2026. The trial is yet to commence and is likely to take considerable time for its conclusion, particularly in view of number of witnesses cited by the prosecution. The continued incarceration of the appellant for an indefinite period, would amount to pre-trial punishment, which is contrary to the central principle governing the grant of bail. The entire case of the prosecution rests upon documentary and oral evidence, all of which have already been collected during the course of investigation. The material objects have also been seized and are in custody of the prosecution. Therefore, there is no possibility of appellant interfering with - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010525012026 NC: 2026:KHC:50084 CRL.A No. 1289 of 2026 investigation or tampering with the material evidence. Further, he would submit that the entire case rests upon the circumstantial evidence. That there are no eye-witness to the incident. The IO has recorded the statement of CW7, father- in-law of the deceased, after 3 days of the alleged incident. On all these grounds it is sought for allowing this appeal. 5. As against this learned HCGP, Sri Nageshwarappa.K would submit that the trial Court has properly appreciated the materials on record. The Investgating Officer has seized the knife used for the commission of offence at the instance of the accused under seizure mahazar in the presence of Panchas. The PM report reveals that the death is due to injuries sustained to the chest, the accused has stabbed the deceased on her chest and other parts of the body and committed murder. The commission of alleged offence is heinous in nature. If the accused is released on bail, he may tamper or threaten the prosecution witnesses and there is every possibility of - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010525012026 NC: 2026:KHC:50084 CRL.A No. 1289 of 2026 absconding. On all these grounds sought for rejecting this appeal. 6. I have examined the materials placed before this Court. On the basis of the complaint filed by Somaninga Shankarappa Salotagi, Sheshadripuram Police have registered case in Crime No.169/2025 against the accused for the offence punishable under Section 103(1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The accused was arrested on 30.11.2025 and he was remanded to judicial custody. After investigation, the Investigating Officer has submitted the charge-sheet against the accused for the commission of offence under Section 103(1), BNS, 2023 and Section 3(2)(V) of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. In Column No.17 of the charge-sheet, the Investigating Officer has alleged as under: "zÉÆõÁgÉÆÃ¥ÀuÁ ¥ÀnÖAiÀÄ PÁ®0-12gÀ°è £ÀªÀÄÆ¢¹gÀĪÀ DgÉÆæ £ÁUÀ¥Àà ¥ÀÇeÁj, FvÀ£ÀÄ PÀÄgÀħ (¥ÀæªÀUÀð 2J) eÁwUÉ ¸ÉÃjzÀªÀ£ÁVzÀÄÝ ªÀÄÈvÀ¼À ¥Àw ¸ÁQë-1 ¸ÉÆêÀĤAUÀ ±ÀAPÀæ¥Àà ¸Á¯ÉÆÃlV FvÀ£ÀÄ ¥Àj²µÀÖ eÁwAiÀÄ ªÀiÁzÀgÀ d£ÁAUÀPÉÌ ºÁUÀÆ ªÀÄÈvÀ ²æêÀÄw ±ÀgÀtªÀé ¤AUÉÆAqÀ gÀªÀgÀÄ ¥Àj²µÀÖ ¥ÀAUÀqÀzÀ »AzÀÆ vÀ¼ÀªÁgÀ d£ÁAUÀPÉÌ - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010525012026 NC: 2026:KHC:50084 CRL.A No. 1289 of 2026 ¸ÉÃjzÀªÀgÁVgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. DgÉÆæ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ªÀÄÈvÀ¼ÀÄ E§âgÀÄ MAzÉà Hj£ÀªÀgÁVzÀÝjAzÀ, DgÉÆæUÉ ªÀÄÈvÀ¼À eÁwAiÀÄ §UÉÎ UÉÆwÛgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. DgÉÆæAiÀÄÄ ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ £ÀUÀgÀzÀ°è PÁgï qÉÊæ«AUï/¹éVÎ PÉ®¸ÀªÀ£ÀÄß ªÀiÁrPÉÆAqÀÄ fêÀ£ÀªÀ£ÀÄß £ÀqɸÀÄwÛzÀÝ£ÀÄ. 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The prosecution has produced inquest panchanama, which reveals that the deceased has sustained stab injuries on her chest and neck. The P.M. report reveals the injuries caused to the injured deceased and the cause of death is injuries sustained to the chest. The Investigating Officer has recorded the voluntary statement of the accused and recovered the knife, which is used for the commission of offence, in the presence of panchas under seizure mahazar. 8. The Investigating Officer has produced three witnesses before the Magistrate by name Somaninga Shankarappa Salotagi, Sanjeev Saranappa and Sangeetha - 8 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010525012026 NC: 2026:KHC:50084 CRL.A No. 1289 of 2026 and the learned Magistrate has recorded their statement under Section 183 of BNS. 9. On careful examination of the entire materials on record, at this stage, there are prima-facie materials to constitute the offence under Section 103 of IPC. The commission of alleged offences are heinous in nature. The trial Court has properly appreciated the materials on record in accordance with law and facts. The impugned order does not call for interference from this Court. Accordingly, I proceed to pass the following: O R D E R Appeal is dismissed. Sd/- (G BASAVARAJA) JUDGE KBM., LIST NO.: 1 SL NO.: 19.1