- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010588922026 NC: 2026:KHC:51299 CRL.A No. 1431 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 17TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 1431 OF 2026 (U/S 14(A) (2)-) BETWEEN: 1. SADIK @ ROHIT S/O. JULFIKAR, AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS, R/AT 1ST MAIN, 2ND CROSS, DCM BADAVANE, NITTUVALLI, DAVANAGERE DISTRICT-577004. …APPELLANT (BY SRI. S G RAJENDRA REDDY., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY JAYANAGARA POLICE STATION, SHIVAMOGGA. REPTD. BY S.P.P., HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU -560001. 2. SURESH K S/O. KALAPPA, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, #11, K.E.B. QUARTERS SARVAJNA CIRCLE, SHIVAMOGGA TOWN - 577201. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP FOR R1, R2 IS SERVED AND UNREPRESENTED.)) CRL.A. FILED U/S 14(A)(2) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT, 2015 BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE APPELLANT/S PRAYING THAT THIS HONBLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO ALLOW THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL AND SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 04.07.2026 Digitally signed by LAKSHMINARAYAN N Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010588922026 NC: 2026:KHC:51299 CRL.A No. 1431 of 2026 PASSED BY THE ADDL.DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE FTSC-I (POCSO) SHIVAMOGGA IN SPL.C NO.87/2026 AND ETC. THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA ORAL JUDGMENT 1. The appellant has preferred this appeal against the order dated 04.07.2026 passed in Spl.C.No.87/2026 by the Addl. District and Sessions Judge, FTSC-I(POCSO), Shivamogga (for short 'the Trial Court'). 2. I have heard the arguments on both sides. 3. On the basis of the complaint filed by one Suresh K, Jayanagara Police have registered the case in Crime No.1/2026 against the unknown accused for the commission of offence under Section 137(2) of BNS, 2023. During the course of investigation, accused was arrested by the police and produced before the Court and he was remanded to judicial custody on 13.01.2026. Till today accused is in judicial custody. Application was filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023. Same is dismissed by the Trial - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010588922026 NC: 2026:KHC:51299 CRL.A No. 1431 of 2026 Court. Being aggrieved by rejection of bail application, the appellant has preferred this appeal. 4. I have examined the materials placed before this Court. The Investigation Officer has submitted charge sheet against the accused for the offence under Section 12 of POCSO Act, 2012; Section 137(2) of BNS, 2023; Sections 3(2)(va), 3(1)(w)(i)(ii) of SC/ST (POA) Amendment Act, 2015. 5. In column No.17 of the charge sheet, it is alleged as under: "£ÉÆAzÀ ¨Á®Q ¥Àj²µÀÖ d£ÁAUÀzÀ "¨ÉÆë eÁw"UÉ ¸ÉÃjzÀªÀgÁVzÀÄÝ, DgÉÆævÀ 01 £Éà DgÉÆævÀ ¸Á¢üPï @ gÉÆûvï ªÀÄĹèA d£ÁAUÀPÉÌ ºÁUÀÆ 02 £Éà DgÉÆævÀ P˲Pï °AUÁAiÀÄvÀ d£ÁAUÀPÉÌ ¸ÉÃjzÀªÀgÁVgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. zÉÆõÁgÉÆÃ¥ÀuÁ ¥ÀvÀæzÀ PÁ®A £ÀA 12 gÀ°è PÀAqÀ 01 £Éà DgÉÆævÀ£ÀÄ ¸Áßöå¥ï ZÁmï £À°è, £ÉÆAzÀ ¨Á®QAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¥ÀjZÀ¬Ä¹PÉÆAqÀÄ DPÉAiÀÄÄ ¥Àj²µÀÖ d£ÁAUÀzÀ "¨ÉÆë" d£ÁAUÀPÉÌ ¸ÉÃjzÀ C¥Áæ¥ÀÛ ¨Á®Q JAzÀÄ w½¢zÀÝgÀÆ ¸ÀºÀ, DPÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¦æÃw¸ÀÄwÛgÀĪÀÅzÁV ¥ÀŸÀ¯Á¬Ä¹ ¢£ÁAPÀ:07- 01-2026 gÀAzÀÄ ¸ÀAeÉ 4-45 UÀAmÉ ¸ÀªÀÄAiÀÄPÉÌ ¸ÁQë 05 gÀªÀgÀ - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010588922026 NC: 2026:KHC:51299 CRL.A No. 1431 of 2026 ªÀiÁ°ÃPÀvÀézÀ PÉJ-17-r-8687 £ÉÆAzÀt ¸ÀASÉåAiÀÄ ªÀiÁgÀÄw ¸ÀÄdÄQ ¹é¥sïÖ PÁj£À°è 02 £Éà DgÉÆævÀ£ÀÄ PÁgÀÄ ZÀ¯Á¬Ä¹PÉÆAqÀÄ 01 £Éà DgÉÆævÀ£ÉÆA¢UÉ §AzÀÄ ²ªÀªÉÆUÀÎ £ÀUÀgÀzÀ ªÉĸÁÌA PÁålæ¸ï ªÀÄ£É £ÀA 11 gÀ ªÀÄÄA¨sÁUÀ¢AzÀ £ÉÆAzÀ ¨Á®QAiÀÄ£ÀÄß PÉJ-17-r-8687 £ÉÆAzÀt ¸ÀASÉåAiÀÄ ªÀiÁgÀÄw ¸ÀÄdÄQ ¹é¥sïÖ PÁj£À°è C¥ÀºÀj¹PÉÆAqÀÄ PÁj£À°è zÁªÀtUÉgÉ ¹nAiÀÄ°è ¸ÀÄvÁÛrPÉÆAqÀÄ £ÉÆAzÀ ¨Á®QAiÀÄÄ C¥ÀºÀgÀtPÉÆ̼ÀUÁzÀ §UÉÎ ¸ÁQë 01 ªÀÄvÀÄÛ 03 gÀªÀjUÉ ªÀiÁ»w w½¢zÉ JA§ §UÉÎ w½zÀ DgÉÆævÀgÀÄ ªÁ¥À¸ï CzÉà PÁj£À°è ²ªÀªÉÆUÀÎPÉÌ §AzÀÄ D ¢£À gÁwæ ªÉÄîÌAqÀ PÁj£À°èAiÉÄà ²ªÀªÉÆUÀÎ £ÀUÀgÀzÀ ¸ÀªÀðdÕ ªÀÈvÀÛzÀ°ègÀĪÀ PÉ.E.© ¸ÀªÀÄÄzÁAiÀÄ ¨sÀªÀ£ÀzÀ ªÀÄÄA¨ÁUÀzÀ°è PÁgÀ£ÀÄß ¤°è¹PÉÆAqÀ DgÉÆævÀgÀÄ ¨Á®QAiÉÆA¢UÉ PÁj£À°èAiÉÄà vÀAVzÀÄÝ, £ÀAvÀgÀ ¢£ÁAPÀ:08- 01-2026 gÀAzÀÄ ¨É¼ÀUÉÎ 6-00 UÀAmÉUÉ £ÉÆAzÀ ¨Á®QAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ²ªÀªÉÆUÀÎ £ÀUÀgÀzÀ PÉ.E.© ªÀÈvÀÛzÀ°è ©lÄÖ ºÉÆÃVgÀĪÀÅzÀÄ E°èAiÀĪÀgÉUÉ £ÀqɹzÀ vÀ¤SɬÄAzÀ ºÁUÀÆ ¸ÀAUÀ滹zÀ ¸ÁPÁëzsÁgÀUÀ½AzÀ zsÀÈqÀ¥ÀnÖzÀÝjAzÀ 01 ªÀÄvÀÄÛ 02 £Éà DgÉÆævÀgÀÄUÀ¼À ªÉÄÃ¯É PÀ®A, 137(2), ©.J£ï.J¸ï ªÀÄvÀÄÛ PÀ®A 12 ¥ÉÇÃPÉÆìà DPïÖ-2012 ºÁUÀÆ PÀ®A 3(1) W(i)(ii), 3(2)(v) C£ÀĸÀÆavÀ eÁwUÀ¼ÀÄ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ C£ÀĸÀÆavÀ §ÄqÀPÀlÄÖUÀ¼À (zËdð£Àå ¥Àæw§AzsÀ ) wzÀÄÝ¥Àr C¢ü¤AiÀĪÀÄ-2015 jÃvÀå ¸À°è¹zÀ zÉÆõÁgÉÆÃ¥ÀuÁ ¥ÀvÀæ." 6. The Addl. SPP has produced a copy of the statement recorded by the Magistrate under Section 183 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS). The victim has not whispered anything as to the sexual harassment. The - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010588922026 NC: 2026:KHC:51299 CRL.A No. 1431 of 2026 commission of alleged offence is punishable with imprisonment for 3 years. 7. Considering the nature and gravity of offence and prior antecedents of the appellant, without expressing any opinion on merits of the case, it is just and proper to allow this appeal. Accordingly, I proceed to pass the following: O R D E R (i) Appeal is allowed; (ii) The order dated 04.07.2026 passed in Spl.C.No.87/2026 by the Addl. District and Sessions Judge, FTSC-I(POCSO), Shivamogga, is hereby set aside; Consequently, the bail application filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 is allowed, subject to following conditions: a. The appellant/accused shall be released on bail on executing a self bond of Rs.50,000/- with one surety for likesum to the satisfaction of the Trial Court; - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010588922026 NC: 2026:KHC:51299 CRL.A No. 1431 of 2026 b. The appellant/accused shall not tamper or threaten the prosecution witnesses in any manner; c. The appellant/accused shall appear before the Trial Court on all the dates of hearing; d. The appellant/accused shall not indulge in similar offence; Registry is directed to send copy of this order to the concerned Court for taking necessary action. Sd/- (G BASAVARAJA) JUDGE DHA List No.: 1 Sl No.: 49