- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010586222026 NC: 2026:KHC:52027 CRL.P No. 13126 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 21ST DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 13126 OF 2026 BETWEEN: RANGANATHA K S/O KARIYANNA AGED ABOUT 21 YEARS DRIVER, NAYAKA BY CASTE R/O ARISINAGUNDI VILLAGE J.G.HALLI HOBLI, HIRIYUR TALUK CHITRADURGA DIST., PIN - 577 598. …PETITIONER (BY SRI NAVEEN H.M, ADV.) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA HIRIYURU RURAL POLICE STATION REPRESENTED BY S.P.P HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BENGALURU - 560 001. 2. SMT. YASHODHAMMA W/O KRISHNAMURTHY AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS R/O GOKULANAGARA VILLAGE HIRIYUR TALUK, CHITRADURGA DIST. PIN - 577 598. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI CHANNAPPA ERAPPA, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO RELEASE HIM ON BAIL IN CR.NO.198/2026 OF RESPONDENT HIRIYUR RURAL POLICE REGISTERED FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 137(2),64(2)(M) OF BNS ACT AND SEC.4,6 OF Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010586222026 NC: 2026:KHC:52027 CRL.P No. 13126 of 2026 POCSO ACT AND ALSO SPL.CASE NO.130/2026 WHICH IS PENDING BEFORE HONBLE SPL.2ND ADDL.DIST. AND SESSIONS JUDGE COURT AT CHITRADURGA. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Accused in Special Case No.130/2026 pending before the Court of II Additional District and Sessions Court and Special Judge, Chitradurga, arising out of Crime No.198/2026 registered by Hiriyur Rural Police Station, Chitradurga, for the offences punishable under Sections 137(2) and 64(2)(m) of BNS, 2023 and Sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act, 2012, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned HCGP for respondent No.1 - State. Respondent No.2, who is served in the matter has remained unrepresented before this Court. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010586222026 NC: 2026:KHC:52027 CRL.P No. 13126 of 2026 3. FIR in Crime No.198/2026 was registered by Hiriyur Rural Police Station, Chitradurga, for the offence punishable under Section 137(2) of BNS, 2023, against unknown persons based on the first information dated 15.05.2026 received from Yashodamma, who is the mother of the victim girl, aged 17 years. During the course of investigation, petitioner and the victim girl were traced together. Petitioner was arrested on 27.05.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet is filed against him for the aforesaid offences. His bail application filed before the Trial Court in Crl.Misc.No.677/2026 was rejected on 01.08.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. FIR in the present case was registered based on the first information dated 15.05.2026 received from respondent No.2, who is the mother of the victim girl aged 17 years. A reading of the first information would reveal that the victim girl was found missing from her house on 13.05.2026 and efforts made to trace her had failed and therefore, her mother had approached the police on 15.05.2026. During the course of investigation, petitioner and the victim girl were traced together. Petitioner - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010586222026 NC: 2026:KHC:52027 CRL.P No. 13126 of 2026 was arrested on 27.05.2026 and the statement of the victim girl under Section 183 of BNSS, 2023, was recorded in the present case subsequently on 02.06.2026. In the said statement, victim girl has stated that she is pursuing her first year PUC and she is in love with the petitioner. Her parents had decided to perform her marriage with some other boy. Since, she did not intend to marry the said boy, she had informed the same to the petitioner and thereafter, left her house on 13.05.2026. She has also stated that she had traveled with the petitioner to Bengaluru and had stayed in his sister's house. She has further stated that on 04.01.2026 and 25.03.2026, she had physical relationship with the petitioner. Investigation of the case is now completed and charge sheet is filed. Petitioner aged 21 years, having no other criminal antecedents is in custody for the last nearly four months. Considering the nature of allegations found against the petitioner and also the age of the parties, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order:- - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010586222026 NC: 2026:KHC:52027 CRL.P No. 13126 of 2026 5. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Special Case No.130/2026 pending before the Court of II Additional District and Sessions Court and Special Judge, Chitradurga, arising out of Crime No.198/2026 registered by Hiriyur Rural Police Station, Chitradurga, for the offences punishable under Sections 137(2) and 64(2)(m) of BNS, 2023 and Sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act, 2012, subject to the following conditions: a) 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 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; - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010586222026 NC: 2026:KHC:52027 CRL.P No. 13126 of 2026 e) The petitioner shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Trial Court without permission of the said Court until the case registered against him is disposed off. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE DN List No.: 1 Sl No.: 88