- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417242026 NC: 2026:KHC:52887 CRL.P No. 8835 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 24TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 8835 OF 2026 BETWEEN: ANAND, S/O MUNISIDDAPPA, AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS, R/AT NO. 228, 1ST CROSS, MANJUNATH LAYOUT, R.M.V BADAAVANE, SANJAYANAGAR, BENGALURU - 560 094. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. KRISHNE GOWDA M, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA STATE BY KODIGEHALLI P.S. REPTD. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE - 560 001. 2. SMT. ANANDAMMA W/O LATE CHENNAKESHAWA, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, R/AT K.DASAPPA, KEMPEGOWDANAGRA, VIDYARANYAPURA, BENGALURU CITY, BENGALURU - 560 009. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. CHANNAPPA ERAPPA, HCGP FOR R1; R2 - SERVED) Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417242026 NC: 2026:KHC:52887 CRL.P No. 8835 of 2026 THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO PASS AN ORDER OF BAIL ENLARGING THE PETITIONER IN CRIME NO.86/2026 OF KODIGEHALLI POLICE, NOW PENDING IN SPL.C.NO.1100/2026 AND ON THE FILE OF THE HONBLE ADDITIONAL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE (FTSC-IV) BANGALORE FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 87, 64(2)(M), 65(1) OF BNS AND SECTION 5(L), 6 OF POCSO ACT 2012. 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 in Special Case No.1100 of 2026 pending before the Court of Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge (FTSC-IV) Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.86 of 2026 registered by Kodigehalli Police Station, Bengaluru City for the offences punishable under Section 87, 64(2) (m), 65(1) of BNS, 2023 and Section 5(l), 6 of POCSO Act, 2012, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 seeking regular bail. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417242026 NC: 2026:KHC:52887 CRL.P No. 8835 of 2026 2. Heard the learned counsel for petitioner and learned High Court Government Pleader for respondent No.1. Respondent No.2 who is served in the matter, has remained unrepresented before this Court. 3. FIR in Crime No.86 of 2026 was registered by Kodigehalli Police Station, Bengaluru City for the offence punishable under Section 137(2) of BNS, 2023 against the petitioner herein, based on the first information dated 23.02.2026 received from respondent No.2, who is the mother of the victim girl. In the said case, the petitioner herein was arrested on 30.03.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, the charge sheet is filed against him for the aforesaid offence. His bail application filed before the Trial Court in Crl.Misc.No.5035 of 2026 was rejected on 12.06.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. 4. In the first information submitted by the mother of the victim girl, it is stated that on 22.02.2026 at about - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417242026 NC: 2026:KHC:52887 CRL.P No. 8835 of 2026 10.30 p.m., the victim girl allegedly locked the door of their house and thereafter, informed the first informant, who is her mother that she was going along with the petitioner and not to make efforts to trace her. Subsequently, when the first informant tried to contact the victim girl over phone, the same was found to be switched off. Attempts made to trace the victim girl had failed and therefore, on the next day, mother of the victim girl had approached the police. 5. During the course of the investigation, the petitioner and the victim girl were traced. The statement of the victim girl has been recorded in the present case under Section 183 of BNSS, 2023 by the jurisdictional Magistrate on 02.04.2026. In the said statement, the victim girl has stated that she is in love with the petitioner for the last 3 years and she was constantly talking with him over phone. On the advice of her relatives who had promised to take care of her mother, she has left her house and gone with the petitioner on 22.02.2026. - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417242026 NC: 2026:KHC:52887 CRL.P No. 8835 of 2026 Subsequently, on 30.03.2026 she was brought back to her house. She has stated that she has gone with the petitioner voluntarily and there is no fault on the part of the petitioner in the present case. She has not made any allegation about the petitioner of having committed any kind of sexual assault on her, much less penetrative sexual assault. 6. It appears that prior to this case mother of the victim girl had registered a similar complaint against the petitioner and in the said case, this Court had granted regular bail to him in Crl.P.No.12529 of 2025 disposed of on 17.11.2025. 7. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter, more so the statement of the victim girl made under Section 183 of BNSS, 2023 before the jurisdictional Magistrate, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417242026 NC: 2026:KHC:52887 CRL.P No. 8835 of 2026 answered affirmatively, subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following: O R D E R (i) The Criminal Petition is allowed. (ii) The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Special Case No.1100 of 2026 pending before the Court of Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge (FTSC-IV) Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.86 of 2026 registered by Kodigehalli Police Station, Bengaluru City for the offences punishable under Section 87, 64(2) (m), 65(1) of BNS, 2023 and Section 5(l), 6 of POCSO Act, 2012, subject to the following conditions: a) The 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 - 7 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010417242026 NC: 2026:KHC:52887 CRL.P No. 8835 of 2026 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; 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 AMM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 52