- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010602682026 NC: 2026:KHC:52432 CRL.P No. 13475 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 22ND DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 13475 OF 2026 BETWEEN: SRI MANJUNATH S/O LATE CHINNAPPA AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS R/AT THIGALA CHOWDANAHALLI VILLAGE, SARJAPURA HOBLI ANEKAL TALUK, BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT - 562 125. …PETITIONER (BY SRI GIRISH R, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY. SARJAPURA P.S NOW REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDING BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI RAHUL RAI K, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO GRANT REGULAR BAIL THEREBY DIRECTING THE RESPONDENT SARJAPURA POLICE TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER / ACCUSED IN CR.NO.39/2025 IN S.C.NO.5077/2025 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE HONBLE III ADDL.DIST. AND SESSIONS JUDGE BENGALURU RURAL DIST, SITTING AT ANEKAL FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 103(1) OF BNS. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010602682026 NC: 2026:KHC:52432 CRL.P No. 13475 of 2026 ORAL ORDER 1. Accused in SC No.5077/2025 pending before the Court of III Addl. District and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru Rural District, sitting at Anekal, arising out of Crime No.39/2025 registered by Sarjapura Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offence punishable under Section 103(1) 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.39/2025 was registered by Sarjapura Police Station, Bengaluru, for the aforesaid offence against petitioner herein based on the first information dated 15.02.2025 received from Naveen Kumar S/o Vijay Reddy. In the said case, petitioner was arrested on 18.02.2025 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 SC No.5077/2025 was rejected on 31.07.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court. - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010602682026 NC: 2026:KHC:52432 CRL.P No. 13475 of 2026 4. Perusal of the material on record would go to show that deceased Manjula was the wife of the petitioner. Manjula was suffering from certain mental illness for the last about 15 years and she was being treated for the same in a Hospital. It appears that Manjula was in the habit of leaving the house without informing anybody and on every occasion when Manjula left the house, petitioner used to go in search of her and bring her back to the house. On 15.02.2025 also, Manjula had left the house and gone out. Petitioner, who came to his house found Manjula missing and therefore, he went in search of her and found her near a temple in their village. He allegedly lifted her in his hands and took her to under construction building belonging to CW5 and dropped her down from second floor. Manjula, who had suffered grievous injuries, had succumbed to the same. It is under these circumstances, FIR was registered against the petitioner. 5. Petitioner, who has no other criminal antecedents is in custody from 18.02.2025. CW1 to CW5 are now examined as PW1 to PW5. The submission made by learned counsel for the petitioner that all the witnesses have turned hostile to the case - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010602682026 NC: 2026:KHC:52432 CRL.P No. 13475 of 2026 of the prosecution is not seriously disputed by learned HCGP. Petitioner is required to take care of his children. Considering the fact that material charge sheet witnesses are already examined, there cannot be any apprehension that petitioner may tamper with the said witnesses. Entire case of the prosecution is based on circumstantial evidence. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion that his prayer for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order:- 6. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in SC No.5077/2025 pending before the Court of III Addl. District and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru Rural District, sitting at Anekal, arising out of Crime No.39/2025 registered by Sarjapura Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offence punishable under Section 103(1) of BNS, 2023, 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; - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010602682026 NC: 2026:KHC:52432 CRL.P No. 13475 of 2026 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; 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.: 84