- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010082532026 NC: 2026:KHC:55553 CRL.P No. 1731 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 1750 of 2026 CRL.P No. 1758 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 6TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 1731 OF 2026 C/W CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 1750 OF 2026 CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 1758 OF 2026 IN CRL.P No. 1731/2026 BETWEEN: SRI. K.P. ABDUL HAMEED S/O K.P. IBRAHIM, AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS, R/AT NO.5-213, NEERAKAJE HOUSE, PUTTUR TALUK, RURAL ARYAPU, DAKSHINA KANNADA - 574 210, SIDYALA HOUSE. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SATHISHA D.J, ADVOCATE) AND: STATE BY EAST CEN CRIME POLICE STATION, DCP EAST DIVISION, BENGALURU - 560 098, REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. RAHUL RAI K, HCGP) Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010082532026 NC: 2026:KHC:55553 CRL.P No. 1731 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 1750 of 2026 CRL.P No. 1758 of 2026 THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS PETITION AND ENLARGE THE BAIL IN FIR PETITIONER/ACCUSED NO.6 ON ANTICIPATORY IN CRIME NO. 379/2025 DATED 14/11/2025 REGISTERED BY THE EAST CEN CRIME POLICE STATION, FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 66, 66 (C), 66 (D) OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACT-2000, AND OFFENCE UNDER SECTION 308, 318 (4) OF BHARATHIYA NYAYA SANHITHA (BNS)-2023, AGAINST THE PETITIONER IS CONCERNED, PENDING BEFORE THE LI ADDITIONAL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE (CCH-52) AT BENGALURU. IN CRL.P NO. 1750/2026 BETWEEN: SRI. SUBER T.B, S/O BEERAN, AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS, R/AT THACHAYIL, KATTAYAED, VELLAMUDAN, WAYANAD, KERALA - 670 731. ...PETITIONER (BY SRI. SATHISHA D.J, ADVOCATE) AND: STATE BY EAST CEN CRIME POLICE STATION, DCP EAST DIVISION, BANGALURU - 560 098, REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE - 560 001. ...RESPONDENT (BY SRI. RAHUL RAI K, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010082532026 NC: 2026:KHC:55553 CRL.P No. 1731 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 1750 of 2026 CRL.P No. 1758 of 2026 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS PETITION AND ENLARGE THE PETITIONER/ ACCUSED NO.4 ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN FIR IN CR.NO.379/2025 DATED 14.11.2025 REGISTERED BY THE EAST IN CEN CRIME P.S. FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S 66, 66(C), 66(D) OF I.T. ACT 2000 AND OFFENCE P/U/S 308, 318(4) OF BNS 2023 AGAINST THE PETITIONER IS CONCERNED PENDING BEFORE THE LI ADDL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT BENGALURU. IN CRL.P NO. 1758/2026 BETWEEN: SRI. K. ASHRAF S/O SULAIMAN, AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS, R/AT. NO.5-208, SIDYALA HOUSE, CHIKKAMUNDNOOR RURAL DISTRICT, DAKSHINA KANNADA - 574 210. ...PETITIONER (BY SRI. SATHISHA D.J, ADVOCATE) AND: STATE BY EAST CEN CRIME POLICE STATION DCP EAST DIVISION, BANGALURU - 560 098, REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE - 560 001. ...RESPONDENT (BY SRI. RAHUL RAI K, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.438 (FILED U/S.482 BNSS) OF CR.P.C PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS PETITION AND - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010082532026 NC: 2026:KHC:55553 CRL.P No. 1731 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 1750 of 2026 CRL.P No. 1758 of 2026 ENLARGE THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED NO.5 ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN THE EVENT OF HIS ARREST IN FIR IN CRIME NO.379/2025 DATED 14.11.2025 REGISTERED BY THE EAST CEN CRIME POLICE STATION FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE P/U/S. 66, 66(c), 66(D) OF IT ACT 2000 AND OFFENCE U/S.308, 318(4) OF BNS 2023 AGAINST THE PETITIONER IS CONCERNED, PENDING BEFORE THE LI ADDL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, (CCH-52) AT BENGALURU. THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER Accused Nos.4, 5 and 6 in Crime No.379 of 2025 registered by East CEN Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City for the offences punishable under Section 66, 66(C), 66(D) of Information Technology Act, 2000 and Section 308, 318(4) of BNS, 2023, are before this Court in the above captioned three petitions filed under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023 seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010082532026 NC: 2026:KHC:55553 CRL.P No. 1731 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 1750 of 2026 CRL.P No. 1758 of 2026 3. FIR in Crime No.379 of 2025 was registered by East CEN Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City for the aforesaid offences against unknown persons, based on first information dated 14.11.2025 received from Smt.Thriprayar Muthukrishnan Umarani wife of Sri.B. Padmakumar. Apprehending arrest in the said case, the petitioners had approached the jurisdictional Sessions Court and their bail applications were rejected. Therefore, they are before this Court. 4. A reading of the first information dated 14.11.2025 would reveal that on 15.09.2024 the de-facto complainant Smt.Thriprayar Muthukrishnan Umarani had received a phone call and the caller had informed that he had received a package at Andheri DHL center, which contained contraband article and the same was booked using her documents. The caller allegedly threatened the victim lady about proposed action for the crime committed by her and one of them represented to her that he was a CBI officer. The victim lady received continuous calls from - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010082532026 NC: 2026:KHC:55553 CRL.P No. 1731 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 1750 of 2026 CRL.P No. 1758 of 2026 various phone numbers and the callers represented to her that her name can be cleared from the case and for the said purpose they instructed her to deposit money to various bank accounts and accordingly, for the period from 15.09.2024 to 13.11.2025, the victim lady had deposited totally an amount of Rs.31.83 crores to 75 various bank accounts as instructed by the callers. The callers not only represented to the victim lady that they were CBI officers, but also threatened her of digital arrest. During the course of investigation, accused Nos.1 to 3 and other accused persons have been arrested in the present case. 5. The statement of the arrested accused would clearly show the role played by the petitioners herein in the alleged crime. A reading of the said statement as well as the remand application of the arrested accused made it clear that accused No.5 is the mastermind in the case on hand and accused Nos.4 to 6 were beneficiaries of the proceeds of crime in the present case. Material made available to this Court by the learned High Court - 7 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010082532026 NC: 2026:KHC:55553 CRL.P No. 1731 of 2026 C/W CRL.P No. 1750 of 2026 CRL.P No. 1758 of 2026 Government Pleader would go to show that certain amounts were also received directly by the petitioners herein in their bank accounts from the account of the victim lady. 6. Considering the nature of allegations found in the first information and also the menace, which the cyber crime has been causing to the society, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioners for grant of anticipatory bail cannot be entertained. Accordingly, the following: O R D E R The criminal petitions stand dismissed. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE AMM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 38