- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1018 CRL.A No. 02 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 8TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 2 OF 2026 (U/S 14(A) (2)) BETWEEN: 1. SHIVARUDRAPPA S/O SHANTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS 2. KUMAR ADITHYA S/O SHANTHAPPA AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS APPELLANTS NO.1 AND 2 ARE RESIDENT AT NO. 59, AREHALLI UTTARAHALLI HOBLI, SUBRAMANYAPURA, BENGALURU- 560 061. …APPELLANTS (BY SRI. A.N. RADHA KRISHNA., ADVOCATE; V/C/O DTD 8/1/26 APPEAL AGAINST APPELLANT 2 IS DISMISSED) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY SUBRAMANYAPURA POLICE BENGALURU REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT BUILDINGS Digitally signed by LAKSHMINARAYAN N Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1018 CRL.A No. 02 of 2026 BENGALURU- 560 001. 2. LOKESH Y S/O LATE YALLAPPA AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS NO. 61, III MAIN ROAD AREHALLI UTTARAHALLI SUBRAMANYAPURA BENGALURU- 560 061 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. B.LAKSHMAN, HCGP FOR R1; RESPONDENT- 2 SERVED) THIS CRL.A IS FILED U/S 14(A)(2) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE APPELLANT/S PRAYING THAT THIS HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DTD 30.12.2025 PASSED BY THE LEARNED LXX ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AND SPECIAL JUDGE, BENGALURU IN CRL.MISC.NO.11251/2025 AND FURTHER DIRECT THE FIRST RESPONDENT OF SUBRAMANYAPURA POLICE IN THE EVENT OF APPELLANTS BEING ARRESTED IN CR.NO.429/2025, FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 291,115(2),352(2),3(5) OF BNS, 2023, U/S 3(1)(r),3(1)(s) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT, THE APPELLANTS MAY BE ENLARGED ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL. THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1018 CRL.A No. 02 of 2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA ORAL JUDGMENT The appellants have preferred this appeal against the order passed by the LXX Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge and Special Judge, Bengaluru (CCH.No.71) in Criminal Miscellaneous No.11251/2025 dated 30.12.2025 2. The brief facts leading to this appeal are that, on the basis of the complaint filed by one Sri. Lokesh Y., Subramanyapura police has registered the case in Crime No.429/2025 for the commission of offences punishable under Sections 291, 115(2), 352(2) r/w 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitha, 2023 (for short 'the BNS, 2023') and Section 3(1)(r)(s) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (for short 'the SC and ST (POA) Act, 1989'). Appellant Nos.1 and 2 have filed application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'the BNSS, 2023') for grant of anticipatory bail, which came to be - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1018 CRL.A No. 02 of 2026 rejected by the trial Court. Being aggrieved by the said order, the appellants have preferred this appeal. 3. Learned counsel for the appellants submits that appellant No.2 - Kumar Adithya is already arrested by the police and he is in the judicial custody. Hence, in view of the submission made by the appellants' counsel, the appeal filed on behalf of appellant No.2 is dismissed. With regard to appellant No.1 - Shivarudrappa is concerned, the present appeal is filed. 4. The substance of the FIR is as under: "ರವೆ: ಅರಕ ೕಕರು ಸುಬಮಣಪರ ೕೕ ಾೆ, ೆಂಗಳರು 560 061. ರವಂದ: "ೈ.$ೋ&ೇ' () ಯಲ,ಪ- ವಯಸು. 50 ವಷ0, ಮ1ೆ ನಂಬ3 61, 4ಾ5 : ಎ.7 (8ೋ9), 31ೇ ಮುಖರ;ೆ<, ಅ=ೇಹ?@ ಾಮ, ಉತ<ರಹ?@ (Cೋಬ?) ೆಂಗಳರು - 560 061 x: 8088625877. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1018 CRL.A No. 02 of 2026 Dಾನ=ೇ, 9ಷಯ : ಹ$ೆ, DಾE ಉFೆGೕಶಪIವ0ಕ"ಾJ 1ಾK (ಟುM ಕNO7 4ಾ5 ಂದ1ೆ DಾEರವ Pವರುದಪ- ಮತು< ಅವರ ಮಗ ಆRತರವರ 9ರುದS ದೂರು. ಈ UೕಲVಂಡ 9Xಾಸದ, "ಾಸ"ಾJರುYೆ<ೕ1ೆ. R1ಾಂಕ : 10/12/2025 ರಂದು ಸಂ4ೆ 7.50 Z.ಎಂ. ರ, Dಾರಮ[ Fೇವ;ಾ\ನದ ಮುಂ8ಾಗದ, ಇರುವ ೇಕಯ, '1ಾನು ಮತು< ಮ1ೋಹರ ಎಂಬುವವರು ೇಕಯ, &ಾ^ ಕುEಯಲು CೋFಾಗ ಸ_ಲ- ಸಮಯದ ನಂತರ ಬಸವ ಮತು< Pವರುದಪ- ಎಂಬುವರು ಗ$ಾ`ೆ DಾE&ೊಳa@5<ದGರು. ಆ ಸಮಯದ, 1ಾನು ಮ1ೋಹರ ಇಬbರು ;ೇ ಜಗಳ (Eಸಲು CೋFಾಗ Pವರುದಪ- ಮತು< ಅವರ ಮಗ ಅRತ ಎಂಬುವರು ಇಬbರು ;ೇ ನನd ಮತು< ಮ1ೋಹರ Uೕ$ೆ ೕವ eಾರು ೕವ ಕf[ 4ಾ5ೆ ;ೇದವರು ಎಂದು ನನd Uೕ$ೆ ೕವ ವಡgರು Cೊ$ೆeಾ 4ಾ5ೆ ;ೇದವರು ಎಂದು 4ಾ5 ಂದ1ೆ DಾE ಮ[ ಅಮ[ನ &ಾಯ ೋ? ಮಗ1ೇ $ೋಪ3 ನನd ಮಗ1ೇ ಎಂದು ೈದು ಅ"ಾಚ ಶಬGಗ?ಂದ ೈದು ಉFೆGೕಶಪIರಕ"ಾJ 1ಾKಯನುd (ಟುM ನನd ಮತು< ಮ1ೋಹರ Uೕ$ೆ ಕNO7 ರಕ<ಾಯ"ಾJರುತ<Fೆ. ನಂತರ 1ಾನು ಮತು< ಮ1ೋಹರ ಇಬbರು 1ಾ1ೋ ಆಸ-Yೆೆ CೋJ NiYೆ. ಪjೆದು &ೊಂEರುYೆ<ೕ"ೆ. ಆದGಂದ ಈ UೕಲVಂಡ ವi<ಗ?ೆ 1ಾವ ಕf[ 4ಾ5ೆ ;ೇದವರು ಎಂದು ೊ5<ದGರೂ ಸಹ ;ಾವ0ಜ ಕ"ಾJ 4ಾ5 ಂದ1ೆ DಾE 1ಾKಯನುd (ಟುM ಕkM7ರುYಾ<=ೆ ಮತು< &ೈಗ?ಂದ ಹ$ೆ, DಾEರYಾ<=ೆ ಮತು< ನಮ[ ತಂ`ೆೆ ಇನುd ಮುಂFೆ ಬಂದ=ೆ ಮ[ನುd lೕವ ಸmತ (ಡುವRಲ, ಎಂದು &ೊ$ೆ ೆದ&ೆ CಾiರುYಾ<=ೆ. ಆದGಂದ Yಾವಗಳa Pವರುದಪ- ಮತು< ಅವರ ಮಗ ಆRತ ಅವರ 9ರುದS &ಾನೂನು ಕಮ ಜರುJಸಲು ತಮ[, ಮನ9 DಾE&ೊಳa@Yೆ<ೕ1ೆ. ಆ=ೋZಗಳa ಂಾKತರು 1ಾವ ಎ.7.4ಾ5ೆ ;ೇದGವರು. ವಂದ1ೆಗXೆಂRೆ," 5. A careful examination of the contents of the FIR makes it crystal clear that the name of the public present at the time of commission of offence is not disclosed. At - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1018 CRL.A No. 02 of 2026 this stage, there are no sufficient materials to constitute the offence for commission of offence under penal provisions of SC and ST (POA) Act, 1989. The rest of the offences are not punishable with death or imprisonment for life. 6. Considering the nature, gravity of the offence and previous antecedents of the appellant, I proceed to pass the following: ORDER i) The appeal is allowed. ii) The impugned order passed against appellant No.1 - Shivarudrappa in Criminal Miscellaneous No.11251/2025 dated 30.12.2025 by the LXX Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge and Special Judge, Bengaluru (CCH.No.71), is set aside. - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1018 CRL.A No. 02 of 2026 iii) Consequently, application filed under Section 482 of the BNSS, 2023 is allowed. iv) Appellant No.1 - Shivarudrappa shall be released on bail upon executing the self bond of Rs.50,000/- with one surety for likesum in the event of his arrest in Crime No.429/2025 of Subramanyapura police. v) Appellant No.1 - Shivarudrappa shall not tamper or threaten the prosecution witnesses in any manner. vi) Appellant No.1 - Shivarudrappa shall assist the Investigating Officer for investigation. vii) Appellant No.1 - Shivarudrappa shall not indulge in similar offence. Sd/- (G BASAVARAJA) JUDGE PHM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 26