- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6302 CRL.A No. 17 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 2ND DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 17 OF 2026 BETWEEN: 1. ASHWATHAPPA AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, S/O.LATE C.M.NARAYANAPPA 2. PREMAKUMAR @ KUMAR M.S. AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, S/O. LATE C.M. NARAYANAPPA 3. KRISHNAPPA M. AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, S/O. LATE MUNIYAPPA M.A. ALL ARE RESIDENTS OF MALLENAHALLI VILLAGE, CHANNARAYAPATNA HOBLI, DEVANAHALLI TALUK, BANGALORE RURAL DISTRICT - 562 110. …APPELLANTS (BY SRI. S.G. RAJENDRA REDDY, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY DCRE POLICE, BANGALORE RURAL. REPTD. BY S.P.P., HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU - 560 001. Digitally signed by LAKSHMINARAYAN N Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6302 CRL.A No. 17 of 2026 2. SRINIVASAMURTHY M.C., AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, S/O. LATE.CHIKKADALAPPA, R/O. NO.108, BEHIND NEWTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL, MYLAPPANAHALLI MAIN ROAD, GANGANAMIDDI, CHIKKABALLAPURA - 562 101. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. N. ANITHA GIRISH, HCGP FOR R1 SRI. NAUSHAD PASHA, ADVOCATE FOR R2) ------- THIS CRL.A. IS FILED U/S 14(A)(2) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT, 2015 BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE APPELLANT/S PRAYING THAT THIS HONBLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO 1. SET ASIDE THE ORDER DTD 30.12.2025 PASSED BY THE II ADDL. DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE AND SPECIAL JUDGE, BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT, BENGALURU IN CRL.MISC.NO.2376/2025 AND ETC. THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ARGUMENTS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6302 CRL.A No. 17 of 2026 ORAL JUDGMENT 1. The appellants have preferred this appeal against the Order passed by the II Additional District and Sessions Judge & Special Judge, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru in Criminal Miscellaneous No.2376 by 2025 dated 30.12.2025. 2. The brief facts leading to this appeal are that, on the basis of the complaint filed by one Srinivasmurthy M.C, before the Bengaluru Rural DCRE Police Station, case in Crime No.11/2025 came to be registered for the offences under Sections 3(1) (f), 3(1)(g) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act 2015; 3C1(1)(r)(s) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2015, and Section 329(3) r/w. 3(5), 324(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. 3. The appellants have filed application under Section 482 of BNSS for grant of anticipatory bail. Same came to be rejected by the trial Court. Being aggrieved by this order, the appellants have preferred this appeal. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6302 CRL.A No. 17 of 2026 4. I have examined the materials placed before this Court. On the basis of the complaint filed by one Srinivasamurthy M.C, Bengaluru Rural DCRE Police has registered the case in Crime No.11/2025 against accused nos.1 to 3 for commission of offences punishable under the aforesaid Sections. In the FIR, it is stated as under : " 10. ಪಥಮ ವತಾನ ವರಯ ವರಗಳ ಾಂಕ 11-11-2025 ರಂದು ಮಾಹ 15.15 ಗಂೆೆ ಾ ೕ"#ಾಸಮೂ& ಎಂ.(. ಗಂಗನ)* ಾಮ, +ಕ,ಬ.ಾ/ಪ0ರ ರವರು 1ೆಂಗಳ2ರು (ಾ) 34ೆ5, 6.(.ಆ8.ಇ :;ೕ< =ಾ>ೆೆ ?ಾಜAಾB "ೕ6ದ ದೂCನ DಾAಾಂಶ#ೇೆಂದAೆ, ೇವನಹF/, Gಾಲೂಕು IೆನAಾಯಪJಟಣ ?ೋಬF, ಮ4ೆ5ೕನಹF/, ಾಮದ ಸ#ೇ ನಂಬ8 37 ರ;5, 2 ಎಕAೆ ಜ)ೕನು LND/SR-1/76-77 ರಂGೆ ನನ ತಂೆ +ಕ,ಾಳಪM NO 4ೇJ PೈಯಪM ಎಂಬುವCೆ ಮಂಜೂAಾBರುತRೆ. MR-1/99-2000 ರಂGೆ SಾGೆಾB ಸುಾರು 40 ವಷಗFಂದ ಅನುಭವ;ರುGೆRೕ#ೆ. ಅದನು ಕಬFಸುವ ಒಂೇ ದುರುೆXೕಶಂದ ಸದC ಾಮದ ಒಕ,;ಗ ಜಾಂಗದ ಬ4ಾಡ ಜ)ೕನುಾರ 4ೇJ ( ಎಂ ಾAಾಯಣಪMನವರ ಮಕ,.ಾದ ಅಶ[ಥಪM, \ೇ] ಕುಾ8 ಮತುR ಕುಟುಂಬದವರು "ರಂತರ ^ರುಕುಳ "ೕ6 Dಾ[_ೕನPೆ, ಅ6`ಪ6ಸು&RಾXAೆ, ಸುಾರು 10 ವಷಗಳ aಂೆ ಅವರ ಮೃತ ತಂೆಾದ ( ಎಂ ಾAಾಯಣಪMನನು ಜ)ೕ"ೆ ಅ&ಕಮ ಪ#ೇಶ ಾ6, ಅಕಮ#ಾB ನಮc ಜ)ೕ"ನ;5 ಸಾ_ ಾ6 ^ರುಕಳ "ೕ6 dಾ& ೌಜನ#ೆಸB, ಭೂ) ಕಬFಸಲು ಫಲ ಪಯತ ನgೆ(ದXರು. ?ಾೆhೕ ಾಾಲಯಗಳ;5 ಹಲವ0 iಾC ಾ#ೆ ?ಾ^, ಾಾಲಯಗFೆ ಾ Pಾರಣ ಪjಾ ಅ4ೆಾ6( Dೋತರೂ, ಸುಮc"ರೆ ಅಸ?ಾಯಕAಾದ ನಮc ಬಡ ಕುಟುಂಬದ kೕ4ೆ ಒತRಡ ?ೇC, ^ರುಕುಳ "ೕ6, ೌಜನ ನgೆ( ಭೂ) ಕಬFಸಲು "ರಂತರ - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6302 CRL.A No. 17 of 2026 ೌಜನ ಮುಂದುವAೆಸುGಾRAೆ. ಒ.ಎ<. ನಂ. 385/2005 ರಂGೆ ೇವನಹF/ l"m\ಾn (n ಜop, dೆ.ಎಂ.ಎr.(. ಾಾಲಯದ;5 ಪ&#ಾಗಳ Dಾ[ೕನ ಅನುಭವPೆ, ಅ6` ಪ6ಸದಂGೆ sಾಶ[ತ "tೇಾuೆ dಾCಯ;5ರುತRೆ. ಆದAೆ RA.No.77/2008 ರಂGೆ ಾಾಲಯದ;5 (JMFC (aCಯ) iಾಗದ;, kೕಲcನ ಸ;5(ದುX kೕಲcನ ವdಾೊFಸ4ಾBದುX, ನಂತರ ಕಾಟಕ ಉಚx ಾಾಲಯದ;5 RSA No. 1421/2009 ರಂGೆ ಾಖ;(ದX kೕಲcನ ಸಹ ವdಾೊF(ರುತRೆ. aೕಾB ಾವ0ೇ ಾಖ4ೆಗFಲ5ದXರೂ "ರಂತರ ^ರುಕುಳ "ೕ6 ಸದC ಾಮದ ಆಕಾಟಕ ಜಾಂಗದ ಕೃಷzಪM NO ಮು"ಯಪM ಎಂಬುವನನು ಪ0Iೋ( ಆ)ಷ{6` ಗ4ಾ| ಾ6( GೊಂದAೆ ಾ6 ೌಜನ #ೆಸBರುGಾRAೆ, ಇ&Rೕ+ೆ ಸದC ಜ)ೕನನು :ೕ6 ಾ6ಸಲು ೇವನಹF/ ಾನ ತಹ(ೕ4ಾX8 ರವರು ಆೇಶ "ೕ6ದXರೂ :ೕ6 ಾಡದಂGೆ ಅ6` ಪ6(ಾXAೆ, ಈ ಮದ ಾಂಕ : 19-08-2025 ರಂದು 1ೆಳೆ~, ಸುಾರು 9.00 ಗಂೆೆ ಸದC ಜ)ೕ"ೆ ಅಕಮ#ಾB ಪ#ೇ (, ಅಶ[ಥಪMನ Gಾ• ಮೃತ lಳ/ಮcನನು ನಮc ಅನುಭವPೆ, GೊಂದAೆ ಾಡುವ ದುರುೆXೕಶಂದ ಅಕಮ#ಾB ಸಾ_ ಾ6ರುGಾRAೆ, ಇದನು ಪ (ದXPೆ, ಇೇ ಅಶ[ತಪM, \ೇ] ಕುಾ8 ?ಾಗೂ ಕುಟುಂಬದವರು ನನನು ಅ#ಾಚ ಶಬXಗFಂದ 1ೈದು, "?ೋಗು ಾೆ ನನ ಮಗೇ, "ಮc ಾಗCೆ ಜ)ೕನು 1ೇPಾ? ಇೊಂದು DಾC ಇ;5ೆ ಬಂದAೆ Pೊಂದು NಡುGೇ#ೆ" ಎಂದು ನನ kೕ4ೆ ಹ4ೆ,, ಾಡಲು ಪಯ&(ದುX, ಚನAಾಯಪಟ€ಣ :;ೕ< =ಾ>ೆೆ ದೂರು "ೕ6ದರೂ ತgೆಯಲು ಫಲAಾBರುGಾRAೆ. ಆದXCಂದ ಸದC ಅಶ[ತ•ಪM, \ೇಮ ಕುಾ8, ಕೃಷzಪM ರವರ ರುದ* Pಾನೂನು ಕಮ Pೈೊಳ/ಲು PೋC ದೂರು. 5. The alleged commission of offence took place on 19.08.2025. The complaint came to be filed on 11.11.2025. There is an abnormal delay in filing the complaint. The alleged incident took place in respect of a land dispute between the - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6302 CRL.A No. 17 of 2026 parties. That, on 19.08.2025, the accused have illegally buried dead body of the mother of accused No.1 in the disputed land. In that regard, it is alleged that, the accused have abused the complainant by referring to his Caste. However, the names of the public who were present at the time of the alleged incident, are not disclosed in the FIR. Hence at this stage, there is no prima facie material to constitute the offence under the penal provisions of SC & ST (POA) Act, 1989. The offence punishable under Section 329(3) of BNS,2023 is punishable with imprisonment for 3 months or fine of ₹5,000/- or both. This is appealable in nature. The offence under Section 324(4) of BNS, 2023 is punishable with imprisonment for 2 years or fine or both and this is a bailable and non-cognisable offence and these offences are exclusively triable by the Court of Magistrate. 6. It is noticed that, FIR was registered on 11.11.2025. Even after lapse of 60 days from the date of registration of this case, the IO has not submitted the charge sheet against the accused as required under Sub Rule (2) of Rule 7 of the SC & ST (POA) Rules, 1995. The IO has not submitted any explanation as to the non-submission of the charge sheet against the accused - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6302 CRL.A No. 17 of 2026 within 60 days as required under Sub Rule (2A) of Rule 7 of the aforesaid Rules. The IO has not complied with the mandatory provisions of Section 3(5) of BNS, 2023 though the offences are not punishable with not more than 7 years. 7. Hence, at this stage, considering the nature and gravity of the offence, I am of the opinion that, it is just and proper to allow this appeal with conditions. Accordingly, I proceed to pass the following : ORDER 1) The appeal is allowed. 2) The order passed by the II Additional District and Sessions Judge & Special Judge, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru in Criminal Miscellaneous No.2376/2025 dated 30.12.2025 is set aside. Consequently, the petition filed by the appellants under Section 482 of BNSS for grant of anticipatory bail is allowed subject to following conditions : i) The appellants shall be released on bail on executing a self-bond of ₹50,000/- each with one surety for like sum in the event of their arrest in Crime No.11/2025 of Bengaluru Rural DCRE Police; - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6302 CRL.A No. 17 of 2026 ii) The appellants shall not tamper or threaten the prosecution witnesses in any manner; iii) The appellants shall assist the IO for investigation; iv) The appellants shall not indulge in similar offences; v) If any of the conditions are violated by the appellants, the Complainant/State are at liberty to take appropriate legal steps in accordance with law. Sd/- (G BASAVARAJA) JUDGE RS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 39