- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1019 CRL.A No. 2539 of 2025 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. 2539 OF 2025 (U/S 14(A) (2)) BETWEEN: SRI.C. POTULAIAH AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, NEW BALDWIN SCHOOL, MANDURU VILLAGE, VIRGONAGAR POST, BENGALURU- 560 049 …APPELLANT (BY SRI. SURESH V., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE BY AVALAHALLI POLICE STATION BENGALURU TRANSFERRED TO D.C.R.E., EAST POLICE STATION BENGALURU- 560 027 REP BY- SPP HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU 2. MR. RAMAIAH AGE 47 YEARS S/O MR. CHIKKANARASHIMIAH GUNDURU VILLAGE, VIRGONAGAR A POST, BIDARAHALLI HOBALI, Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1019 CRL.A No. 2539 of 2025 BENGALURU CITY- 560 049 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. N.ANITHA GIRISH, HCGP FOR R1; NOTICE TO R2 IS SERVED AND UNREPRESENTED) THIS CRL.A IS FILED U/S 14(A)2) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE APPELLANT PRAYING THAT THIS HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO ALLOW THIS APPEAL BY SETTING ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 10.12.2025 PASSED BY THE II ADDL.DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGALURU RURAL DISTRICT BENGALURU BY ENLARGING THE APPELLANT ON BAIL IN CR.NO.481/2025 REGISTERED BY THE AVALAHALLI P.S. NOW TRANSFERRED TO DERE EAST P.S. FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 3(1)(r)(s) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT AND SEC.108,351(2),352 OF BNS 2023. THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA ORAL JUDGMENT The appellant has preferred this appeal against the order passed by the II Additional District and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru in Crime No.481/2025 dated 10.12.2025. 2. The brief facts leading to this appeal is that, on the basis of the complaint filed by one Ramaiah, Avalahalli police has registered the case in Crime No.481/2025 - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1019 CRL.A No. 2539 of 2025 against accused No.1 - C.Potulaiah and accused No.2 - Administration of New Baldwin School for the commission of offence under Section 3(1)(r)(s) of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (for short 'the SC and ST (POA) Act') and Sections 108, 351(2), 352 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'the BNS Act'). After arrest of the appellant, the appellant was remanded to the judicial custody. The bail application was filed under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail in Crime No.481/2025, which came to be rejected by the trial Court. Being aggrieved by the said order, the appellant has preferred the present appeal. 3. I have examined the materials placed before this Court. 4. On the basis of the complaint filed by Ramaiah, Avalahalli police has registered the case in Crime No.481/2025 against accused Nos.1 and 2 for the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1019 CRL.A No. 2539 of 2025 commission of offence under Section 3(1)(r)(s) of the SC and ST (POA) Act and Sections 108, 351(2), 352 of the BNS Act. The substance of the FIR is as under: "ಾದುಾರರು ಾೆ ೆ ಾಜಾ ೕದ ದೂನ ಾಾಂಶೇೆಂದೆ ನನ ಪಾದ !ೕಮ ಮುರತಮ$ ರವಾದ ನೂ& 'ಾ®Ø() ±Á¯ÉAiÀÄ ಾಹನದ°è, +ಾ,ೆ ೆ ಮಕ.ಳನು ಕೆದು0ೊಂಡು ೋಗುವ ಮತು3 4ಟು6 ಬರುವ 0ೆಲಸವನು :ಾ0ೊಂದ;ಳ<, =: 07/11/2025 ರಂದು ನನ ಪಾದ !ೕಮ ಮುರತಮ$ ರವರು +ಾ,ೆ ೆ ೋಾ;ಗ >ತುಲಯ& 0ೆಲಸವನು :ಾಡುವ ಸ@ಳದA ನನ ೆಂಡ ೆ ನನ ೆಂಡಯನು ಲBCೕ0ಾಂD EೊFೆಯA ಓ ೋಗುವಂFೆ :ಾರುವHದು ೕೆ ಎಂದು ಅಾಚ& ಶಬ;ಗLಂದ 'ೈದು Eಾ ಂದೆ :ಾ, ೇ ವ,ೆ ಮುಂNೆ ಎಂದು ಂ=O, ಸೂPೆ ಮುಂNೆ ಎಂದು ನನು ಾQO4ಡುFೆ3ೕೆ ಎಂದು ಎಂದು ೆದOರುFಾ3ೆ, ನಂತರ ನೂ& 'ಾ®Ø() ಆಡLತ ಮಂಡLಯವರು ಕೂಡ ನನ ೆಂಡಯನು ಕೆದು 'ೈದು :ಾನOಕಾ Sಂೆ ೕರುFಾ3ೆ, ಇದಂದ ಮನೊಂದ ನನ ೆಂಡ =ಾಂಕ:07/11/2025 ರಂದು 04:00 ಗಂUೆಯAV ಾನು ಮೆಯAV ಇಲV=ರುಾಗ ಮೆಯ 'ಾಲನು ಾW ಲXCಮ$ ರವರ 0ೈ ೆ 4ೕಗವನು 0ೊಟು6 ೋದು;, ಆಗ ಾನು ನನ ೆಂಡಯ ಬ ೆY ಲXCಮ$ ರವರನು (Zಾರವನು 0ೇLಾಗ 03 ಗಂUೆ ೆ ಮೆಯ 4ೕಗವನು 0ೊಟು6 ೋರುFಾ3ೆ ಎಂದು LOದರು, ಎ,ಾV ಕNೆ ನನ ೆಂಡಯನು ಹುಡುWದರೂ ನಮ ೆ ನನ ೆಂಡ ೊೆರುವH=ಲV, ಆದೆ ನನ ೆಂಡ ಮುgÀತಮ$ ಗುಂಡೂರು ಾ!ಮದ ಮ+ಾಣದ ಪಕ.ದAVರುವ 0ೆೆಯAV ಾ 4=;ರುFಾ3ೆ, ಆ ಸಮಯದAV ಅಕ. ಪಕ.ದAV ಾರು ಇಲVದ 0ಾರಣ ನನ ಪಯನು ಾರು ರXೆ :ಾರುವH=ಲV. ಈ =ನ =:08/11 /2025 ರಂದು ನಮ$ ಾ!ಮದ ಸುಬ!ಮ] ಎಂಬುವವರು ನನ ೆ ಮತು3 ನಮ$ ಸಂಬಂ=ಕ ೆ 0ೆೆಯAV ನನ ೆಂಡಯ ಮೃತ ೇಹ ಇರುವ ಬ ೆY LOದು;, ನಂತರ ಬಂದು ೋಡ,ಾ ನನ ೆಂಡ ಮುರತಮ$ ಸದ ಮಂಡೂರು ಾ!ಮದ >ತುಲಯ& O. ಮತು3 ನೂ& 'ಾ_` () +ಾ,ೆಯ ಆಡLತ ಮಂಡLಯವರು ನನ ೆಂಡ ೆ ಅಾಚ& ಶಬ;ಗLಂದ 'ೈದು ಂ=O, Eಾ ಂದೆ :ಾ :ಾನOಕ Sಂೆಯನು ೕದ;ಂದ ನನ ೆಂಡಯ 0ೆೆ ೆ ಾ aಾ!ಣವನು - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1019 CRL.A No. 2539 of 2025 ಕPೆದು0ೊಂರುFಾ3ೆ, ಆದ;ಂದ ನನ ೆಂಡಯ ಾ( ೆ 0ಾರಣಾದವರ (ರುದb 0ಾನೂನು ಕ!ಮ 0ೈ ೊಳc'ೇ0ೆಂದು ೕದ ದೂರು ಾಗೂ ಇFಾ&=." 5. The alleged commission of offences are not punishable either with death penalty or imprisonment for life. In the remand application, it is stated that the accused is not required for further investigation. Even after lapse of 60 days from the date of registration of the case, final report is not submitted. Investigation Officer has not explained anything as to non-submission of final report within 60 days as required under Sub-Rule (2) of Rule 7 of Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995. 6. Considering the nature and gravity of offences and antecedent of the appellant, I proceed to pass the following: ORDER i) The appeal is allowed. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:1019 CRL.A No. 2539 of 2025 ii) The impugned order passed by the II Additional District and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru in Crime No.481/2025 dated 10.12.2025, is set aside. iii) Consequently, application filed under Section 483 of BNSS is allowed. iv) The appellant shall be released on bail on executing a self bond of Rs.1,00,000/- with one surety for likesum to the satisfaction of the trial Court. v) The appellant shall not tamper or threaten the prosecution witnesses. Sd/- (G BASAVARAJA) JUDGE PHM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 7