Mr.Rangaswamy R v. State of Karnataka

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 7TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 13484 OF 2026 BETWEEN:

MR. RANGASWAMY R S/O LATE. RAMAPPA, AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, RESIDING AT BANTAGANAGAVIHATTI, A.K. COLONY, MADADAKERE POST AND HOBLI, HOSADURGA TALUK, CHITRADURGA DISTRICT - 577 527. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. MUKUNDA P, ADVOCATE) AND:

STATE OF KARNATAKA BY KADUR POLICE, REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT COMPLEX, BENGALURU - 560 009. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. CHANNAPPA ERAPPA, HCGP)

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS PETITION AND GRANT BAIL TO THE PETITIONER, WHO IS THE ACCUSED IN CRIME

by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

NO.227/2026 OF KADUR POLICE, CHIKKAMAGALURU DISTRICT, PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE HONBLE PRINCIPAL CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC, KADUR, CHIKKAMAGALURU DISTRICT, FOR THE OFFENCES 2023, ON SUCH REASONABLE CONDITIONS AS THIS HONBLE COURT MAY DEEM FIT.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY

ORAL ORDER

Accused in Crime No.227/2026 registered by Kadur Police Station, Chikkamagaluru for the offences punishable under Section 318(4) of the BNS, 2023, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of the BNSS, 2023 seeking regular bail.

¶2Heard the arguments of the learned counsel for the parties.

¶3FIR in Crime No.227/2026 was registered by Kadur Police Station, Chikkamagaluru against unknown person for the offence punishable under Section 318(4)

and 238 of the BNS, 2023, based on the first information dated 09.07.2026 received from Sri Rakesh C.P., S/O. Sri C. M. Parameshwarappa. In the said case, the petitioner was arrested on 15.07.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. The bail application filed by the petitioner before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.483/2026 was rejected on 13.08.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court.

¶4The first informant is the son of Smt. Sunandamma, who had deposited a sum of Rs.5,00,000/- in her bank account after selling a property. It appears that the first informant had gone to the bank for withdrawing money from his mother's account. However, he was not in a position to withdraw the money using the ATM card of his mother. A person who was near the ATM machine approached the first informant and offered to help him. Even the said person could not withdraw the amount, though he had made multiple attempts using the ATM card of the first informant's mother.

¶5Subsequently, the first informant's mother had withdrawn a sum of Rs.2,00,000/- from the bank account and, on verification, it was found that somebody had already withdrawn the balance amount of Rs.3,00,000/- from her account. It is under these circumstances that the FIR was registered against unknown person.

¶6During the course of investigation, the petitioner was arrested on 15.07.2026. Investigation is now completed and the chargesheet has been filed for the aforesaid offences. The alleged offences are triable by the Court of Magistrate and the maximum punishment for the offences for which chargesheet has been filed is imprisonment for a period of seven years. It is not in dispute that petitioner has no other criminal antecedents.

¶7Under these circumstances, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively, subject to appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following:

O R D E R

i) The Criminal Petition is allowed.

ii) The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.227/2026 registered by Kadur Police Station, Chikkamagaluru for the offences punishable under Section 318(4), 238 of BNS 2023, subject to the following conditions:

a) The petitioner shall execute personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum, to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court;

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;

Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE

SHS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 72