Sri Kiran v. The State of Karnataka,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 8TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12129 OF 2026 (439(Cr.PC) / 483(BNSS)) BETWEEN:

SRI KIRAN AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS, S/O NAGARAJAPPA NO.117, APPAIANNA STREET, VARAMAVU AGARAHARA, VARAMAVU POST, BENGALURU-560 043. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. R.A. CHANDRASHEKARA REDDY, ADVOCATE) AND:

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER, HENNUR POLICE STATION, BENGALURU-560043 (REPRESENTED BY THE LEARNED STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BUILDING, BENGALURU). …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. CHANNAPPA ERAPPA, HCGP)

THIS CRL.P FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON REGULAR BAIL IN CRIME NO.0122/2026 DATED 09.03.2026 REGISTERED BY THE RESPONDENT HENNUR POLICE STATION FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 80, 85, 351(2) R/W 3(5) OF THE BNS 2023 AND SECTION 3 AND 4 OF DP ACT 1961 NOW PENDING IN SC

Digitally signed by NAGARATHNA M Location: High Court of Karnataka

NO.1056/2026 (OLD NO.60625/26) ON THE FILE OF THE XLV ADDL. CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGALURU CITY (CCH-46) AND ETC.

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 No.1 in Crime No.122 of 2026 registered by Hennur Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under Sections 80, 85 read with Section 3(5) of BNS, 2023 and under Section 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail.

¶2Heard the learned counsel for the parties.

¶3FIR in Crime No.122 of 2026 was registered by Hennur Police Station, against the petitioner herein and others for the aforesaid offences, based on the first information dated

09.03.2026 received from Smt.

Tejavathy - mother of deceased - Smt.Supritha, who was wife of the petitioner herein.

¶4During the course of investigation of the said case, petitioner was arrested on

15.03.2026 and remanded to judicial custody.

After completing investigation, charge sheet was filed against four persons and petitioner is arrayed as accused No.1 in the chargesheet. His bail application filed before the Jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.7044/2026 was rejected on 22.07.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court.

¶5Perusal of the material on record would go to show that the marriage of the petitioner with Supritha, daughter of CW1, was performed on 25.02.2021. In the first information as well as in the chargesheet, it is alleged that at the time of marriage, as per the demand made by the accused persons, dowry of Rs.5,00,000/- in cash and gold jewellery weighing about 130 grams was given by the

family members of Supritha. After marriage, Supritha was living in a house within the jurisdiction of Hennur Police Station along with her husband and mother-in-law.

¶6It appears that from the wedlock between accused No.1 and Supritha, they have a girl child aged about two years. It is alleged that since the deceased had given birth to the girl child, her in-laws were ill-treating her in the matrimonial house and on 31.07.2025, which is the birth date of the girl child, they had humiliated her for the aforesaid reason and also for the reason that the birthday was not celebrated grandly. Neither in the first information nor in the chargesheet there is any allegation against the accused about committing any act immediately prior to the deceased committing suicide on 08.03.2026, which would have either instigated or abetted the deceased Supritha to commit suicide by hanging herself.

¶7The petitioner is in custody for more than five months. The investigation of the case is already

completed. All the other accused persons have been enlarged on bail. The petitioner has to take care of his minor daughter, aged about two years. Accordingly, the following:

ORDER

(i) The Criminal Petition is allowed.

The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.122 of 2026 registered by the Hennur Police Station, for the offences punishable under Sections 80, 85, read with Section 3(5) of BNS, 2023 and under Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, 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;

e) The petitioner shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Trial Court without permission of the said Court until the case registered against him is disposed of.

Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE

AM List No.: 1 Sl No.: 71