Govindaraju C v. The State of Karnataka

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 18TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 12211 OF 2026

BETWEEN:

GOVINDARAJU.C S/O LATE CHIKKAKARIYAPPA, AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS, R/AT NO.01, 1ST FLOOR, GUNDURU, VEERANAGAR POST, BENGALURU. (NOW IN JUDICIAL CUSTODY) …PETITIONER (BY SRI. GOVINDA D, ADVOCATE)

AND:

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY RAJAJAJESHWARINAGAR POLICE STATION, DODDABALLAPURA, REP BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BENGALURU – 560 001 …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. CHANNAPPA ERAPPA, HCGP)

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.P.C (U/S 483 BNSS) BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING TO ALLOW THE PETITION AND RELEASE THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED NO.4 ON BAIL IN CR.NO.231/2026 REGISTERED BY RAJARAJESHWARINAGAR P.S., FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 137(2) AND 310 OF BNS, PENDING BEFORE THE HONBLE XLVI

by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

ACJM, AT BENGALURU CITY.THE LXVI ADDITIONAL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE, BENGALURU HAS REJECTED THE BAIL PETITION ON 23.07.2026 IN CRL.MISC.NO.7106/2026.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY

ORAL ORDER

¶1Accused No.4 in Crime No.231/2026 registered by Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under sections 137(2) and 310 of BNS, 2023, 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.231/2026 was registered by Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru, against Riya Debanath and four others, based on the first information dated

07.07.2026 received from Rohith Kumar Nayak, who is the alleged victim in the present case. During the course of investigation, petitioner was arrested on 09.07.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. His bail application filed before

the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.7106/2026 was rejected on 23.07.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court.

¶4Perusal of the material on record would go to show that first informant and accused No.1 are closely acquainted to each other. In the first information, it is stated that first informant's birthday was on 05.07.2026 and on said date, accused No.1 had called him at about 04.00 p.m. and had invited him for cutting the cake. At about 06.00 p.m. he had gone with the petitioner to R R Nagar and booked a room in Marilla Royal Lodge and had ordered for cake and biryani. At the time of cutting cake, somebody knocked the door of the room and when the first informant opened the door, one person entered the room and started abusing him for the reason that he was found along with his girlfriend. Subsequently, said person took the first informant along with him and three other persons joined them. Thereafter, the said persons allegedly forcibly transferred an amount of Rs.90,000/- from his mobile phone to various bank accounts and also snatched his gold ring weighing

4.5 grams and went away after criminally intimidating him.

¶5In respect of the alleged incident that had taken place on the intervening night of 05.07.2026 and 06.07.2026, first information is belatedly filed on 07.07.2026. Petitioner, who has no other criminal antecedents is in custody from

09.07.2026 onwards. Accused No.1 is granted regular bail by this Court in Crl.P.No.11630/2026 on 25.08.2026 and accused Nos.2 and 5 have been granted regular bail by this Court in Crl.P.No.11592 c/w Crl.P.No.12480/2026 on 09.09.2026. Major portion of the investigation is already completed. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order:-

¶6The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.231/2026 registered by Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offences punishable under sections 137(2) and 310 of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions:

a) Petitioner shall execute a 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 off.

Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE

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