Amanverma v. State of Karnataka

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 28TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 14331 OF 2026 BETWEEN:

AMANVERMA S/O DHARMENDRA VERMA, AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS, R/AT HOUSE NO.8531-B, PLOT NO.29, TARSAR COLONY, CHURPUR ROAD, LUDHIANA, POST OFFICE LUDHIANA, DISTRICT LUDHIANA, PUNJAB - 141 001. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. RAKSHITH R, ADVOCATE) AND:

STATE OF KARNATAKA BY NORTH EAST CEN POLICE INVESTIGATED BY CID, REPRESENTED BY SPP HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BANGALORE - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. RAHUL RAI K, HCGP)

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN

Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

CRIME NO.21/2026 OF THE NORTH EAST CEN POLICE STATION BANGALORE CITY PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE XLV ADDL.CJM BENGALURU CITY FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 318(4) OF BNS ACT AND SECTION 66(C), 66(D) OF IT ACT.

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.21/2026 registered by North CEN Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the offences punishable under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of Information Technology Act, 2000 and Section 318(4) 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.21/2026 was registered by North CEN Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the aforesaid offences against one Deepa Dinesh K., based on

the first information dated 12.01.2026 received from Nagendra H., S/o Gopala Krishna, who is the alleged victim in the present case. During the course of investigation, the petitioner herein was arrested on 27.07.2026 at Ludhiana in Punjab state, brought to Bengaluru under a transit warrant, produced before the Court on 30.07.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. His bail application, thereafter filed before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.8349/2026 was rejected on

05.09.2026. Therefore, the petitioner is before this Court.

¶4A reading of the first information would go to show that the first informant had joined multiple WhatsApp groups known as 'LKP INTERNAL MEMBERS GROUP', 'LKP VIP 118/ONE TO ONE SERVICE GROUP' and 'LKP ADVOSORY GROUP-1'. As per the instructions of Deepa Dinesh, who was the administrator of the aforesaid groups, he had deposited a total amount of Rs.5,14,85,000/- in various bank accounts as suggested by Deepa Dinesh. It appears that a portion of the aforesaid amount was

transferred to the account of one Rahul Sharma, who was arrested and based on his confession statement, the petitioner herein, who allegedly had conspired with him, was also arrested and remanded to judicial custody on

30.07.2026.

¶5Investigation of the case is now completed. The maximum punishment for the alleged offences is imprisonment for a period of seven years. There is no direct transfer of any amount to the account of the petitioner, and only based on the confession statement of one Rahul Sharma, the petitioner has been arrested in the present case.

¶6Under the 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.21/2026 registered by North CEN Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City for the offences punishable under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of Information Technology Act, 2000 and Section 318(4) 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 (including one local surety) 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 SHS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 91