Prithvi Raj v. State of Karnataka

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 14306 OF 2026 BETWEEN:

PRITHVI RAJ S/O VENKATASWAMI, AGED ABOUT 25 YEARS, R/AT NO.2, CHIKKANNA LANE, NR. ANAND THEATRE, DJ HALLI, ARABIC COLLEGE POST, BENGALURU - 560 045. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. HARISH GOWDA K M., ADVOCATE) AND:

STATE OF KARNATAKA BY DJ HALLI POLICE STATION, REP. BY THE SPP, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI. CHANNAPPA ERAPPA, HCGP)

THIS CRL.P FILED U/S 439 CR.P.C (U/S 483 BNSS) BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING THAT THIS HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO ALLOW THIS APPLICATION AND DIRECT THE RESPONDENT POLICE THAT THIS PETITIONER BE RELEASED ON BAIL IN CR.NO.346/2026

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

REGISTERED BY D.J.HALLI P.S., FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 109(1), 74, 3(5) OF BNS, 2023, PENDING BEFORE THE XI ACJM, BENGALURU, 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.346 of 2026 registered by D.J.Halli Police Station, Bengaluru for offences punishable under Sections 109(1), 74 read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, seeking regular bail.

¶2Heard Sri.Harish Gowda.K.M., learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Sri.Channappa Erappa, learned HCGP appearing for the Respondent/State.

¶3F.I.R. in Crime No.364 of 2026 was registered by D.J.Halli Police Station, Bengaluru, for the aforesaid

offences against two unknown persons, based on the first information dated 04.08.2026 received from Smt.Vennila, wife of the injured victim, Mr.Ramesh Babu. In the said case, petitioner was arrested on

04.08.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. His bail application filed thereafter before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crl.Misc.No.8077 of 2026 was rejected on 25.08.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court.

¶4In the first information submitted by the victim, it is stated that on 04.08.2026 at about 6.45 am, when the first informant, her husband Mr.Ramesh Babu and other family members were keeping their luggage in their car near their house for the purpose of travelling to Tirupati, two persons who came in a two wheeler intentionally touched her body and her husband therefore abused them. Subsequently, the said accused persons followed the car of the first informant in which she and her family members were traveling to Tirupati and started staring at them. When the husband of the first informant

asked them whey they were staring at him, the accused persons assaulted him with a knife on his hand and caused grievous injuries. Thereafter, accused persons threatened the injured victim and his family members with dire consequences and escaped from the spot of crime. It is in this background, FIR was registered against unknown persons for the aforesaid offences.

¶5During the course of investigation, petitioner herein was arrested on 04.08.2026 and remanded to judicial custody. Injured victim who has suffered a grievous injury on his hand has been discharged from the hospital and his condition is said to be stable. Incident in question appears to have taken place in the background of road rage between the parties. It is not in dispute that the petitioner herein has no criminal antecedents. Major portion of the investigation is completed. Injury suffered by the victim is not on the vital part of his body. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter, I am of the opinion that petitioner's prayer for grant of regular bail

needs to be answered affirmatively, by imposing appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following:- ORDER

The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.346 of 2026 registered by D.J.Halli Police Station, Bengaluru for offences punishable under Sections 109(1), 74 read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, subject to the following conditions: a) The petitioner shall execute personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with two sureties for the like-sum, 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 prosecution witnesses;

d) The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future; e) The petitioner shall not leave the jurisdiction of Trial Court without permission of the said Court until the case registered against him is disposed off.

Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE

DH List No.: 1 Sl No.: 69