RANJITH K.S v. STATE OF KARNATAKA

STATE OF KARNATAKA BY HIRISAVE POLICE STATION REP. BY ITS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT COMPLEX BENGALURU - 560 001. …PETITIONER …RESPONDENT (BY SRI VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN CR.NO.6/2026 FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 103(1),332(a), OF BNS REGISTERED BY RESPONDENT HIRISAVE P.S. PENDING BEFORE THE LEARNED IV ADDL.DIST. AND SESSIONS JUDGE, HASSAN SITTING AT CHANNARAYAPATNA IN S.C.NO.125/2026 DATED 03.08.2026. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY HC-KAR - 2 - NC: 2026:KHC:47308 CRL.P No. 12137 of 2026 CNR: KAHC010556292026 ORAL ORDER

#1. Accused in S.C.No.125/2026 pending before the Court of IV Addl. District & Sessions Judge, Hassan, sitting at Channarayapatna, arising out of Crime No.6/2026 registered by Hirisave Police Station, Hassan District, for the offences punishable under Sections 332(a), 103(1) of BNS, 2023, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail.

#2. Heard the learned Counsel for the parties.

#3. FIR in Crime No.6/2026 was registered by Hirisave Police Station, Hassan District, against the petitioner herein for the offences punishable under Section 103(1) of BNS, 2023, based on the first information dated 10.01.2026 received from Raghu.H.R. During the course of investigation of the said case, petitioner was arrested on 11.01.2026. After completing investigation, charge sheet is filed against him for the aforesaid offences. His bail application filed before the Trial Court in S.C.No.125/2026 was rejected on 03.08.2026. Therefore, petitioner is before this Court. HC-KAR - 3 - NC: 2026:KHC:47308 CRL.P No. 12137 of 2026 CNR: KAHC010556292026

#4. First informant - Raghu.H.R. (CW-1) is a hearsay witness and based on his information, FIR has been registered against the petitioner. In the first information, it is stated that on

10.01.2026 at about 6.45 p.m., CW-1 had received a phone call from CW-2 - Somashekhar, who informed him that petitioner who is the son of deceased Sathish had assaulted Sathish with a rod on his head and committed his murder. Immediately thereafter, first informant went to the spot where the body of the deceased was lying on the ground, and thereafter, had approached the police.

#5. The material on record would go to show that petitioner is the son born to deceased Sathish from his first wife Nirmala. It appears that Sathish had deserted his first wife Nirmala and her children, and was living with another lady by name Medinidevi. Sathish had initiated divorce proceedings before jurisdictional civil court as against his first wife which was pending consideration. It appears that on the alleged date of incident, petitioner had gone to the house of his grandmother - Puttamma who is the mother of deceased. Sathish who came there allegedly asked the petitioner as to why he had come HC-KAR - 4 - NC: 2026:KHC:47308 CRL.P No. 12137 of 2026 CNR: KAHC010556292026 near the house of his mother. In the fight that took place between the petitioner and his father - Sathish thereafter, petitioner allegedly picked up a steel rod which was lying nearby and assaulted Sathish on his head, as a result, Sathish fell down and succumbed to the injuries.

#6. In the charge sheet, it is alleged that Sathish had deposited an amount of Rs.25 lakhs in the name of Medinidevi with whom he was in a live-in relationship after abandoning his wife - Nirmala who is the mother of the petitioner. Therefore, petitioner allegedly was under the apprehension that if Sathish was alive, he would give all the property to the said Medinidevi, and therefore, he had assaulted his father on the alleged date of incident. The incident in question had taken place in the house of the grandmother of the petitioner and not in the house of Sathish. Petitioner appears to have gone to see his ailing grandmother aged 95 years and Sathish who came there inquired as to why he had come there, and therefore, there was a quarrel between the parties and thereafter, petitioner allegedly assaulted the deceased with a steel rod which lying nearby. HC-KAR - 5 - NC: 2026:KHC:47308 CRL.P No. 12137 of 2026 CNR: KAHC010556292026

#7. It is not the case of the prosecution that petitioner had gone armed to the house of his grandmother. The material on record would go to show that when the petitioner who had gone to see his ailing grandmother, his father Sathish came there and raised a quarrel. In the fight that took place thereafter, petitioner had assaulted Sathish with a steel rod which was lying nearby. The statement of CW-2 who is the alleged eye- witness recorded under Section 180 of BNSS, 2023 before the police, and the statement recorded by the jurisdictional Magistrate under Section 183 of BNSS, 2023, differs. There is inordinate delay of two months in recording the statement of CW-2 under Section 183 of BNSS, 2023, wherein he has stated that he has seen the petitioner assaulting Sathish with a steel rod.

#8. Petitioner who has no criminal antecedents, is in custody from 11.01.2026. Investigation of the case is completed and charge sheet has been filed. Trial in the case is yet to commence. Learned Counsel for the petitioner has submitted that petitioner is required to take care of his mother and ailing HC-KAR - 6 - NC: 2026:KHC:47308 CRL.P No. 12137 of 2026 CNR: KAHC010556292026 grandmother. Considering the aforesaid aspects of the matter, I am of the opinion that petitioner's prayer for grant of regular bail is required to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order:

#9. The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in S.C.No.125/2026 pending before the Court of IV Addl. District & Sessions Judge, Hassan, sitting at Channarayapatna, arising out of Crime No.6/2026 registered by Hirisave Police Station, Hassan District, for the offences punishable under Sections 332(a), 103(1) of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions: a) 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; HC-KAR - 7 - NC: 2026:KHC:47308 CRL.P No. 12137 of 2026 CNR: KAHC010556292026 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 KK List No.: 1 Sl No.: 86