Full Judgment
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 23RD DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 6244 OF 2026 BETWEEN: MANJUNATHA C @ DUPLICATE MANJUNATHA C S/O CHANNARAYAPPA AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS R/O NO.23/17, THIMMARAYASWAMY TEMPLE ROAD, RAMAGONDANAHALLI SINGANAYAKANAHALLI POST YELAHANKA, BENGALURU - 560 064. …PETITIONER (BY SRI MANJUNATHA M.V, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY SIDLAGHATTA TOWN POLICE STATION CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT - 562 105 REP BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR ATTACHED TO HIGH COURT BUILDINGS
Digitally BENGALURU - 560 001. signed by …RESPONDENT NANDINI M S Location: (BY SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP) HIGH COURT OF THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNNS) KARNATAKA
PRAYING TO ENLARGE HIM ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN THE EVENT OF HIS ARREST IN CRIME NO.25/2026 OF SHIDLAGHATTA TOWN POLICE STATION CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S. 319(2), 318(4), 336(2), 338,340(2), OF BNS ACT 2023 (PENDING ON THE FILE OF PRINCIPAL CIVIL JUDGE, (SR.DN.) AND CJM COURT, SHIDLAGHATTA, CHIKKABALLAPURA DISTRICT.
THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER
WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY -2-
ORAL ORDER
1. Accused No.1 in Crime No.25/2026 registered by Shidlaghatta
Town Police Station, Chikkaballapura, for the offences punishable under Sections 319(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 338 and 340(2) of BNS, 2023, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 482 of BNS, 2023, seeking anticipatory bail.
2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties.
3. FIR in Crime No.25/2026 was registered by Shidlaghatta Town
Police Station, Chikkaballapura for the aforesaid offences against duplicate Manjunath C and others based on the first information dated 02.03.2026, submitted by Manjunath C, S/o Channarayappa. Apprehending arrest in the said case, petitioner had filed Crl.Misc.No.67/2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was rejected on 28.03.2026. Therefore, petitioner is before this Court.
4. In the first information which is submitted on 02.03.2026, it is
stated that first informant/Manjunatha C, S/o Channarayappa, had purchased property bearing Sy.No.22/1 measuring 1 acre situated at Sadahalli Village, Shidlaghatta Taluk under a registered Sale Deed dated 05.06.2008 and revenue entries in respect of the said land were thereafter transferred in the name of first informant. -3- Subsequently, first informant came to know that the revenue records of the aforesaid land were changed and on verification, he found that a person had impersonated him and had executed a General Power of Attorney in favour of Ebhaneshar Sosheve J (accused No.2) and accused No.2 on the strength of the said General Power of Attorney dated 22.07.2024 had executed a Sale Deed in favour of one S Subramani S/o Srinivasa on 25.04.2025.
5. Undisputedly, petitioner is not the beneficiary of the alleged
Power of Attorney dated 22.07.2024 or the Sale Deed dated 25.04.2025. The allegation against the petitioner is that he had impersonated the first informant and had executed the Power of Attorney dated 22.07.2024 in favour of accused No.2 - Ebhaneshar Sosheve J. Petitioner submits that only for the reason that his name is similar to the name of first informant, police are trying to arrest him. Undisputedly, petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. He has undertaken to cooperate with the police for the purpose of investigation. The alleged offences are triable by the Court of Magistrate. The maximum punishment for the alleged offences is imprisonment for period of seven years. The documents which are allegedly concocted are all registered documents and therefore, the chances of petitioner tampering the said documents is very remote. According, the following order:- -4-
6. The Criminal petition is allowed. The respondent - Police or any
other police in the State of Karnataka are directed to release the petitioner in the event of his arrest in Crime No.25/2026 registered by Shidlaghatta Town Police Station, Chikkaballapura, for the offences punishable under Sections 319(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 338 and 340(2) of BNS, 2023, subject to the following conditions:
1. The Petitioner shall appear before the
Investigating Officer within 15 days from the date of receipt of the copy of this order and shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer.
2. Petitioner shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons.
3. Petitioner shall not tamper with the prosecution witnesses and he shall co-operate with the police for investigation and appear before them whenever called upon.
4. The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE DN/List No.: 1 Sl No.: 66