Manjunath vs State of Karnataka - Court Judgment

SooperKanoon Citationsooperkanoon.com/1556126
CourtKarnataka High Court
Decided OnJun-23-2026
Case NumberCRL.P/8552/2026
JudgeS Vishwajith Shetty
AppellantManjunath
RespondentState of Karnataka
Excerpt:
-1-in the high court of karnataka at bengalurudated this the 23rd day of june, 2026 before the hon'ble mr. justice s vishwajith shetty criminal petition no. 8552 of 2026 between: manjunath s/o late ramaiah aged about 35 years r/at kallikuppa village andersonpet, kgf - 563 116. …petitioner (by sri maruthi g, adv., for sri veenakumari m, adv.) and: state of karnataka rep. by psi, andersonpet police station, kgf district through state public prosecutor. …respondent (by sri rangaswamy r, hcgp)digitally this crl.p is filed u/s 438 cr.pc (filed u/s 482 bnss) signed by praying to grant anticipatory bail in favour of the nandini m s location: petitioners in the event of their arrest in cr.no.56/2026 high court for the offence p/u/s 9,10 and 11 child marriage restraint of act 1929 (prohibition of child marriage act 2006) which is karnatakaregistered by the andersonpet police station on the file of the prl.civil judge junior division and j.m.f.c court kolar and orders of iii addl.district and sessions judge kolar sitting at kgf in crl.misc.no.447/2026 dated 08.06.2026.this petition, coming on for orders, this day, orderwas made therein as under: coram: hon'ble mr. justice s vishwajith shetty -2-oral order1. petitioner, who is apprehending arrest in crimeno.56 of 2026 registered by andersonpet police station, k.g.f for offences punishable under sections 9, 10 and 11 of child marriage restraint act, 1929 is before this court in this petition filed under section 482 of bnss, 2023 seeking anticipatory bail.2. heard the learned counsel for the parties.3. fir in crime no.56/2026, was registered byandersonpet police station, k.g.f, for the aforesaid offences against petitioner and others, based on the first information dated 21.05.2026, received from smt. renuka, who was working as a supervisor, cdp office, kgf. apprehending arrest in the said case, petitioner had filed crl.misc.no.447 of 2026 before the jurisdictional sessions court, which was rejected on 08.06.2026. therefore, he is before this court.4. first information has been submitted in the presentcase by smt. renuka, who was working as supervisor in the department of women and children welfare at kgf, based on -3- the report received by her that marriage of the victim girl, aged 19 years, was performed with the petitioner on 25.10.2024 when she was a minor. it is under these circumstances fir has been registered in the present case against petitioner and others for the aforesaid offences.5. during the course of investigation, the statement ofthe alleged victim has been recorded. in her statement, she has said that after her marriage was performed with the petitioner on 25.10.2024, she had returned to her parents' house and had stayed with them, till she attained the age of majority. it is only after she attained the age of majority, she had joined petitioner who is her husband. she has also stated that thereafter she has lived with the petitioner in his house as his wife and had returned to her parents' house for her delivery.6. considering the statement of the alleged victim girl, i am of the opinion that prayer made by the petitioner for grant of anticipatory bail needs to be answered affirmatively. -4-7. accordingly, the following:orderthe 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.56 of 2026 is registered by andersonpet police station, k.g.f for offences punishable under sections 9, 10 and 11 of child marriage restraint act, 1929 subject to the following conditions:1. the petitioner shall appear before theinvestigating officer in the present case within a period of fifteen days from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order on executing a personal bond for a sum of rs.1,00,000/- (rupees one lakh only) with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer/jurisdictional court.2. the petitioner shall regularly appear before the trial court without fail unless exempted by the trial court for valid reasons.3. the petitioner shall not tamper with the prosecution witness and he shall co-operate with -5- 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 nms list no.: 1 sl no.: 16
Judgment:

-1-

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. 8552 OF 2026 BETWEEN: MANJUNATH S/O LATE RAMAIAH AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS R/AT KALLIKUPPA VILLAGE ANDERSONPET, KGF - 563 116. …PETITIONER (BY SRI MARUTHI G, ADV., FOR SRI VEENAKUMARI M, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA REP. BY PSI, ANDERSONPET POLICE STATION, KGF DISTRICT THROUGH STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI RANGASWAMY R, HCGP)

Digitally THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNSS) signed by PRAYING TO GRANT ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN FAVOUR OF THE NANDINI M S Location: PETITIONERS IN THE EVENT OF THEIR ARREST IN CR.NO.56/2026 HIGH COURT FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 9,10 AND 11 CHILD MARRIAGE RESTRAINT OF ACT 1929 (PROHIBITION OF CHILD MARRIAGE ACT 2006) WHICH IS KARNATAKA

REGISTERED BY THE ANDERSONPET POLICE STATION ON THE FILE OF THE PRL.CIVIL JUDGE JUNIOR DIVISION AND J.M.F.C COURT KOLAR AND ORDERS OF III ADDL.DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE KOLAR SITTING AT KGF IN CRL.MISC.NO.447/2026 DATED 08.06.2026.

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. Petitioner, who is apprehending arrest in Crime

No.56 of 2026 registered by Andersonpet Police Station, K.G.F for offences punishable under Sections 9, 10 and 11 of Child marriage restraint Act, 1929 is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023 seeking anticipatory bail.

2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties.

3. FIR in Crime No.56/2026, was registered by

Andersonpet Police Station, K.G.F, for the aforesaid offences against petitioner and others, based on the first information dated 21.05.2026, received from Smt. Renuka, who was working as a Supervisor, CDP Office, KGF. Apprehending arrest in the said case, petitioner had filed Crl.Misc.No.447 of 2026 before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which was rejected on 08.06.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court.

4. First information has been submitted in the present

case by Smt. Renuka, who was working as Supervisor in the Department of Women and Children welfare at KGF, based on -3- the report received by her that marriage of the victim girl, aged 19 years, was performed with the petitioner on 25.10.2024 when she was a minor. It is under these circumstances FIR has been registered in the present case against petitioner and others for the aforesaid offences.

5. During the course of investigation, the statement of

the alleged victim has been recorded. In her statement, she has said that after her marriage was performed with the petitioner on 25.10.2024, she had returned to her parents' house and had stayed with them, till she attained the age of majority. It is only after she attained the age of majority, she had joined petitioner who is her husband. She has also stated that thereafter she has lived with the petitioner in his house as his wife and had returned to her parents' house for her delivery.

6. Considering the statement of the alleged victim girl, I am of the opinion that prayer made by the petitioner for grant of anticipatory bail needs to be answered affirmatively. -4-

7. Accordingly, the following:

ORDER

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.56 of 2026 is registered by Andersonpet Police Station, K.G.F for offences punishable under Sections 9, 10 and 11 of Child marriage restraint Act, 1929 subject to the following conditions:

1. The petitioner shall appear before the

Investigating Officer in the present case within a period of fifteen days from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order on executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with two sureties for the likesum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer/jurisdictional Court.

2. The petitioner shall regularly appear before the Trial Court without fail unless exempted by the Trial Court for valid reasons.

3. The petitioner shall not tamper with the prosecution witness and he shall co-operate with -5- 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 NMS List No.: 1 Sl No.: 16