Ramakumar Vs State of Karnataka by — Dowry and Cruelty | Karnataka HC (2025)

Ramakumar Vs State of Karnataka by — Dowry and Cruelty | Karnataka HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Regular bail in Crime No.211/2025 of Rajanukunte Police Station, on executing a personal bond of Rs.1,00,000/- with one surety for the like sum, subject to conditions not to tamper with prosecution witnesses directly or indirectly and to attend the trial court on all dates of hearing unless exempted.

Issue for consideration

Whether accused No.1 (the petitioner-husband) is entitled to be released on bail in Crime No.211/2025 registered for offences under Sections 80(2), 85 r/w 3(5) of BNS 2023 and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. +1 more

Court's answer

Having considered the petitioner's custody since 21.07.2025, the filing of the charge sheet (so that he is not required for custodial interrogation), and the death of his sister's husband requiring him to care for his sister and old-aged parents, the petitioner has made out a case for grant of bail with conditions.

Ratio / Principle

The Court did not decide the merits of the dowry-harassment and abetment allegations; whether the petitioner harassed the deceased demanding dowry and abetted her to commit suicide is a matter of trial.

Key takeaways

The petition is allowed and the petitioner is granted bail in Crime No.211/2025 of Rajanukunte Police Station, subject to conditions: execution of a personal bond of Rs.1,00,000/- with one surety for the like sum; no tampering with prosecution witnesses directly or indirectly; and attendance before the trial court on all dates of hearing unless exempted.ratio¶¶44

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Karnataka High Court (Bengaluru), by oral order dated 12.11.2025 (Shivashankar Amannavar, J.), allowed CRL.P No. 12829 of 2025 filed under Section 439 Cr.P.C. / Section 483 BNSS by accused No.1 (husband of the deceased) seeking regular bail in Crime No.211/2025 of Rajanukunte P.S., pending before II ACJM, Bangalore Rural District, for offences punishable under Sections 80(2), 85 r/w 3(5) of BNS 2023 and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. The Court noted that accused Nos.2 and 3 (parents/in-laws of the deceased) had already been granted bail by the Sessions Court; the charge sheet stood filed and the petitioner, in custody since 21.07.2025, was not required for custodial interrogation; and the death of his sister's husband required him to care for his sister and old-aged parents. Bail was granted on a personal bond of Rs.1,00,000/- with one surety for the like sum, with conditions against tampering with prosecution witnesses and requiring attendance on all hearing dates. Whether the petitioner harassed the deceased demanding dowry and abetted her suicide was expressly left as a matter of trial.

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NC: 2025:KHC:46074 CRL.P No. 12829 of 2025

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 12^TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR CRIMINAL PETITION No. 12829 OF 2025 (439(Cr.PC) / 483(BNSS))

BETWEEN:

RAMAKUMAR

S/O KEMPEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS R/AT: MARASANDRA VILLAGE HESARAGHATTA HOBLI YALAHANKA TALUK BENGALURU DISTRICT KARNATAKA – 560 064.

PERMANENTLY AT: ANAGALPURA VILLAGE, KASBA HOBLI DODDABALLAPURA TALUK BENGALURU DISTRICT KARNATAKA - 561 203.

…PETITIONER

Digitally signed by LAKSHMINARAYANA MURTHY RAJASHRI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

(BY SRI PRASANNA RAO R, ADVOCATE)

AND:

STATE OF KARNATAKA BY RAJANUKUNTE P S REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BANGALORE – 560 001.

…RESPONDENT

(BY SMT. RASHMI PATEL, HCGP)

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THIS CRL.P IS FILED UNDER SECTION 439 Cr.P.C (U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO RELEASE ON BAIL IN CR.No.211/2025 REGISTERED BY RAJANAKUNTE P.S., PENDING BEFORE II ACJM, BANGALORE RURAL DISTRICT, FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTIONS 80(2),85 R/W 3(5) OF BNS, 2023, UNDER SECTION 4 OF D.P ACT, 1961.

THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR

ORAL ORDER

This petition is filed by accused No.1 under Section 483 of BNSS praying to grant bail in Crime No.211/2025 of Rajankunte Police Station registered for offences under Section 80(2), 85 read with Section 3(5) of BNS and Section 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act.

Heard learned counsel for petitioner and learned HCGP for respondent/State.

Learned counsel for petitioner would contend that accused Nos. 2 and 3 who are in-laws of the deceased and parents of this petitioner have been granted bail by the Sessions Court. The marriage of petitioner with the deceased has taken place on 21.04.2022 and after marriage, the petitioner resided with his parents along

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with his wife deceased Rakshitha. As there were quarrels between deceased and mother of this petitioner he started residing separately along with the deceased in a rented premises. There is no any dowry harassment by this petitioner. The petitioner had borrowed money of Rs.25,000/- to give it to some person and when deceased asked the petitioner to whom he intended to give that money, he told that he intended to give it to some lady and he will bring her to his house. Enraged by that the deceased secured his mother and mother has warned the petitioner. The deceased, upset with the same, has committed suicide. The petitioner on coming to know that the deceased has locked the door, intimated CW1, mother of the deceased and immediately, after coming to know that deceased has committed suicide has taken her to hospital. As the charge sheet is filed, the petitioner is not required for custodial interrogation. There are no criminal antecedents of the petitioner. The husband of his younger sister died on 09.08.2025 and therefore, he has to take

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care of his sister. On these grounds, he prayed to allow

the petition.

Per contra , learned HCGP would contend that the statement of witnesses indicate that petitioner has harassing the deceased, demanding dowry and therefore,

the deceased committed suicide. The charge sheet material show prima-facie case against the petitioner for offences alleged against him. If the petitioner is granted bail, there is threat to prosecution witnesses. With these she prayed to reject the petition.

Having heard the learned counsels, the Court has perused the charge sheet and other materials placed on record.

The marriage of the petitioner with deceased Rakshita had taken place on 21.04.2022. The petitioner resided with his parents and deceased Rakshita for about 6 months and thereafter he started residing in a rented house along with the deceased, as there were quarrels between the deceased and his mother. Subsequently, the

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petitioner and deceased shifted to the house belonging CW.9 and they are residing there since one year prior to the date of incident. The voluntary statement of the petitioner indicates that there was quarrel between petitioner and the deceased with regard to he borrowing Rs.25,000/- to give it to some lady and upset by that the deceased has committed suicide. Whether the petitioner has harassed the deceased demanding dowry and abetted her to commit suicide is a matter of trial. The petitioner is in jail since 21.07.2025 and as the charge sheet is filed he is not required for custodial interrogation. The husband of petitioner's sister died on 09.08.2025 and he has to take care of his sister and also old aged parents. Considering the above aspects, the petitioner has made out a case for grant of bail with conditions. In the result, the following:

ORDER

Petition is allowed. The petitioner is granted bail in Crime No.211/2025 of Rajanukunte police Station, subject to following conditions:

NC: 2025:KHC:46074 CRL.P No. 12829 of 2025

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HC-KAR

(i) The petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with one surety for the like sum to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court.

(ii) The petitioner shall not tamper the prosecution witnesses either directly or indirectly.

(iii) The petitioner shall attend the trial court on all dates of hearing, unless exempted and co-operate for speedy disposal of case.

Sd/-

(SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR) JUDGE

DKB

List No.: 1 Sl No.: 11 Ct.sm