Sri Nataraj S S Vs the State of Karnataka — Cheating and Forgery | Karnataka HC (2026)

Sri Nataraj S S Vs the State of Karnataka — Cheating and Forgery | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Anticipatory bail granted to petitioner/accused No.1: release on bail in the event of arrest in Crime No.299 of 2025 (Saligrama police station, Mysore), subject to surrender before the Investigating Officer, execution of personal bond of Rs.50,000/- with one solvent surety for like-sum, non-hampering of investigation/non-tampering with prosecution witnesses, cooperation with the Investigating Officer, restriction on leaving the Court's jurisdiction without prior permission until charge sheet is filed or three months (whichever earlier), appearance before jurisdictional police once in 15 days, and automatic cancellation of bail upon violation of any condition; the observations in the order are confined to consideration of the anticipatory bail application and shall not influence the trial.

Issue for consideration

Whether anticipatory bail should be granted to the petitioner/accused No.1 in Crime No.299 of 2025 registered by Saligrama police station, Mysuru, for offences punishable under Sections 319(2), 318(2), 336(2), 336(3), 318(4) r/w Section 3(5) of the BNS, his earlier application having been turned down on 17-11-2025. +1 more

Court's answer

All the offences alleged against the petitioner/accused No.1 in the case at hand, be it for impersonation or cheating, are punishable with imprisonment of 7 years or less.

Ratio / Principle

Finding that the dispute, which is purely civil in nature, has been rendered a colour of crime by the complainant through registration of the subject complaint, the petition deserves to succeed by grant of anticipatory bail, subject to certain conditions.

Key takeaways

The Criminal Petition is allowed and the petitioner/accused No.1 is ordered to be released on bail in the event of his arrest in Crime No.299 of 2025 of Saligrama police station, Mysore, pending before the Additional Civil Judge (Jr.Dn.) and JMFC, K.R.Nagar, subject to conditions (surrender before the Investigating Officer; personal bond with one solvent surety for like-sum; no hampering of investigation or tampering with witnesses; cooperation with the Investigating Officer; no departure from the Court's jurisdiction without prior permission until charge sheet or three months, whichever earlier; appearance before jurisdictional police once in 15 days; automatic cancellation on violation of any term).ratio¶37

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Anticipatory bail — offences under BNS 2023 (Sections 319(2), 318(2), 336(2), 336(3), 318(4) r/w Section 3(5)) — Crime No.299/2025, Saligrama police station, Mysuru — allegation that accused No.1 and others executed a sale deed dated 27-08-2025 by impersonating one Sadashiva who had died 10 years earlier, surfacing when the complainant, holder of a decree in civil suit OS 154/2022 (declaration and permanent injunction), sought khata mutation — High Court holds the dispute purely civil in nature, given a colour of crime by the complainant, and notes all alleged offences carry imprisonment of 7 years or less — Criminal Petition (filed under Section 482 BNSS, styled Section 438 CrPC), earlier turned down on 17-11-2025, allowed: release on bail in the event of arrest subject to surrender, personal bond of Rs.50,000/- with one solvent surety for like-sum, cooperation with Investigating Officer, jurisdiction restriction till charge sheet or three months, fortnightly police reporting, automatic cancellation on breach; observations not to influence the trial (M. Nagaprasanna J., 17-04-2026).

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NC: 2026:KHC:21169 CRL.P No. 17246 of 2025

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 17^TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 17246 OF 2025

BETWEEN:

SRI NATARAJ S.S., S/O SOMANNA, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, R/AT D.NO. 160, DOUBLE TANK ROAD SALIGRAMA TOWN SALIGRAMA MYSURU DISTRICT – 571 604.

…PETITIONER

(BY SRI RAGHAVENDRA GOWDA K., ADVOCATE)

AND:

Digitally signed by SANJEEVINI J KARISHETTY Location: High Court of Karnataka

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY SALIGRAMA POLICE STATION, K.R. NAGAR TALUK, MYSURU DISTRICT REPRESENTED BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT COMPLEX, BENGALURU – 560 001.

…RESPONDENT

(BY SRI B.N.JAGADEESHA, ADDL.SPP)

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S.438 (FILED U/S.482 BNSS) CR.P.C PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED NO.1

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HC-KAR

ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN EVENT OF HIS ARREST BY RESPONDENT SALIGRAMA POLICE STATION, MYSURU IN CRIME NO.299/2025 REGISTERED FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 319(2), 318(2), 336(2), 336(3), 318(4) R/W SEC.3(5) OF BNS 2023 PENDING ON THE FILE OF LEARNED ADDL. CIVIL JUDGE (Jr. Dn.) AND JMFC COURT K.R.NAGAR MYSURU CITY.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY,

ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA

ORAL ORDER

Petitioner-accused No.1 is at the doors of this Court seeking grant of anticipatory bail in respect of Crime No.299 of 2025 registered by the Saligrama police station, Mysore for offences punishable under Sections 319(2), 318(2), 336(2), 336(3), 318(4) r/w Section 3(5) of the BNS, for it having been turned down by the concerned Court by order dated 17-11-2025.

Heard Sri Raghavendra Gowda K, learned counsel appearing for petitioner and Sri B N Jagadeesha, learned

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HC-KAR

Additional State Public Prosecutor appearing for respondent No.1.

The fulcrum of the allegation against the petitioner relates to a particular civil suit in OS 154 of 2022, which is said to have been decreed in favour of the complainant, which was a suit for declaration and permanent injunction. Based on the said decree, when the complainant wanted to mutate the khata entries in his name, he got to know that accused/petitioner along with others have created a sale deed on 27-08-2025 by impersonating one Sadashiva, who had died 10 years ago. Accordingly, the complaint came to be filed. Even otherwise, the offences alleged against the petitioner/accused no. 1 in the case at hand, be it for impersonation or cheating, are all punishable with imprisonment of 7 years or less.

In that light, finding that the dispute which is purely civil in nature has been rendered a colour of crime by the complainant by registering the subject complaint, the petition deserves to succeed by grant of anticipatory bail, by imposing certain conditions.

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NC: 2026:KHC:21169 CRL.P No. 17246 of 2025

HC-KAR

For the aforesaid reasons, the following:

ORDER

This Criminal Petition is allowed and the

petitioner/accused No.1 is ordered to be released on bail in the event of his arrest in Crime No.299 of 2025 of Saligrama police station, Mysore, pending on the file of learned Additional Civil Judge (Jr.Dn.) and JMFC, K.R.Nagar, Mysore, subject to the following conditions:

i) The petitioner shall surrender himself before the Investigating Officer and shall execute personal bond for a sum of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with one solvent surety for the like-sum to the satisfaction of the concerned Investigating Officer;

ii) The petitioner shall not indulge in hampering the investigation and tampering the prosecution witnesses;

iii) The petitioner shall co-operate with the Investigating Officer to complete the investigation, and he shall appear before the Investigating Officer as and when called for;

iv) The petitioner shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Court without prior permission of the Investigating Officer,

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NC: 2026:KHC:21169 CRL.P No. 17246 of 2025

HC-KAR

till the charge sheet is filed or for a period of three months whichever is earlier; &

v) The petitioner shall appear before the jurisdictional police once in 15 days and mark his presence.

vi) In the event of violation of any of the above terms, the above bail shall stand automatically cancelled.

vii) The observations made above are only for the purpose of consideration of the application for anticipatory bail and the same shall not in any manner influence the trial. The trial Court shall consider the case on its merits and without being influenced by this order.

Sd/(M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE

BKP List No.: 2 Sl No.: 11