Allowed¶47

Manjunath @ Manjunatha Y v. State by

Bail – Regular bail granted

Karnataka HC15 Jun 2026CRL.P/558/2026

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Case brief

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What is this about?

Karnataka HC (S Vishwajith Shetty J., 15.06.2026) grants regular bail under Section 483 BNSS to Manjunath @ Manjunatha Y (33), accused No.1 under Sections 87, 64(2)(m), 127(2) BNS 2023 and Sections 6, 17 POCSO Act in Spl.C.No.285/2025 / Crime No.108/2025 (Soraba PS) involving a 17-years-11-months-old girl; trial court bail rejection dated 30.10.2025; bail conditioned on Rs.1,00,000/- personal bond with two sureties.

What did the court decide?

Regular bail granted in SC No.285/2025 (Additional District Judge, FTSC-1 (POCSO), Shivamogga) arising out of Crime No.108/2025, subject to execution of a personal bond of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum and four further conditions (regular appearance, no tampering with witnesses, no similar offences, no leaving Trial Court jurisdiction without permission). ¶47

Manjunath @ Manjunatha Y Vs State by — Child Sexual Offences (POCSO) | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner, accused No.1 in Spl.C.No.285/2025 (arising out of Crime No.108/2025 registered by Soraba Police Station) charged under Sections 87, 64(2)(m), 127(2) of BNS and Sections 6 and 17 of POCSO Act, should be granted regular bail under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023.

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Court's answer

Considering that the petitioner has no criminal antecedents, has been in custody from 11.08.2025, that even according to the prosecution the petitioner and the victim girl (aged 17 years 11 months as on FIR registration) were in love and stayed in his house for a week from 04.08.2025, and that the petitioner's mother has been arrayed as accused No.2 invoking Section 17 of the POCSO Act, the court opined that the prayer for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively.

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Ratio / Principle

The petition is allowed and the petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in SC No.285/2025 pending before the Court of Additional District Judge, FTSC-1 (POCSO), Shivamogga, subject to conditions: personal bond of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum; regular appearance before the Trial Court unless exempted; no direct or indirect threatening or tampering with prosecution witnesses; no involvement in similar offences; and no leaving the Trial Court jurisdiction without permission until disposal of the case.

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Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bail – Regular bail granted – Criminal Petition under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 (also filed under Section 439 Cr.PC) – Petitioner is accused No.1 in Spl.C.No.285/2025 pending before Additional District & Sessions Judge, FTSC-1, Shivamogga, arising out of Crime No.108/2025 of Soraba Police Station, for offences punishable under Sections 87, 64(2)(m), 127(2) of BNS, 2023 and Sections 6 and 17 of POCSO Act – FIR initially registered against unknown persons under Section 137(2) BNS on information dated 04.08.2025 from the victim's father; victim aged about 17 years 11 months at FIR registration – Petitioner and victim traced in petitioner's house; petitioner arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 11.08.2025; charge sheet filed against petitioner (accused No.1) and his mother (accused No.2, Section 17 POCSO Act) – Trial Court had rejected petitioner's bail application on 30.10.2025 – Court noted petitioner has no criminal antecedents, prosecution itself acknowledged petitioner and victim were in love and stayed together for a week, and considering the victim's age, answered the bail prayer affirmatively – Petitioner enlarged on bail subject to personal bond of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum and standard conditions.

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NC: 2026:KHC:28784 CRL.P No. 558 of 2026

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HC-KAR

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

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DATED THIS THE 15^TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026

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BEFORE

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY

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CRIMINAL PETITION NO.558 OF 2026 (439(Cr.PC) / 483(BNSS)

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BETWEEN:

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MANJUNATH @ MANJUNATHA Y AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS S/O YOGESHAPPA R/A NAGIHALLI VILLAGE SHIKARIPURA TALUK SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT - 577 429.

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…PETITIONER

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(BY MISS. SHRUTHI S.P, ADVOCATE) AND:

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STATE BY SORABA POLICE STATION

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REPRESENTED BY THE

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Digitally signed by VANDANA S Location: High Court of Karnataka

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STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT BANGALORE - 560 001.

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MALLESHAPPA

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S/O MALLAPPA AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS R/A KULAVALLI VILLAGE SORABA TALUK, SHIVAMOGGA-577 429.

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…RESPONDENTS

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(BY SRI.RANGASWAMY R, HCGP)

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THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO GRANT BAIL IN SPL.C.NO.285/2025 FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCES P/U/S 87, 64(2)(m), 127(2) OF BNS AND SECTION 6, 17 OF POCSO ACT PENDING BEFORE THE LD ADDL.DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, FTSC-I (POCSO) SHIVAMOGGA.

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NC: 2026:KHC:28784 CRL.P No. 558 of 2026

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HC-KAR

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

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY

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ORAL ORDER

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Accused in Spl.C.No.285/2025 pending before the Additional District & Sessions Judge, FTSC-1, Shivamogga, arising out of Crime No.108/2025 registered by the Soraba Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 87, 64(2)(m), 127(2) of BNS and Sections 6 and 17 of POCSO Act, is before this Court in this criminal petition under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail.

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Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned HCGP for the respondent No.1 – State. Respondent No.2, who is served in this petition has remained unrepresented before this Court.

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FIR No.108/2025 was registered by the Soraba Police

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Station initially against unknown persons for the offence punishable under Section 137(2) of BNS based on the first

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3 - NC: 2026:KHC:28784 CRL.P No. 558 of 2026

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HC-KAR

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information dated 04.08.2025 received from respondent No.2, who is the father of the victim girl, who was aged about 17 years 11 months as on the date of registration of FIR.

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During the course of investigation, petitioner and the victim girl was traced in the house of the petitioner and petitioner was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 11.08.2025. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against two persons for the aforesaid offences. Petitioner is accused No.1 and his mother is accused No.2 in the charge sheet. His bail application filed before the Trial Court in Spl.C.No.285/2025 was rejected on 30.10.2025. Therefore, he is before this Court.

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The victim girl was found missing from her house on 04.08.2025 and efforts made to trace her had failed and

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her mobile phone was switched off. Therefore, her father had approached the police and based on the first information, FIR in Crime No.108/2025 was registered

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4 - NC: 2026:KHC:28784 CRL.P No. 558 of 2026

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HC-KAR

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initially for the offences punishable under Sections 137(2) of BNS, 2023. During the course of investigation, petitioner and the victim girl were traced in the house of the petitioner and according to the prosecution, petitioner and the victim girl were in love and they used to regularly talk over mobile phone and also exchange messages. On 04.08.2025 petitioner had taken the victim girl in his motor bike bearing registration No.KA-15-EC-5481 and thereafter they had stayed in his house for a period of one week. The police who came there brought the victim girl to her house and arrested the accused on 11.08.2025. According to the prosecution, when the victim girl was in the house of the petitioner, he allegedly had sexual intercourse with her.

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Undisputedly, the petitioner has no criminal

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antecedents. He is in custody from 11.08.2025. Even according to the prosecution the petitioner and the victim girl, who was aged 17 years 11 months as on the date of registration of FIR were in love. Petitioner and the victim

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5 - NC: 2026:KHC:28784 CRL.P No. 558 of 2026

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HC-KAR

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girl had stayed in his house for a period of one week from 04.08.2025. Petitioner’s mother has been arrayed as accused No.2 in the present case invoking Section 17 of the POCSO Act. In view of the aforesaid circumstances and also considering the age of the victim girl, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioner for grant of regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following:

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The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail in SC No.285/2025 pending before the Court of Additional District Judge, FTSC-1 (POCSO), Shivamogga, arising out of Crime No.108/2025 registered by the Soraba Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 87, 64(2)(m), 127(2) of BNS, 2023 and Sections 6 and 17 of POCSO Act, subject to the following conditions:

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a) Petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for

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6 - NC: 2026:KHC:28784 CRL.P No. 558 of 2026

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HC-KAR

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the likesum, to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court;

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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;

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c) The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly threaten or tamper with the prosecution witnesses;

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d) The petitioner shall not involve in similar offences in future;

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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.

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Sd/(S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE

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List No.: 1 Sl No.: 62

Manjunath @ Manjunatha Y v. State by

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Manjunath @ Manjunatha Y v. State by

Case brief

What is this about?

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