Manjunatha K Vs State by Lokayukta Police — Corruption | Karnataka HC (2026)

Manjunatha K Vs State by Lokayukta Police — Corruption | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Regular bail in Crime No.19/2026/BLC subject to conditions, including execution of a personal bond of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum, regular appearance before the Trial Court, non-tampering with prosecution witnesses, non-involvement in similar offences, and not leaving the Trial Court's jurisdiction without permission until disposal of the case.

Issue for consideration

Whether the accused in Crime No.19/2026/BLC, booked for an offence punishable under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, should be enlarged on regular bail under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023.

Court's answer

The bail prayer was answered affirmatively because: in a trap case the major portion of investigation is completed on the date of trap itself and here investigation is pending only at the stage of receiving FSL reports; the maximum punishment for the alleged offence is seven years; the petitioner has no other criminal antecedents; and he has been in custody since 29.04.2026.

Ratio / Principle

The petition was allowed and the petitioner was directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.19/2026/BLC for the offence under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, subject to conditions: execution of personal bond of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum; regular appearance before the Trial Court; no direct or indirect threatening or tampering with prosecution witnesses; no involvement in similar offences; and no leaving the Trial Court's jurisdiction without permission until disposal of the case.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 — S.7(a) — Trap case — Regular bail under S.483 BNSS, 2023 — Village Accountant accused of demanding Rs.12 lakhs (later reduced to Rs.10 lakhs) as bribe for changing revenue records and caught red-handed receiving Rs.2 lakhs — Investigation pending only at stage of receiving FSL reports; in a trap case major portion of investigation completes on the date of the trap — Maximum punishment for the offence is seven years — Accused, in custody since 29.04.2026 with no other criminal antecedents — Bail granted: personal bond Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum, subject to conditions of regular appearance before the Trial Court, non-tampering with prosecution witnesses, non-involvement in similar offences, and no departure from Trial Court jurisdiction without permission until disposal of the case.

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NC: 2026:KHC:30516 CRL.P No. 7053 of 2026

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 19^TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 7053 OF 2026

BETWEEN:

MAMJUNATHA K S/O KUMARA SWAMY AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS VILLAGE ACCOUNTANT NADA KACHARI BANGALORE BENGALURU SOUTH PIN CODE 570 001 RESIDING ADDRESS: RESIDING AT #124, 14^TH MAIN ROAD RAGHAVENDRA BLOCK SRINAGARA, BANGALORE PIN CODE:560 085.

…PETITIONER

(BY SRI RAJU C.N, ADV.)

AND:

Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

STATE BY LOKAYUKTA POLICE BANGLORE URBAN, BENGALORE REPRESENTED BY ITS SPECIAL PUBLIC PROSECUTOR.

(BY SRI K. PRASANNA SHETTY, ADV.,)

…RESPONDENT

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN CRIME NO.19/2026 OF LOKAYUKTA POLICE BENGLAURU URBAN WING BENGALURU THE FILE OF THE XXIII ADDL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE CUM SPECIAL JUDGE (PC ACT) AT BANGALORE (CCH-24) FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 7(a) OF THE PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION ACT 1988, BY ALLOWING THIS PETITION.

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

ORAL ORDER

Accused in Crime No.19/2026/BLC registered by Lokayuktha Police, Bengaluru City, for the offence punishable under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, is before this Court in this petition filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking regular bail.

Heard the learned Counsel for the parties.

FIR in the present case was registered for the aforesaid offences based on the first information dated 29.04.2026 received from Chethan.S., S/o C.K.Sannaswamy. In the said case, petitioner was arrested on 29.04.2026 and remanded judicial custody on 30.04.2026. Bail application filed by the petitioner before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in Crime No.19/2026 was rejected on 05.05.2026. Therefore, he is before this Court.

The allegation in the first information is that the petitioner who was working as Village Accountant had demanded bribe of Rs.12 lakhs for the purpose of changing the

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revenue records of the property. Subsequently, the said demand was reduced to Rs.10 lakhs after negotiations. Since the first informant was not willing to pay the bribe amount to the petitioner, he had approached the police and the first information was registered against the petitioner and in the trap that was held subsequently, petitioner was caught red handed while receiving the bribe amount of Rs.2 lakhs from the first informant. Immediately thereafter, the petitioner was arrested and subsequently he was remanded to judicial custody.

It is not in dispute that petitioner has no other criminal antecedents. He is now in custody from 29.04.2026. In a trap case, major portion of the investigation would be completed on the date of trap itself. Learned Counsel for the respondent who has opposed the bail petition by filing statement of objections has submitted that investigation is now pending at the stage of receiving reports from FSL. Therefore, it is apparent that major portion of the investigation is completed. The maximum punishment for the alleged offence is imprisonment for a period of seven years. Under the circumstances, I am of the opinion

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that petitioner's prayer for grant of regular bail is required to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order:

The petition is allowed. The petitioner is directed to be

enlarged on bail in Crime No.19/2026/BLC registered by Lokayuktha Police, Bengaluru City, for the offence punishable under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, subject to the following conditions:

a) Petitioner shall execute personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for the likesum, to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court;

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;

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

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

e) The petitioner shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Trial Court without permission of

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the said Court until the case registered against him is disposed off.

Sd/(S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE

KK

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