JUDGMENT

1. This petition is filed under Section 439 of Cr.P.C. seeking regular bail of the petitioner in Crime No. 7/2022 of Shravanabelagola Police Station, Hassan, for the offence punishable under Sections 376 and 506 of IPC and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 ('POCSO Act' for short).

2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned High Court Government Pleader appearing for the respondent-State.

3. The factual matrix of the case of the prosecution is that the victim is the resident of Mallenahalli village and she was pursuing I PUC at Shravanabelagola and she came in contact with this petitioner and this petitioner being an auto driver used to drop her to her village. That on 02.05.2021 at about 12.30 p.m., when the victim girl came to Shravanabelagola, this petitioner dropped her to her house and when the victim invited him for coffee and when she was preparing coffee, he committed rape on her against her wish and caused threat to her not to reveal the same to anybody else. It is also an allegation that this petitioner went near the college in which she was pursuing her education and took her to his pump house and committed t