IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 19^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 100083 OF 2025 BETWEEN:

VITTAL S/O. JAGADISH BARKER, AGE: 30 YEARS, OCC: PRIVATE WORK, R/AT: BADAMI, TQ: BADAMI, DIST: BAGALKOT – 586 118.

…APPELLANT (BY SRI GOURI SHANKAR MOT, ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, Digitally signed by MOHANKUMAR B BADAMI POLICE STATION, BADAMI, SHELAR Location: High Court of Karnata ka, REP. BY ITS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, Dharwad Bench, Dharwad HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH, DHARWAD.

2. SHEKAPPA S/O. MALLAPPA DODDAMANI, AGE: 27 YEARS, OCC: LABOURER, R/AT: BADAMI RAILWAY SATATION, TQ: BADAMI, DIST: BAGALKOT – 587 201.

3. RAMACHANDARA S/O. HANAMANT MUTTAGAR, AGE: 29 YEARS, OCC: LABOURER, R/AT: BADAMI RAILWAY SATATION, TQ: BADAMI, DIST: BAGALKOT – 587 201.

4. HANAMANT S/O. RAMANNA TALIKOTI, AGE: 36 YEARS, OCC: LABOURER, R/AT: BADAMI RAILWAY SATATION, TQ: BADAMI, DIST: BAGALKOT – 587 201.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI ABHISHEK MALIPATIL, HCGP FOR R1; R2 TO R4 ARE SERVED BUT UNREPRESENTED)

THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL IS FILED U/S 14 A(2) OF SC AND ST POA ACT 2015, PRAYING TO ALLOW THE APPEAL AND SETTING AS