IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 9^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE HANCHATE SANJEEVKUMAR CRIMINAL PETITION NO.100354 OF 2026 (439 OF Cr.PC/483 OF BNSS)

BETWEEN:

MARUTI S/O. FAKEERAPPA MANGALAPUR, AGE: 42 YEARS, OCC: ACCOUNTANT, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT (PWD), HOSAPETE, R/O. VALMIKI CIRCLE, BHAGYANAGAR, TQ. & DIST. KOPPAL.

…PETITIONER (BY SRI MRUTYUNJAYA S. HALLIKERI, ADVOCATE)

AND:

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, THROUGH VIJAYANAGARA LOKAYUKTA POLICE, REP. BY THE SPECIAL PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH, DHARWAD.

…RESPONDENT Digitally signed by MALLIKARJUN (BY SRI SANTOSH B. MALAGOUDAR, SPL. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR)

RUDRAYYA KALMATH Location: High C D o h u a r r t w o a f d K B a e r n n c a h taka, THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED UNDER SECTION 439 OF THE CODE OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, (U/S.483 OF BNSS, 2023) PRAYING TO GRANT REGULAR BAIL TO THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED NO.2 IN CRIME NO.1/2026 OF LOKAYUKTA P.S. BALLARI DATED 20.02.2026, FOR THE OFFENCE PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION 7(a) OF THE PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION ACT, 1988 (AS AMENDED IN 2018) ON THE FILE OF THE PRINCIPAL DISTRICT AND SESSIONS AND SPECIAL JUDGE VIJAYANAGARA DIST.

HOSAPETE, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY.

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

ORAL ORDER

(PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE HANCHATE SANJEEVKUMAR)

Heard the arguments of Sri Hallikeri Mrutyunjay Shivaputrayya, learned counsel for petitioner/accused No.2 and Sri Santosh B. Malagoudar, learned Special Public Prosecutor for the respondent/Lokayukta.

2. This petition is filed by the petitioner/accused No.2 under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, praying to enlarge the petitioner/accused No.2 on regular bail in Crime No.1/2026 of Vijaynagara Lokayukta Police Station, registered for the offence punishable under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Amendment-2018), pending on the file of Principal District and Sessions and Special Judge, Vijayanagara District, Hospete.

3. It is the case of prosecution as per the complaint/entrustment panchanama and recovery panchanama that that the complainant is a Class-I Contractor and was successful tenderer for ₹82,00,000/-. The complainant has performed his contract work and has received first part of amount of ₹37,00,845/-. The balance amount payable to the complainant is ₹41,89,000/-. Among this amount, a sum of ₹10,00,000/- was sanctioned by the Government. For releasing of the said amount of ₹10,00,000/-, it is allegation that accused Nos.1 and 2 have demanded bribe of 10% of ₹10,00,000/-, which is amounting to ₹1,00,000/-. It is the case of prosecution that at the instigation of accused No.1, accused No.2 being accountant working in the office of accused No.1, had instructed the complainant to give bribe of ₹1,00,000/-. 4. Accordingly, the complainant on 09.02.2022 at

01.00 p.m. went to the place of accused No.1 and handed over currency notes of denomination of 500 of having quantity of 200 by putting them inside a cover and handed over to accused No.2. The lokayukta police have conducted entrust panchanama and recovery panchanama, and after raiding and seizing the currency notes from the possession of accused No.2, the sodium permanganate solution was turned into pink colour. Therefore, confirming this, crime was registered against accused. It is the allegation against accused No.1-petitioner that he has demanded the bribe and accused No.2 by acting on behalf of accused No.1 has received the amount. Both accused are in custody from

10.02.2026.

5. Learned counsel for petitioner submitted that the entire case of the complainant is false. He has never demanded any amount from the complainant. The recovery is from accused No.2 as per prosecution case. But there is no recovery from accused No.1. Therefore, the entire complaint averments are false one. The petitioner is in custody since 10.02.2006 and filing of charge sheet may take several months