IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 13^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE G. BASAVARAJA CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.2334 OF 2025 BETWEEN:

MURALI S/O NARAYANAPPA AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS R/AT MOTHI NAGAR IN FRONT OF MALBAR SQUARE NEAR MARKET BENGALURU 560 032 …APPELLANT (BY SRI RAJATH, ADVOCATE)

AND:

STATE OF KARNATAKA BY PARAPPANA AGRAHARA REP. B Y THE STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU – 560 001 …RESPONDENT (BY SRI B. LAKSHMAN, HCGP)

THIS CRL.A. FILED UNDER SECTION 374(2) OF CRPC (U/S

415(2) OF BHARATIYA NAGARIK SURAKSHA SANHITA, 2023) PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER OF CONVICTION AND SENTENCE DATED 23.08.2024 PASSED IN SC NO.448/2017 WHEREBY THE APPELLANT WAS CONVICTED FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 376(1), 450, 323, 506-b OF IPC; AND ETC.

IN THIS PETITION ARGUMENTS BEING HEARD, JUDGMENT RESER VED ON 06.02.2026, COMING ON FOR “PRONOUNCEMENT OF ORDERS”, THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:

CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE G. BASAVARAJA CAV JUDGMENT

1. The appellant has preferred this appeal against the judgment of conviction and order on sentence dated 23^rd August, 2024 passed in SC No.448 of 2017 by the LIII Additional City Civil & Sess