IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 18^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MOHAMMAD NAWAZ AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 865 OF 2018 BETWEEN: SRI. MADHU S/O LATE RAMAIAH, AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS, R/AT VAPPACHANAHALLI, MALUR TALUK, KOLAR DISTRICT-563 160.

…APPELLANT (BY SRI. M.R. NANJUNDAGOWDA, ADVOCATE (P/H))

AND:

Digitally signed by 1. V. BEERESHA LAKSHMI T S/O VEERABHADRAPPA, Location:

AGED ABOUT 24 YEARS, High Court of Karnataka R/AT VAPACHCHAHALLAI, LAKKURU HOBLI, MALUR TALUK, KOLAR DISTRICT-563 160.

2. P. NATARAJA S/O PUTTAPPA, AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, R/AT VAPACHCHAHALLAI, LAKKURU HOBLI, MALUR TALUK, KOLAR DISTRICT-563 160.

3. T. KALLESHA S/O THIMMARAYAPPA, AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS, R/AT VAPACHCHAHALLAI, LAKKURU HOBLI, MALUR TALUK, KOLAR DISTRICT-563 160.

4. ASHOKA S/O VANAMAPPA, AGED ABOUT 22 YEARS, R/AT VAPACHCHAHALLAI, LAKKURU HOBLI, MALUR TALUK, KOLAR DISTRICT-563 160. 5. STATE OF KARNATAKA BY MALUR POLICE STATION, R/P BY SPP, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE-560 001.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. HASHMATH PASHA, SENIOR COUNSEL A/W SRI. N.A. KARIAPPA, ADVOCATE FOR R1 TO R4 (P/H);

SMT. RASHMI JADHAV, ADDL. SPP FOR R5 (P/H))

THIS