Anticipatory bail is maintainable under the SC/ST (POA) Act if the FIR, at first blush, fails to establish a prima facie case of intentional caste-based humiliation or abuse as required by the Statute.

THIS CRL.A. IS FILED U/S 14(A)(2) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT R/W. SECTION 482 OF BNSS ACT PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 26.02.2026 PASSED IN CRL.MISC.NO.551/2026 BY C/C.LXX ADDL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AND SPL.JUDGE BENGALURU, CCH-71 AND RELEASE THE APPELLANT ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCES P/U/S 74,126(2),351(2),115(2) AND 352 OF BNS ACT THE SC/ST (POA) AMENDMENT ACT 2015, UNDER SEC.3(1)(r)(s) IN THEIR CRIME NO.25/2026 OF RESPONDENT PEENYA P.S. BENGALURU PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE LEARNED HONBLE COURT OF C/C. LXX ADDL.CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AND SPL.JUDGE BENGALURU CCH-71.

THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.G.S. KAMAL

ORAL JUDGMENT

1. This appeal is by the accused in Crime No.25/2026 registered in Peenya Police Station for the offences punishable under Section 3(1)(r)(s) of The Scheduled Castes And The Scheduled Tribes (Prevention Of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015 (SC&ST(POA)Act for short) and under Sections 74 , 126(2), 351(2), 115(2) and 352 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act, 2023 (BNS Act), being aggrieved by the order dated 26.02.2026 passed in Crl.Misc.No.551/2026 on the file of LXX Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge (Special Judge), Bengaluru,

2. Learned counsel for the appellant submits that the appellant is a Supervisor of R.A. Fashion Garments Factory, where the respondent No.2-complainant is working as a Tailor. It is in the usual course of business, the appellant had supervised the quality of tailoring work by the respondent No.2 - complainant. The complaint is filed only with an ulterior motive without any substance. He submits that perusal of the complaint do not reveal commission of any offence. Hence, seeks for allowing the appeal.

3. Learned High Court Government Pleader justifying the order impugned and also referring to Section 18 of the SC&ST(POA) Act submits that there is a legal bar for granting anticipatory bail. Therefore, seeks for rejection of appeal.

4. Despite service of notice to respondent No.2 - de facto complainant is not present.

5. Heard learned counsel for the appellant and learned High Court Government Pleader for respondent No.1 and perused the records.

6. A complaint dated 13.01.2026 came to be filed by respondent No.2-de facto complainant. The contents of complaint are as under:

"ಈ ೕಲಂಡ ಷಯೆ ಸಂಬಂದಂೆ ಾನು ೕಲಂಡ ಾಸದ ಸುಾರು 7 ವಷಗ!ಂದ "ಾಸ"ಾ#ದು$ ಚನ&ಾಯಕನ (ಾಳ*ದರುವ R. A. Fashion ಎಂಬ ,ಾಂ-. ನ ಕೆದ ಆರು ವಷಗ!ಂದ ,ಾಂ- ನ Tailoring ೆಲಸ ಾ0ೊಂ0ರುೆ2ೕೆ. ಈ#ರು"ಾಗ ಕೆದ 3 4ಂಗ!5ಂದ ಅ7ೇ ,ಾಂ-. ನ ಾ,ೇಶ ಎಂಬುವವನು Tailoring ೆಲಸದದು$ ನನ,ೆ ಾನಕ"ಾ# 9ಂ:ೆ 5ೕಡುಾ2, <ಾ=,ೆ ಬಂದಂೆ >ುಲಕ ಾರಣೆ ಅವಚ*"ಾ# <ೈಯು42ದ$ನು ಆದAೆ ಈ Bನ ಾ : 13.01.2026 ರಂದು ಸಂDೆ ,ಾಂ-. Eಡುವ ಸಮಯ ಸುಾರು 6 ಗಂHೆಯ ಾ,ೇಶನು ೆಲಸದ ಷಯ"ಾ# ನನ,ೆ 5ೕನು ಸIJಾ# Tailoring ೆಲಸ ಾಡು42ಲ ಎಂದು DೋAಾ# ಗದIದನು, ಇದIಂದ ಾನು 5ಮL ೆಲಸ ಾವM ಾ0 ನಮL ೆಲಸ ಾನು ಾಡುೆ2ೕೆ ಎಂBದ$ೆ ಮತ2ಷುO DೋAಾ# ಗದIಸುಾ2 5ನ& ಅಮLP :ೊೆ ಮುಂQೆ 5ನ&ಮLP Dಾ4ಾ ೇಯ <ೆವRಂದು <ೈದು, ಾನು ಮJಾ7ೆ ೊಟುO ಾತಾ0 ಏನೆ ಬU*ೕದು ಎಂದು ೇ!7ಾಗ ಅವನು ಮತ2ಷುO VO,ೆದು$ ನನ& ಮುಂ7ೆ ಬಂದು ತWೆ ಕೂದಲು 90ದುೊಂಡು ೖ ೕನ ಬHೆO ಎೆದು ನನ&ನು& ಅಡXಗVO ಬಲಕೆ&,ೆ DೋAಾ# ೈ=ಂದ YೊQೆದು ೋವMಂಟು ಾ0 ,ಾಯಪ0ದನು ನಂತರ ಅಳ[ಾ2 \Aಾ07ಾಗ ಅವನು ಸುಮL5ರ7ೇ 5ನ&ಮLP ಸೂೆ ಮುಂQೆ, Dಾ4 ಾ ೇಯ ಎಂದು <ೈದು ಾನು 5ನ&ನು& ಸುಮLೆ EಡುವMBಲ ಒಂದು ಗ4 ಾ^ಸುೆ2ೕೆಂದು _ೕವ <ೆದIೆ Yಾ`ರುಾ2ೆ. ನಂತರ ಾನು aಾನ ತbc ೆಳಗQೆ E7ಾ$ಗ ಅWೇ ೆಲಸ ಾಡುವ Aೇdಾ ಪeDಾ ರೕಶ ಮತು2 ಇತರರು :ೇIದಂೆ ನನ&ನು& ಎEf 5ೕರು ಕು0 ಸಾgಾನ ಪ0ದರು ೆಲ ಸಮಯದ ನಂತರ ನನ,ೆ ಪIಚಯರುವ ನಮL ಸಂಬಂJಾದ ೕAಾಂಜೇಯ ರವರನು& ಕAೆ iಾjೆ,ೆ ಬಂBದು$ ಆದ$Iಂದ ಾ,ೇಶ ಎಂಬುವವನು ನನ,ೆ ಅಡXಗVO ಸೂೆಮುಂQೆ Dಾ4 ಾೆಯ ಎಂದು ತುಚk"ಾ# <ೈದು _ೕವ <ೆದIೆ Yಾ` ೈ=ಂದ ನನ& ಬಲ ೆೆ&,ೆ YೊQೆBದು$ ಆತನ ೕWೆ ಾನೂನು ಕlಮ ಜರು#ಸ<ೇೆಂದು ಈ ಮೂಲಕ ತಮL ೇ!ೊಳ[mೆ2ೕೆ ಮೆ2 ನನ,ೆ ಾ*ಯ ಒದ#ಸ<ೇೆಂದು ೇ!