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NC: 2026:KHC:21080-DB CRL.A No. 530 of 2026

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 16^TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026

PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MOHAMMAD NAWAZ

AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.530 OF 2026 (21(NIA))

BETWEEN:

MR. SHAIKH MUHAMMED BILAL S/O. NIYAZ AHMED

AGED ABOUT 26 YEARS RESIDING AT NO.M 5, 3RD MAIN ROAD

KUSHAL NAGAR, K.G. HALLI BENGALURU NORTH

BENGALURU-560 057.

…APPELLANT (BY SRI RAHAMATHULLA KOTHWAL, ADVOCATE)

AND:

STATE BY NATIONAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY D igitally REPRESENTED BY SPECIAL PUBLIC PROSECUTOR signed by BENGALURU.

ANJALI M …RESPONDENT Location:

High Court (BY SRI PRASANNA KUMAR P., SPL.PP)

of Karnataka * * *

THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 21(4) OF THE NIA PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDER OF THE HON'BLE XLIX ADDITIONAL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS JUDGE AND SPECIAL COURT OF NIA CASES (CCH-50) AT BENGALURU DATED 3-3-2026 AND GRANT BAIL TO THE APPELLANT IN RC- 35/2020/NIA/DLI IN SPL.CC NO.141 OF 2021, INVESTIGATED BY NIA FOR THE OFFENCES U/S 120B, 143, 145, 147, 188, 353 AND

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NC: 2026:KHC:21080-DB CRL.A No. 530 of 2026

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427 R/W 34 AND 149 OF IPC SECTIONS 16, 18, 20 OF UA (P) AC 1967 AND SECTION 2 OF THE PREVENTION OF DESTRUCTION AND

LOSS OF PROPERTY ACT 1981 AND ETC.

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MOHAMMAD NAWAZ and

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T

ORAL JUDGMENT

(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MOHAMMAD NAWAZ)

Appellant/accused No.15 is before this Court in this

appeal preferred under Section 21(4) of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 (for short, "NIA Act"), being aggrieved by the Order dated 03.03.2026 passed by the Court of XLIX Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge (Special Court for the trial of NIA cases) (CCH-50), Bengaluru in Spl.C.No.141/2021, wherein appellant's application filed under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (for short, "Cr.P.C."), seeking regular bail

has been rejected.

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NC: 2026:KHC:21080-DB CRL.A No. 530 of 2026

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2. The appellant is seeking to set aside the

impugned order and consequently to enlarge him on bail.

3. The prayer in the appeal is opposed by the

learned Special Public Prosecutor appearing for the

State/NIA by filing statement of objection.

4. Heard both sides and perused the material on

record.

5. The appellant, arraigned as accused No.15, has

been charge sheeted for the offences under the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for short, "IPC") as well as under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (for short,

"UA(P) Act").

6. The Special Court has rejected the prayer for

bail, observing that it has already rejected his bail application, arriving at a conclusion that from the charge sheet materials placed on record, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the accusations made against him

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NC: 2026:KHC:21080-DB CRL.A No. 530 of 2026

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are prima-facie true. It is further observed that the observation of the Court was confirmed by this Court in Criminal Appeal No.585 of 2021 as well as by the Supreme Court in SLP (Criminal) No.1057 of 2022 and further, there

is a bar under Section 43D(5) of the UA(P) Act.

7. Appellant is seeking bail mainly on the ground

that similarly placed accused are enlarged on bail by this Court as well as by the Apex Court, which is not in dispute. The learned counsel for the appellant has filed a memo along with the order passed by the Apex Court in SLP (Criminal) No.11626 of 2025 connected with SLP (Criminal) No.14302 of 2025, granting bail to accused Nos.24 and 6, respectively and the order passed in SLP (Criminal) No.17354 of 2025 connected with SLP (Criminal) No.17070 of 2025, wherein the Hon'ble Apex Court has granted bail to accused Nos.25 and 11, respectively. Further, the order passed by this Court in Criminal Appeal No.1722 of 2025 granting bail to accused No.19 and Criminal Appeal No.425 of 2026, granting bail

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