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NC: 2026:KHC:24735

CRL.P No. 6876 of 2026

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 14^TH DAY OF MAY, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.G.S. KAMAL

CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 6876 OF 2026

BETWEEN:

SRINIVASA REDDY

S/O LATE A. MUNIREDDY,

AGED ABOUT 71 YEARS,

RESIDING AT NO 953, 3^RD FLOOR,

8^TH CROSS, 27^TH MAIN, 1^ST SECTOR,

HSR LAYOUT, BANGALORE-560 102

…PETITIONER

(BY SRI. V. LAKSHMIKANTH RAO, ADVOCATE)

AND:

STATE OF KARNATAKA

BY HSR LAYOUT POLICE STATION,

REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,

Digitally HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA COURT COMPLEX,

signed by

BANGALORE-560 001

SUMA B N

…RESPONDENT

Location:

HIGH COURT (BY SMT. RASHMI PATEL, HCGP)

OF

KARNATAKA

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483

BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONER ON BAIL IN

CRIME NO.129/2026 OF HSR LAYOUT POLICE STATION FOR

THE OFFENCES P/U/S 80(2), 85, R/W 3(5) OF BNS 2023

PENDING BEFORE THE 39TH ADDL.CMM AT BANGALORE.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY,

ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

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

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CRL.P No. 6876 of 2026

HC-KAR

ORAL ORDER

This petition is filed by the father-in-law of the

victim, aged about 71 years arraigned as accused No.2 in

crime No.129/2026 for the offences punishable under

Section 80(2), 85 r/w Section 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya

Sanhita, 2023 (herein referred to as ' BNS Act' for short)

registered before HSR Layout, police.

2. A complaint dated 27.03.2026 has been filed by

one Smt. Shantamma, mother of the victim, alleging that

the victim was earlier married to one Rajesh in the year

2016 and she had obtained divorce and thereafter her

marriage was solemnized with accused No.1 i.e.,

Venkatesh Reddy on 18.11.2024. It is further alleged

that accused No.1 i.e., the husband of the victim and

accused Nos.2 and 3 i.e. the father-in-law and mother-in-

law respectively had subjected her to mental harassment,

insisting for dowry. It is also alleged that a child was

born out of the marriage between the victim and the

accused No.1 which had led to further demand for

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CRL.P No. 6876 of 2026

HC-KAR

payment of money and gold and all the ceremonies after

the birth of the child was performed by the parents of the

victim. It is further alleged that three days prior to the

incident, there was a quarrel at the instance of accused

No.3-mother-in-law, on account of accused No.1, having

brought a normal saree instead of a silk saree which had

caused stress to the victim and the victim had shared this

incident with her sister. She had also expressed that she

was finding it difficult to live with the accused persons. It

is also alleged that on 27.03.2026, the victim had made a

video call to her brother at 09.00 a.m. as usual and she

found to be happy. Then about 11.00 a.m., the

complainant received a call from accused No.2 asking her

to come immediately to their house. When they reached

the house, they were informed about the victim having

locked up herself in a room and refusing to open the door.

That in their presence accused No.1, they broke open the

door of the room by a hammer and found victim being

hung from a ceiling fan which had led to the suspicion

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CRL.P No. 6876 of 2026

HC-KAR

regarding her death. Accordingly, the complaint was filed

and the case in crime No.129/2026 is registered by the

respondent-police for the offences punishable under

Section 80(2), 85 r/w Section 3(5) of BNS Act.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner taking this

Court through the records submits that the petitioner

herein is aged 71 years and is suffering from ailment and

he is innocent. No prima facie case is made against him

linking the unfortunate death of the victim to any of his

conduct. He specifically points out to unnumbered

paragraph 1 of page No.13 of the complaint and

unnumbered paragraph 2 of the said page and submit that

both the contents of the said paragraphs are contrary to

each other.

4. He also submits that even if the said averments

are taken on the face value, the same would rev