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NC: 2026:KHC:24798

CRL.P No. 7183 of 2026

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 19^TH DAY OF MAY, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND

CRIMINAL PETITION No. 7183 OF 2026

BETWEEN:

MR. RAJ KUMAR,

S /O ANIRUDH DAS,

AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS,

PERMANENTLY R/AT

GRAM KAMALPUR,

POST MOHDIPUR, HAJIPUR,

BHAGALPUR,

BIHAR - 812 006.

PRESENTLY R/AT

QUARTER No.E-6,

GROUND FLOOR, IWST CAMPUS,

18^TH CROSS ROAD,

MALLESHWARAM,

Digitally

BENGALURU - 560 003.

signed by

VINUTHA B S …PETITIONER

Location: H igh

Court of (BY SRI VINAY KUMAR SINGH, ADVOCATE)

Karnataka

AND:

STATE OF KARNATAKA,

BY SADASHIVANAGAR P.S.,

REPRESENTED BY ITS

STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,

HIGH COURT, BENGALURU.

…RESPONDENT

(BY SMT. RASHMI PATEL, HCGP)

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CRL.P No. 7183 of 2026

HC-KAR

THIS CRL.P. IS FILED UNDER SECTION 438 OF CR.PC

(FILED U/S 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS PETITION

AND PASS AN ORDER GRANTING ANTICIPATORY BAIL TO THE

PETITIONER IN THE EVENT OF HIS ARREST IN CRIME No.

2/2026 REGISTERED WITH SADASHIVA NAGAR POLICE

STATION FOR OFFENCES PUNISHABLE U/S. 319(2), 336(2),

336(3), 340(2), 61(2) OF THE BNS AND SECTION 10(1) OF

THE PUBLIC EXAMINATION (PREVENTIONS OF UNFAIR MEANS)

2024, PENDING BEFORE THE LEARNED 1^ST A.C.J.M. COURT,

BENGALURU CITY, PRODUCED VIDE ANNEXURE- A.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY,

ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND

ORAL ORDER

Heard Sri Vinay Kumar Singh, learned counsel appearing

for the petitioner/accused No.6, and Smt. Rashmi Patel,

learned High Court Government Pleader appearing for the

respondent–State.

2. This Criminal Petition is filed under Section 482 of the

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short, ‘BNSS’)

by accused No.6 seeking grant of anticipatory bail in Crime

No.2/2026 dated 08.01.2026 registered by the Sadashivanagar

Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the offences punishable

under Sections 319(2), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2) and 61(2) of

the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short, ‘BNS’) and

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HC-KAR

Section 10(1) of the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair

Means) Act, 2024.

3. The brief facts of the case are that the complaint came to

be lodged by the Director, Institute of Wood Science and

Technology (IWST), Bengaluru, alleging impersonation of

candidates who appeared in the examination conducted as part

of the recruitment process and the involvement of seven

accused persons. It is submitted that the recruitment process in

question had been conducted several years prior to the coming

into force of the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair

Means) Act, 2024 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. It is

further submitted that the police are attempting to arrest the

petitioner, though custodial interrogation of the petitioner is not

required. Hence, the present petition is filed seeking

anticipatory bail.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner/accused No.6 submits

that custodial interrogation of the petitioner is not required. It

is contended that there is no prima facie material against the

petitioner and that he has a reasonable apprehension of being

arrested and harassed by the police. It is further submitted that

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CRL.P No. 7183 of 2026

HC-KAR

accused No.1 had preferred Criminal Petition No.2491/2026

seeking anticipatory bail and this Court, by order dated

29.04.2026, granted anticipatory bail to accused No.1. Having

regard to the identical nature of the offences alleged in the FIR,

it is contended that the petitioner is also entitled to similar

relief on the ground of parity.

5. Per contra, the learned High Court Government Pleader

appearing for the respondent–State submits that the offences

alleged against the petitioner are serious in nature and that, if

the petitioner is granted anticipatory bail, he may not

cooperate with the investigation and examination, and may

also obstruct the course of a fair investigation.

6. Having considered the submissions made by the learned

counsel for the petitioner