Karnataka High Court
Praveena @ Lucifer vs The State Of Karnataka on 25 March, 2026
Author: S Vishwajith Shetty
Bench: S Vishwajith Shetty
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NC: 2026:KHC:16979
CRL.P No. 280 of 2026
HC-KAR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 25TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY
CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 280 OF 2026 (439(Cr.PC) /
483(BNSS))
BETWEEN:
1. PRAVEENA @ LUCIFER (A-5) S/O RAJU,
AGE ABOUT 23 YEARS,
RESIDING NEAR LAVANYA BAR,
ADUGODI MAIN ROAD, ADUGODI,
BENGALURU-560 030.
2. SOMASHEKAR @ SOMASHEKARNATH
@ SOMA @ KATLU (A-7),
S/O. UMESH KUMAR,
AGE ABOUT 23 YEARS,
RESIDING AT NO.3/3,
OPP. CORPORATION KALYANA MANTAPA,
KORAMANGALA MAIN ROAD, AUDUGODI,
BENGALURU-560030.
Digitally signed ...PETITIONERS
by SACHIN
Location: HIGH (BY SRI. TIGADI VEERANNA GADIGEPPA, ADVOCATE
COURT OF
KARNATAKA THROUGH (VC))
AND:
THE STATE OF KARNATAKA,
BY KORAMANGALA P.S.,
REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,
HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA,
BENGALURU-560001.
...RESPONDENT
(BY SRI HARISH GANAPATHI, HCGP THROUGH (VC))
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NC: 2026:KHC:16979
CRL.P No. 280 of 2026
HC-KAR
THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483
BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONERS ON BAIL IN
SC NO.1416/2021 (CRIME NO.156/2021) FOR THE OFFENCE
PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION 143, 145, 147, 148, 120(B),
201, 307, 35, 37 R/W 149 OF IPC AND SECTION 25(1), (1-B),
27(3) OF INDIAN ARMS ACT 1959 FILED BY THE RESPONDENT
KORAMANGALA POLICE PENDING BEFORE THE HONBLE COURT
OF THE LXVI ADDL. CITY AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT
BENGALURU (CCH-67).
THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY,
ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY
ORAL ORDER
Accused Nos.5 and 7 in S.C.No.1416/2021 pending before the Court of LXVI Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru City arising out of Crime No.156/2021 registered by Koramangala Police Station, Bengaluru for the offences punishable under Sections 143, 145, 147, 148, 120(B), 201, 307, 302, 35, 37 read with Section 149 of IPC and Section 25(1)(1b) and 27(3) of Indian Arms Act, 1959 are before this Court in this successive bail application filed under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 of BNSS 2023 and 439 of Cr.P.C. -3-
NC: 2026:KHC:16979 CRL.P No. 280 of 2026 HC-KAR
2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties.
3. FIR in Crime No.156/2021 was registered by Koramangala Police Station, Bengaluru against 9 named persons and others based on the first information dated 19.07.2021 received from Smt. Jennifer, who is the wife of deceased Joseph Babu. During the course of investigation, petitioners herein were arrested on 23.07.2021 and remanded to judicial custody. After completing investigation, charge sheet has been filed against 11 persons and petitioners are arrayed as accused No.5 and 7 in the charge sheet. Their bail application filed earlier was rejected by the jurisdictional Sessions Court and therefore they had approached this Court in Crl.P.No.6345/2025 and Crl.P.No.4024/2025, which was dismissed as not pressed on 25.06.2025 with liberty to the petitioners to approach this Court afresh after they are granted bail in Crime No.16/2024 registered by Vivekanagar Police Station, Bengaluru for offences punishable under Sections 35, 37, 120(B), 201, 302, 324, 427, 452 of IPC, Section 25(1)(1b), -4- NC: 2026:KHC:16979 CRL.P No. 280 of 2026 HC-KAR 27(3) of Indian Arms Act and Sections 3(1)(i) and 3(2), 3(4) of the Karnataka Control of Organized Crime Act, 2000. It is under this circumstance, petitioners are before this Court in this successive bail application.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that allegation against the petitioners and accused No.8 to 11 in the charge sheet are identical. Accused No.8 to 11 have been granted bail by this Court in Crl.P.No.1984/2023, Crl.P.No.2039/2023 dated 08.12.2023 and Crl.P.No.15099/2025 dated 12.01.2026. He submits that petitioners have been now granted regular bail in Crime No.16/2024 registered by Viveknagar Police and has placed reliance on the order dated 03.09.2025 passed by the Court of Principal City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru in Special CC No.1502/2024, which arises from Crime No.16/2024.
5. Per contra, learned High Court Government Pleader who has opposed the petition, however does not -5- NC: 2026:KHC:16979 CRL.P No. 280 of 2026 HC-KAR dispute the submission made by learned counsel for the petitioners.
6. Perusal of the charge sheet would go to show that allegation of assaulting the deceased Joseph Babu with deadly weapons is as against accused Nos.1 to 3, who are in custody. Petitioners who are arrayed as accused No.5 and 7 in the charge sheet had allegedly conspired with the other accused to commit the murder of deceased Joseph Babu and on the date of incident, they were allegedly armed with deadly weapons and were found standing outside the bank and threatening the public. There is no allegation against the petitioners about they assaulting the deceased and no other overt acts are alleged against them.
7. Learned High Court Government Pleader has not disputed the submission made by the learned counsel for the petitioners that allegation as against accused No.8 to 11 are similar to the allegation found against the petitioners in the charge sheet. Accused No.8 to 10 have -6- NC: 2026:KHC:16979 CRL.P No. 280 of 2026 HC-KAR been granted regular bail by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in Crl.P.No.1984/2023 and Crl.P.No.2039/2023 disposed of on 08.12.2023. Accused No.11 has been granted regular bail by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in Crl.P.No.15099/2025 disposed of on 12.01.2026. Petitioners have produced the copy of the order passed in Special CC No.1502/2024 by the Court of Principal City Civil and Sessions Judge dated 03.09.2025 wherein they have been granted regular bail in Crime No.16/2024 registered by Viveknagar Police Station, Bengaluru. Petitioners are in custody for the last more than three and half years.
8. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that material charge sheet witnesses have been already examined before the trial Court and therefore, there cannot be apprehension that petitioners may tamper with the material charge sheet witnesses.
9. Under the aforesaid circumstances, I am of the opinion that the prayer made by the petitioners for grant -7- NC: 2026:KHC:16979 CRL.P No. 280 of 2026 HC-KAR of regular bail in this successive bail petition needs to be answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order:
ORDER
i) The Criminal Petition is allowed.
ii) The petitioners/accused No.5 and 7 are directed to be enlarged on bail in Crime No.156/2021 of Koramangala Police Station, Bengaluru City, registered for the offence punishable under Sections 143, 145, 147, 148, 120(B), 201, 307, 302, 35, 37 read with Section 149 of IPC and Section 25(1)(1b) and 27(3) of Indian Arms Act, 1959 pending in S.C.No.1416/2021 on the file of the LXVI Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Bengaluru (CCH-
67) subject to the following conditions:
a) The petitioners shall execute personal bonds for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- each with two sureties for the likesum, to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court;
b) The petitioners shall appear regularly on all the dates of hearing before the Trial Court -8- NC: 2026:KHC:16979 CRL.P No. 280 of 2026 HC-KAR unless the Trial Court exempts their appearance for valid reasons;
c) The petitioners shall not directly or indirectly threaten or tamper with the prosecution witnesses;
d) The petitioners shall not involve in similar offences in future;
e) The petitioners shall not leave the jurisdiction of the Trial Court without permission of the said Court until the case registered against them is disposed off.
Sd/-
(S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE SN List No.: 19 Sl No.: 3