Karnataka High Court
Praveen vs State By The Station House Officer on 10 November, 2025
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CRL.A No. 1809 of 2025
HC-KAR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 10TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 1809 OF 2025 (U/S 14(A) (2))
BETWEEN:
PRAVEEN,
S/O LATE VEERESH,
AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS,
R/AT BLOCK NO.28 NCIG,
KHB COLONY, YELAHANKA NEW TOWN,
BANGALORE, PERMANENT- BANASANKRI SHOP
NEAR, GOKUL ROAD HUBBLI TOWN,
HUBBLI DHARWAD CITY,
PINCODE -580030
...APPELLANT
(BY SRI. RANGANATH REDDY R., ADVOCATE)
AND:
1. STATE BY
Digitally signed THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER,
by DODDABALLAPURA WOMAN POLICE STATION,
SHARADAVANI
B RESPONDENT NO1 C BANGALORE RURAL,
Location: High (REPRESENTED BY THE STATE PUBLIC
Court of
Karnataka PROSECUTOR), HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA,
PIN CODE-560001
2. KUM AISHWARY S HOUNSANUR,
S/O SHESHAPPA HOUSANUR,
AGED ABOUT 20 YEARS,
R/AT ATHREYA AYURVEDIC COLLEGE,
HOME STAY PG DB PURA, NATIVE PLACE
GANDINAGAR, GADAGA TOWN, KASABHA,
DODDABALLAPURA TALUK,
BANGALORE DISTRICT PIN CODE-573102
...RESPONDENTS
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CRL.A No. 1809 of 2025
HC-KAR
(BY SRI. B.LAKSHMAN, HCGP FOR R1;
V/O DTD 10/11/2025;
NOTICE TO R2 ALREADY SERVED AND UNREPRESENTED)
THIS CRL.A IS FILED U/S 14(A)2) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT
PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 30.08.2025
PASSED BY PRL.DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE BENGALURU
RURAL AT BENGALURU IN CRL.MISC.NO.1552/2025 AND
ORDER THE APPELLANT TO BE ENLARGED ON BAIL IN
CR.NO.21/2025 FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 64,87,351(2),3(5) OF
BNS ACT 2023 AND SEC.3CL,2(5) OF SC/ST (POA) ACT
THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY,
JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G BASAVARAJA
ORAL JUDGMENT
The appellant has preferred this appeal against the
order passed by the IInd Additional District and Special
Judge, Bengaluru Rural District, Bengaluru, in
Crl.Misc.No.1552/2025, dated 30.08.2025.
2. The brief facts of the case are that on the basis
of the complaint filed by the complainant - informant,
Bengaluru Rural District Women Police Station, Bengaluru,
have registered a crime in Crime No.21/2025 against
accused Nos.1 and 2 for the offence punishable under
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Sections-64, 64(2), 87, 351(2) read with Section-3(5) of
BNS, 2023. After investigation, the Investigating Officer
has submitted the charge-sheet against accused nos. 1
and 2 for the offence under Section-64, 87, 351(2) of
BNS,2023 and also under Section-3(2)(v) of SC/ST (POA)
Act, 1989. The appellant had filed an application under
Section-483 of BNS, Act for grant of regular bail and the
same came to be rejected. Being aggrieved by this order,
the appellant/accused no. 2 has preferred this appeal.
3. The learned counsel for the appellant would
submit that respondent no.2 in her complaint itself has
admitted that she has met accused no.1 through
SNAPCHAT and both of them got acquainted. The same
infers that accused no.1 and respondent no.2 were in a
consensual relationship. Though the alleged incident is
said to have taken place on 25.01.2025, the complaint
was lodged on 10.02.2025, wherein it creates a serious
doubt about the alleged incident. In the FSL report it is
stated that there were no seminal stains, spermatozoa and
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vaginal secretions were not detected in any of the items
seized from the defacto complainant.
4. Perusal of the statement of CW-6, who is the
Manager of Athithi Homes, where the defacto complainant
was residing, reveals that, on 04.02.2025, she was
informed by the defacto complainant that she wants to go
to her brother's house and she sought permission from
CW-6 by confirming the same over her mobile phone. CW-
6, upon getting suspicious, informed the same to defacto
complainant's father, which is when the defacto
complainant had come back to her PG. On 05.02.2025, the
sister of defacto complainant had taken her away from
Athithi homes. On perusal of the statement of CW6, it is
clear that the defacto complainant has lodged the
complaint only after her father and her sister, got
suspicious on her and in order to escape from her family
members, the defacto complainant had lodged this false
complaint against the accused persons. Respondent no.2
has included the present appellant only to harass him out
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of vengeance and wrongful motive. On these grounds
sought to allow the appeal.
5. As against this, the learned HCGP would submit
that there are prima-facie materials to attract alleged
commission of offences which are heinous in nature, hence
sought for dismissal for this appeal.
6. I have examined the materials placed before
this Court. On the basis of the complaint filed by the
complainant/informant, the Bengaluru District Women
Police Station have registered a case against the accused
nos.1 and 2 viz., Mahesh Gowda and Praveen for the
offence punishable under Sections-64, 64(2), 87, 351(2)
read with Section-3(5) of BNS, 2023. The accused /
appellant was arrested on 11.02.2025 and he was
remanded to judicial custody. Till this day, the accused is
in judicial custody. After investigation, the Investigating
Officer has submitted the charge-sheet against the
accused for the offence punishable under Sections-64,
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64(2), 87, 351(2) read with Section-3(5) of BNS, 2023
read with Section-3(2)(v) of SC/ST (POA) Act, 1989. At
the time of filing FIR, the Investigating Officer has not
registered the case under the penal provisions of SC/ST
(POA) Act, 1989. After investigation, the Investigating
Officer has inserted the penal provisions of SC/ST (POA)
Act, 1989. In the charge-sheet it is alleged as under:
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7. The medico-legal examination report of sexual
violence, issued by the concerned Medical Officer, reveals
that the age of the victim is 20 years. The date of birth of
the victim is 21.02.2005. At the time of the alleged
incident, the victim is a major. In column No.15, the
history of sexual violence reveals as under:
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"(vii) Description of incident in the words of the
narrator explained in Kannada language.
Kumari Aishwarya S, Hounsanur
Initially she met in snapchat e Mahesh
gowda in december month & both were doing
video calls & became more close friends. One
day Mahesh gowda on 25th January 2025 Called
& invited for dinner, initially she refused to come
outside PG hostel later he (Mahesh gowda)
threatened her saying that he will kill her parents
& she accepted went outside in car. In car she,
Mahesh gowda & Praveen 3 went in Highway &
given some ice cream & she ate & her eyes
become blurred & they stopped the car & inside
car Mahesh gowda had sexual intercourse with
her then they went to Royal AC Stopover in
Yelahanka around 8 pm.
On 25/1/2025, stayed overnight Praveen had
Sexual intercourse with her on that night but
morning when she woke up she was beside the
Praveen & he told her take bath and we will
leave then she did take bath & wear dress and
Praveen left her in bus stop and she went to PG
hostel at about 11 pm on 26/1/2085. On 24th
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February 2025 again Mahesh gowda called her &
threatened her saying killing her Parents & asked
her to come outside the hostel then she went out
of hostel, seen by warden and informed her
Parents. Her mother called and asked her to
come back then she came to hostel, next day on
5th February 2025 her sister came to hostel and
she took her to her Whitefield home and did
urine pregnancy test at home it came negative
and informed to her mother later her parents
came and enquired all the matter and given
complaints and now brought for medical
examination."
8. The FSL opinion kept pending as FSL report is
awaited.
9. A perusal of the materials placed before me at
this stage, reveals that the investigation is already
completed. Accused is not required for further
investigation. Considering the accusation made against the
present appellant and delay in filing the complaint, I'am of
the opinion that it is just and proper to allow this appeal
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without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case.
Accordingly, I proceed to pass the following:
ORDER
i) Appeal is allowed.
ii) The impugned order passed by the IInd Additional
District and Special Judge, Bengaluru Rural District,
Bengaluru, in Crl.Misc.No.1552/2025, dated
30.08.2025 is set-aside.
iii) Consequently, application filed under Section-483 of
BNS, 2023 is allowed.
iv) Accused/appellant shall be released on bail on
executing a self-bond of Rs.1,00,000/- with one
surety for like sum to the satisfaction of the trial
Court.
v) The appellant shall not tamper or threaten the
prosecution witnesses in any manner.
vi) The appellant shall not enter into similar offences.
vii) The appellant shall appear before the Trial Court on
all the dates of hearing.
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viii) The appellant shall not leave the jurisdiction without
prior permission of the Trial Court.
Sd/-
(G BASAVARAJA)
JUDGE
JJ
