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Smt. Lakshmi vs State Of Karnataka
2026 Latest Caselaw 1548 Kant

Citation : 2026 Latest Caselaw 1548 Kant
Judgement Date : 20 February, 2026

[Cites 9, Cited by 0]

Karnataka High Court

Smt. Lakshmi vs State Of Karnataka on 20 February, 2026

Author: Shivashankar Amarannavar
Bench: Shivashankar Amarannavar
                                                  -1-
                                                             NC: 2026:KHC:10648
                                                        CRL.P No. 17735 of 2025


                       HC-KAR




                        IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

                           DATED THIS THE 20TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026

                                              BEFORE
                      THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR
                                CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 17735 OF 2025
                                     [(439(Cr.PC) / 483(BNSS)]
                      BETWEEN:

                      SMT. LAKSHMI
                      W/O SRI. NAGARAJU,
                      AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS,
                      RESIDING AT ANANTHA NILAYA,
                      NEAR GURUMALLESHWARA MUTT,
                      DEVEGOWDA CIRCLE, MYSURU CITY,
                      MYSURU DISTRICT - 570 016.
                                                                  ...PETITIONER
                      (BY SRI. RAJANNA C., ADVOCATE)

                      AND:

                      STATE OF KARNATAKA
                      BY VARUNA POLICE STATION,
                      MYSURU CITY,
Digitally signed by
LAKSHMINARAYANA       MYSURU DISTRICT,
MURTHY RAJASHRI
Location: HIGH
                      REPRESENTED BY ITS SPP,
COURT OF              HIGH COURT BUILDING,
KARNATAKA
                      BANGALORE - 560 001.
                                                                 ...RESPONDENT
                      (BY SMT. WAHEEDA M.M., HCGP)

                             THIS CRL.P IS FILED UNDER SECTION 439 CR.P.C
                      (UNDER SECTION 483 BNSS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE HER ON
                      BAIL IN CRIME NO.95/2025 (S.C.NO.184/2025) OF VARUNA
                      POLICE STATION, MYSURU, FOR THE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE
                             -2-
                                        NC: 2026:KHC:10648
                                  CRL.P No. 17735 of 2025


HC-KAR




UNDER SECTIONS 189(2), 191(2), 191(3), 61, 103(1), 49 AND
238 READ WITH SECTION 190 OF BNS, PENDING ON THE FILE
OF III ADDITIONAL SESSIONS JUDGE, MYSURU CITY.

     THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY,
ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:


CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR


                       ORAL ORDER

This petition is filed by accused No.7 under Section

483 of Bharatiya Nagrika Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 praying

to grant bail in S.C.No.184/2025 (Crime No.95/2025 of

Varuna Police Station, Mysuru), pending on the file of III

Additional Sessions Judge, Mysuru, registered for offences

punishable under Sections 189(2), 191(2), 191(3), 61,

103(1), 49 and 238 read with Section 190 of Bharatiya

Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

2. Heard learned counsel for petitioner and

learned High Court Government Pleader for respondent -

State.

NC: 2026:KHC:10648

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3. Learned counsel for petitioner would contend

that, the allegation of assault by deadly weapon on the

deceased is against accused Nos.1 to 5. The allegation

against the petitioner is that she made a whatsapp call to

accused No.1 and told him that deceased - Karthik,

Avinash, Anandgowda, Venkatashetty have made ready

the boys to finish him and she instigated that the

deceased Karthik has also cheated her by marrying one

Neela and instigated him to kill the deceased and

intimated that the deceased is staying with Neela in Yathin

Hotel since one week. The petitioner is a woman and she

is in judicial custody since 06.05.2025. As the charge

sheet is filed, she is not required for further custodial

interrogation. There are no criminal antecedents of the

petitioner. With these, he prayed to allow the petition.

4. Per contra, learned High Court Government

Pleader for respondent would contend that, the petitioner

had made a whatsapp call to accused No.1 and instigated

him to kill the deceased as he has cheated her and

NC: 2026:KHC:10648

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marrying one Neela and staying with Neela in Yathin Hotel

since one week. The charge sheet materials show that,

there is a prima-facie case against the petitioner for

offences alleged against her. With these, she prayed for

dismissal of the petition.

5. Having heard the learned counsels appearing

for parties, the Court has perused the charge sheet and

other materials placed on record.

6. As per charge sheet, on 05.05.2025 at

01.40 a.m., when deceased Karthik came in Thar jeep and

got down at the main gate of Yathin hotel and when he

intended to go inside the hotel at that time, accused Nos.2

to 4 came on scooter and made drama of talking with the

deceased. At that time, accused No.2 held the deceased

and made him to fall on the ground and held him and at

that time, accused Nos.1, 3, 5 and 6 came in Tata Sumo

to that place and accused Nos.1, 3 and 5 were holding the

deadly weapons. Accused Nos.1, 3 and 5 assaulted the

NC: 2026:KHC:10648

HC-KAR

deceased with long chopper on his face, head, neck and

shoulder. At the time, the long chopper used by accused

No.5 has been cut and accused No.2 went running and

brought another long chopper kept in Tata Sumo and

assaulted with it on the face and head of the deceased and

accused No.4 has also assaulted the deceased with dagger

on his chest and neck and killed him. The allegation

against this petitioner as per charge sheet is that she

made a phone call to accused No.1 through whatsapp and

told him that deceased and his men are planning to kill

him and deceased has also cheated her by marrying Neela

and he is staying with Neela in Yathin hotel since one week

and instigated him to kill the deceased Karthik. There is no

allegation against this petitioner of assaulting the

deceased. The said allegation of assaulting the deceased is

against accused Nos.1 to 5. The petitioner is a woman and

she is in judicial custody since 06.05.2025 and as the

charge sheet is filed, she is not required for further

NC: 2026:KHC:10648

HC-KAR

custodial interrogation. There are no criminal antecedents

of the petitioner.

7. Considering all the above aspects, the petitioner

has made out a case for grant of bail with conditions. In

the result, the following;

ORDER The Criminal Petition is allowed. The petitioner is

granted bail in S.C.No.184/2025 (Crime No.95/2025 of

Varuna Police Station), pending on the file of III Additional

Sessions Judge, Mysuru, subject to following conditions:

i) The petitioner shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with one surety for the like-sum to the satisfaction of the trial Court.

ii) The petitioner shall not tamper the prosecution witnesses either directly or indirectly.

NC: 2026:KHC:10648

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iii) The petitioner shall appear before the trial Court on all dates of hearing unless exempted by the Court and cooperate for speedy disposal of the case.

Sd/-

(SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR) JUDGE

KLV List No.: 1 Sl No.: 41

 
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