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CRL.P No. 101176 of 2024
C/W CRL.P No. 102892 of 2023
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH
ST
DATED THIS THE 31 DAY OF JULY 2024
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR
CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 101176 OF 2024
C/W CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 102892 OF 2023
IN CRL. P NO.101176/2024
BETWEEN:
SHRI. MANJUNATH S/O. LAKSHMAN PUTANI
ALIAS MANJU, AGE: 25 YEARS,
OCC: PRIVATE JOB, R/O: CHEMPA HOSUR,
TAL: GADHAHINGLAJ, DIST: KOLHAPUR,
PRESENTLY RESIDING AT HOSAPETE VILLAGE,
TAL: HUKKERI, DIST: BELAGAVI – 591309.
…PETITIONER
(BY SRI. JAGADISH PATIL, ADVOCATE)
AND:
THE STATE OF KARNATAKA
THROUGH YAMAKANMARDI POLICE STATION,
R/BY ITS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,
HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA,
BENCH AT DHARWAD - 580001.
YASHAVANT
…RESPONDENT
NARAYANKAR
(BY SMT. GIRIJA S. HIREMATH, HCGP)
THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.P.C.,
Location: HIGH
COURT OF SEEKING TO ALLOW THE PETITION AND THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED
KARNATAKA
NO.8 MAY KINDLY BE ENLARGED ON BAIL IN S.C.5107/2022
PENDING BEFORE VII ADDL. SESSIONS JUDGE, BELAGAVI SITTING
AT CHIKKODI IN CONNECTION WITH YAMAKANMARDI POLICE
STATION IN CRIME NO.185/2022 FOR OFFENCE PUNISHABLE U/S
143, 147, 148, 120(B), 302, 504, 506 AND 201 R/W 149 OF IPC AND
U/S 25(1A) OF THE INDIAN ARMS ACT.
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CRL.P No. 101176 of 2024
C/W CRL.P No. 102892 of 2023
IN CRL. P NO.102892/2024
BETWEEN:
1. KEMPANNA S/O. ARJUN NESARAGI,
AGE: 26 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE,
2. YALLAPPA S/O. APPAYYA SHIVAPUR,
AGE: 33 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE,
(BOTH ARE R/O: HOSPATE, TQ: HUKKERI,
DIST: BELAGAVI – 591309).
…PETITIONERS
(BY SRI. JAGADISH PATIL, ADVOCATE)
AND:
THE STATE OF KARNATAKA
THROUGH YAMAKANMARDI POLICE STATION,
R/BY ITS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,
HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA BENCH,
AT DHARWAD.
…RESPONDENT
(BY SMT. GIRIJA S. HIREMATH, HCGP)
THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.P.C.,
SEEKING TO ALLOW THE PETITION AND THE PETITIONER/ACCUSED
NO.2 AND 5 MAY KINDLY BE ENLARGED ON BAIL IN CONNECTION
WITH YAMAKANMARDI POLICE STATION IN CRIME NO.185/2022 FOR
OFFENCES 143, 147, 148, 120-B, 302, 504, 506 AND 201 R/W 149
OF IPC AND SECTION 25(1A) OF THE INDIAN ARMS ACT., ON THE
FILE OF VII ADDL. DISTRICT & SESSIONS JUDGE, BELAGAVI
SITTING AT CHIKKODI.
THESE PETITIONS COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, THE
COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:
CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR
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CRL.P No. 101176 of 2024
C/W CRL.P No. 102892 of 2023
ORAL ORDER
Cr im in a l P etit io n No .1 0 117 6 /2 02 4 is f ile d b y
accu sed No. 8 and Cr im in a l Pe titio n
No .1 02 89 2 /2 0 2 3 is f ile d by accu se d No s.2 an d 5
u nd er Se ction 4 39 of the Cod e o f Cr im inal
P r oce du re se eking ba il in Cr im e No .1 85 /20 2 2 o f
Y am akan am ar ad i P o lice S tat ion r e giste re d fo r th e
o ffe nce s pu nish able und er Sectio n s 14 3 , 14 7 , 14 8,
1 09, 12 0 B , 30 2 , 5 0 4 and 5 0 6 re ad with Se ct io n
1 49 o f th e I nd ian Pe na l Co de and Se ct io n 25 (1 A )
o f th e I n dian Ar ms A ct.
2. Th e case o f pr o secut ions is that, accuse d
No .1 - Basa var a j h ad ran a way with the d au ghte r o f
o ne Ir app a Cho ug ala, who is th e ch air man o f
Ba sa ve sh w ar Bank and th e said accuse d No .1
d ou bte d the co mp lain an t’ s h usb an d that he w as
g iving inf or mat io n ab ou t th e daug hte r o f chair man
to him . I n an o th er in cide nt, t he son o f ac cu se d
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CRL.P No. 101176 of 2024
C/W CRL.P No. 102892 of 2023
No .1 g ot h it b y a b all and th er e fo re , the r e was a
f ig ht with th e comp lainant ’ s hu sb and an d an e ld er
p er so n b y name K allap p a Sidd app a Bhuj am go l
in te r ve ne d and pacif ied the q ua r re l. I n sp ite o f the
said aspe ct , a ccused No .1 is h av in g g ru dg e again st
th e h usb an d o f co mp la inant . I t is f ur the r state d
th at abo ut 25 d ay s pr ior to f ilin g o f the co mp laint ,
m othe r -in- law o f co mp lain an t was r oa m ing in f r o nt
o f the ir h ou se , the said a ccu sed No .1- Ba sav araj
came fr om the back sid e in a ve ry sp ee d ma nn er
and sto pp ed ve hicle r ig ht in fro nt o f th e moth er -in -
la w an d whe n sh e aske d wh y h e wa s d o in g so , th e
said accu se d No.1 -Ba sa var aj and 4 o the rs g ot
d own an d qu ar r ele d with the com p lain a nt’s
h usb an d. T he r e are ca se s re gist e re d of su ch a k in d
in th e Y am ak an mard i p o lice stat ion . I n this
b ackg ro un d w it h that gr ud ge , accused No .1 wit h an
in te nt io n to kill the hu sband of th e co mp lainant
n am e ly P ar ashu ram alo ng with accu se d No s.2 , 5 ,
8 , 9 and 1 0 who wer e wor kin g in th e f inan ce o f
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CRL.P No. 101176 of 2024
C/W CRL.P No. 102892 of 2023
accu sed No .1 to wh o m ac cu se d No .1 u se d to
p ro vide a lcoh o l and f oo d co n sp ir e d the m to kill th e
d ecea se d-Para shu r am. A ccu sed No.1 we nt alon g
w ith a ccuse d No s.2 and 5 to accu sed No.1 1 an d
asked h im to manu f actur e two talwar s and g ot
th ose t wo t a lw ar s and kep t in his e co spo r t car
No .K A -2 2/ M A-5 280 and also ke pt ch illy p o wd er .
T hat o n 16 .0 7 .2 02 2 a ll the accu se d in th e pr em ise s
o f Shr i. Mah at m a P hule I T I Co lle ge , H id aka l d u r in g
n ight h ou rs p lan ne d to kill the de ce ase d whe n h e
w ill tr ave l to H anum an Te mp le to H id aka l Da m o n
e ver y Satu rd ay by d ash in g with car to his
m oto rcycle . A ccu sed No .1 ga ve his e co spo r t car
No .K A -2 2/ M A-5 280 to accuse d Nos.2 , 5 an d 8 o n
1 5.0 7.20 22 in th e n ight and th ey o n 16 .07 .2 0 2 2 in
th e mo r ning ke ep wat ch in g ne ar H an uman Te mp le ,
H ida ka l Da m an d at that t im e accuse d No .1 w as in
h is fr ie nd ’ s car be ar ing r eg istr atio n No .K A-2 2/ MC-
5 056 and stand in g ne ar U r du Sch oo l. At th at tim e
accu sed No .9 intimate d ac cu se d Nos.2 , 5 a nd 8
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CRL.P No. 101176 of 2024
C/W CRL.P No. 102892 of 2023
r e gard ing the d ece ased ’ s mo ve me nts on his
m oto rcycle f ro m H o sape te Ag asi and at tha t t im e
accu sed No .2 d r ove eco sp or t car No .K A-2 2 / MA -
5 280 and the d ecea se d-Para sh ur am co m in g o n his
m oto rcycle b ea r ing r eg istrat io n No .K A-4 9 /L -79 6
n ear Ur du Scho o l at 10 .30 a .m . d ashe d it f ro m
f ro nt sid e wh ich cau se d inju ry to th e de ce ase d’s
le g and he fe ll do wn . At th at time accu se d N o s.2
and 8 assau lted h im with ta lwar s an d ab use d him.
At that time ac cuse d No .5 ab using th e de cease d
k icked h im an d the de cea se d by jo in ing h is h an d
p rays n ot to assau lt h im . A t that t im e , the y
assau lte d on h is hand s, he ad , fa ce and k ille d him.
Ac cu se d No .1 wh o was wat ching th e sam e at
d istan ce to o k a ccused No .5 in the car b ro ug ht b y
h im be ar ing r e g istr at io n No .K A-2 2 / MC-5 0 56 an d
accu sed No .9 to ok a ccu sed No s.2 an d 8 o n
m oto rcycle be a ring r e gistr at io n No.K A -22 /H J -77 7
and gave thr eat to CW -12 to f in ish h im , if he d oe s
so me thing an d a ccu sed Nos.1 an d 5 thr e w the ir
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CRL.P No. 101176 of 2024
C/W CRL.P No. 102892 of 2023
p ho ne s in H idakal r ive r and co mm itted th e alle ge d
o ffe nce s. The pe tit io ne rs/a ccuse d No s.2 , 5 an d 8,
who ar e in jud icia l custo d y, have f iled pe t it io n s
see kin g ba il b e for e th e Se ssion s Co ur t and th e
same came to be r ejecte d an d the r ef or e they ar e
b ef or e this Co ur t se e king ba il.
3. He ard th e ar gu me nts o f t he le ar ne d
coun se l for th e pe titio ne rs an d th e le arn ed H ig h
Co ur t G ove rn m e nt P leade r f o r the r e spo nd en t-
State .
4. L ear ne d co unse l f or the p etition er s wo u ld
conte nd th at the comp la in ant is n ot an e ye wit ne ss
to the incid en t an d sh e has nar rate d the aver me nts
o f co mp la in t as st ated to h er by on e Mah ante sh
Mar ut i R am ago natti (CW -7 ). I t is h is fu r th er
subm issio n th at the ver sion o f CW.1 state d in th e
co mp la int is d if f er e nt than the state m en t o f C W.7 ,
who is state d t o be o ne of the eye witne sse s. H e
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CRL.P No. 101176 of 2024
C/W CRL.P No. 102892 of 2023
conte nd s th at accu se d No s.1, 9, 1 0 and 11 have
b ee n gr an ted bail by th is Co ur t and the re fo re th e
p etit ion er s ar e also e ntit led fo r gr an t of ba il o n th e
g ro un d o f p arity. H e co nte nds th at the sa id
accu sed pe rson s who ar e on bail ha ve n ot
tamp er e d th e p r o secut ion witne sse s. H e con t en ds
th at the p etit io n er s/accu se d No s.2 , 5 and 8 ar e in
judicia l cu stod y sin ce last tw o year s an d the r e is
n o pr og re ss in the case r eg iste r ed again st t he m
and is no w p o ste d fo r h ear ing be for e char ge . On
th ese gr o und s, h e p rayed to allo w the pe t itio n s
and gr ant b ail t o accu se d No s.2 , 5 and 8.
5. Pe r co ntr a, learn ed H igh Cou rt
G ove rn me nt P le ad e r wou ld con ten d that CWs.7 to
1 1 are e ye wit ne sse s to th e in c id en t who have
state d sp ecif ica lly r eg ar din g the o ve r t acts o f th e
p etit ion er s i.e ., accu sed No s. 2, 5 and 8. Th e
p etit ion er s/accuse d No s.2 , 5 an d 8 in co n sp ir ac y
w ith accu se d No .1 , we nt to the spo t an d the y
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assau lte d with cho pp er and ca use d in jur ie s to th e
d ecea se d wh o su ccu mb ed to th e in jur ie s o n th e
spo t. T he p ostm or tem r e po rt ind icate th at
d ecea se d sust a in ed 1 4 inju rie s and cau se of d eath
is, d ue to in jur ie s su sta ine d . S he con ten ds th at
accu sed No .8 is also invo lved in com m issio n of a
m ur de r in G ading laj P o lice Stat io n Cr im e
No .8 1/2 0 19 and he is h av ing cr im ina l ante ce de nts.
I f the pe titio ne rs ar e g rante d b ail, th er e is thr e at
to the pr o se cut ion witne sse s . W ith this she pr aye d
to d ism iss the p e tit io n s.
6. Hav in g h ear d th e le arn ed co unse l, th e
Co ur t has p er use d the ch arg e-sh ee t r eco r ds.
Ac cu se d Nos.1 , 9, 10 an d 1 1 wh o h ave b ee n
g rante d b ail ar e no t accu sed o f an y o ve r t act o f
assau lt ing th e d ece a sed . On pe ru sal o f co lu mn
No .1 7 of the ch ar ge she et and also the state me nt
o f CW s.7 to 1 1 , th e over t act alle ge d aga in st the
p etit ion er s/accuse d No s. 2, 5 and 8 is a ssau ltin g
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th e de cea se d with the we ap on s. T he r efo r e, whe n
th er e is spe cif ic over t a ct alleg ed ag ain st th ese
p etit ion er s, th e y ar e n ot e ntit l ed fo r g r an t of bail
o n th e g ro un d o f par ity . A ccu sed No s.2 a nd 8
h ave ass au lte d th e d ecease d with chop pe r an d
accu sed No .5 has kicked the d ece a sed . D e ce ase d ,
who h ad su sta in ed 1 4 in ju r ie s, d ie d on th e sp ot.
T he Do cto r, who co nd u cted po stm o rte m
e xam in at ion ov e r th e d ead b ody of th e d e ce ase d ,
h as o p ine d th at cau se of d eat h is, a s a r e su lt o f
m u lt ip le cho p w ou nds o n h ead an d ne ck su sta ine d
b y the de ce ase d. Se rio u s o ve rt act s ar e a lle ge d
aga inst the p e tit ion er s/ac cu se d Nos.2 , 5 an d 8.
Me r ely be cau se the pe titio ne r s ar e in cust od y sin ce
la st t wo ye ar s, is n ot a g ro un d for gr an t o f bail
sin ce th e off en ces alleg ed aga in st the m ar e
p un ish ab le with d eath or imp r iso n m en t fo r lif e .
Ap ar t fr o m that , accu se d No .8 is also in vo lve d in
co mm issio n o f an off en ce u nde r Sectio n 3 0 2 o f I PC
in G ad ing laj P olice St at ion Crime No.8 1/ 2 01 9.
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H e nce , the pe titio ne rs /a ccuse d No .2 , 5 an d 8 ar e
n ot e ntit led fo r gr ant o f b ail.
H e nce , b oth the pe titio n s ar e d ism isse d .
Sd/-
(SHIVASHANKAR AMARANNAVAR)
JUDGE
kmv
Ct:anb