SRI. RAMESHA vs THE STATE OF KARNATAKA
- Court
- Karnataka High Court
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HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:57722
CRL.P No. 15526 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 15226 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010695502026
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
TH
DATED THIS THE 13 DAY OF OCTOBER, 2026
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY
CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 15526 OF 2026
C/W
CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 15226 OF 2026
IN CRL.P No. 15526/2026:
BETWEEN:
1. SRI MAHADEVA
S/O JADEYA
AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS
R/AT. HOSAPODU VILLAGE
BYLURU, HANUR TALUK
CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT - 571 441.
2. SRI RAMESH
S/O HAALU MADAYYA
AGED ABOUT 23 YEARS
R/AT. MAAVATOORU VILLAGE
VADAYARA PALYA
HANUR TALUK,
CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT - 571 441
…PETITIONERS
Digitally signed
by NANDINI D
Location:
HIGH COURT
OF
KARNATAKA
(BY SRI GAURAV SUBRAMANYAM, ADV.)
AND:
STATE OF KARNATAKA
BY RANGE FOREST OFFICER
GOPALASWAMY BETTA RANGE
GUNDLUPETE TALUK
CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT
REP BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
HIGH COURT COMPLEX
BENGALURU-560-001.
…RESPONDENT
(BY SRI RAHUL RAI K, HCGP)
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CRL.P No. 15526 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 15226 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010695502026
THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483 BNSS)
PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONERS ON REGULAR BAIL IN
WLOR NO.4/2026 -2027 OF THE RESPONDENT NO.1 BY RFO,
GOPALA SWAMY BETTA RANGE, GUNDLUPETE TALUK,
CHAMARAJANGARA DIST. FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S
2(31),39,44,49(b) AND 51 OF WILDLIFE PROTECTION ACT 1972
PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE HONBLE SENIOR CIVIL JUDGE AND
J.M.F. COURT GUNDLUPET.
IN CRL.P NO. 15226/2026:
BETWEEN:
1. SRI RAMESHA
S/O HALU MALLAYYA
AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS
R/AT HAGGADAHALLA VILLAGE
DEVARAHALLI POST, GUNDLUPET TALUK
CHAMARAJANAGARA - 571 126.
2. CHANDU
S/O SWAMY
AGE 21 YEARS
HANGALA HOBLI
HAGGADAHALLI VILLAGE
GUNDLUPET TALUK
DEVARAHALLI POST
CHAMARAJANAGARA -571126.
3. KRISHNA
HAGGADAHALLA VILLAGE
AGE 32 YEARS
GUNDLUPET TALUK
S/O KULLURU MAHADEVA
DEVARAHALLI POST
CHAMARAJANAGARA-571126.
...PETITIONERS
(BY SRI SAMPATH KUMAR A.V, ADV.)
AND:
1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA
THROUGH RFO
GOPALA SWAMY BETTA RANGE
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CRL.P No. 15526 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 15226 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010695502026
MELUKAMANAHALLI
GUNDLUPETE, GUNDLUPET RANGE
CHAMARAJANAGARA DISTRICT
REP. BY ITS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
BENGALURU - 560 001.
...RESPONDENT
(BY SRI RAHUL RAI K, HCGP)
THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNSS)
PRAYING TO ALLOW THIS PETITION AND ENLARGE THE
PETITIONER ON ANTICIPATORY BAIL IN THE EVENT OF HIS
ARREST IN WLOR NO.4/2026-27 FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S
2(31),39,44,49(b),51 OF WILDLIFE PROTECTION ACT BY RFO
GOPLA SWAMY BETTR RANGE, GUNDLUPETE PENDING ON THE
FILE OF THE SENIOR CIVIL JUDGE AND J.M.F.C COURT
GUNDLUPET.
THESE PETITIONS, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY,
ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY
ORAL ORDER
Accused Nos.1 to 4 in WLOR No.04/2026-2027
registered by Range Forest Officer, Gopala Swamy Betta
Range, Gundlupete Taluk, Chamarajanagara District, for
the offences punishable under Sections 2(31), 39, 44,
49(b) and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, are
before this Court in these two petitions filed under
Sections 482 and 483 of BNSS, 2023, seeking anticipatory
bail and regular bail, respectively.
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CRL.P No. 15526 of 2026
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2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties.
3. It is the case of the prosecution that, based on
the credible information received on 11.08.2026, accused
Nos.1 and 2 were apprehended and from their possession,
four tiger canines, one tiger claw, two tiger molar teeth, a
mobile phone and other articles were recovered.
Subsequently, accused Nos.1 and 2 were arrested and
remanded to judicial custody. Their bail application filed
before the jurisdictional Sessions Court in
Crl.Misc.No.372/2026 was rejected. Therefore, they are
before this Court in Crl.P.No.15526/2026.
4. It appears that, based on the confession
statements of accused Nos.1 and 2, accused Nos.3 to 5
are also arrayed as accused in the FIR. Therefore,
apprehending their arrest, accused Nos.3 and 4 had
approached jurisdictional Sessions Court in
Crl.Misc.No.349/2026 which was rejected. Therefore, they
are before this court in Crl.P.No.15226/2026.
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CRL.P No. 15526 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 15226 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010695502026
5. Accused Nos.1 and 2, who were apprehended in
the present case, were found in possession of tiger
canines, tiger claw and tiger molar teeth. It is under these
circumstances, WLOR was registered invoking aforesaid
offences punishable under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
as against accused Nos.1 and 2 and three others. The
maximum punishment for the alleged offences is
imprisonment for a period of seven years. Accused Nos.1
and 2 are in custody since 11.08.2026.
6. The submission made by the learned counsel
for the petitioners that the accused persons in the present
case have no criminal antecedents is not disputed by the
learned High Court Government Pleader.
7. Accused Nos.3 and 4 have been implicated in
the present case only based on the confession statements
of accused Nos.1 and 2, who are arrested and remanded
to custody. Investigation of the case is already completed
in the present case and accused Nos.1 to 4, who do not
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have any criminal antecedents have undertaken to co-
operate before the Trial Court for the expeditious disposal
of the case.
8. It is not the case of the prosecution that
accused Nos.1 and 2, during the course of their confession
statements have stated that accused Nos.3 to 4 are also in
possession of the contraband articles.
9. Under these circumstances, I am of the opinion
that the prayer made by the petitioners herein for grant of
regular bail and anticipatory bail needs to be answered
affirmatively subject to appropriate conditions.
Accordingly, the following:
O R D E R
i) The criminal petitions are allowed .
I) In Crl.P.No.15226/2026
1) The respondent - Police or any other police in
the State of Karnataka are directed to release the
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petitioners in the event of their arrest in WLOR
No.04/2026-2027 registered by Range Forest Officer,
Gopala Swamy Betta Range, Gundlupete Taluk,
Chamarajanagara District for the offences punishable
under Sections 2(31), 39, 44, 49(b) and 51 of Wildlife
Protection Act, 1972, subject to the following conditions:
a) The petitioners shall appear before the
Investigating Officer within 15 days from
the date of receipt of the copy of this order
and shall execute a personal bond for a
sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with two sureties for
the likesum to the satisfaction of the
investigating officer.
b) The petitioners shall regularly appear
before the Trial Court without fail unless
exempted by the Trial Court for valid
reasons.
c) The petitioners shall not tamper with the
prosecution witness and they shall co-
operate with the police for investigation and
appear before them whenever called upon.
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CRL.P No. 15526 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 15226 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010695502026
d) The petitioners shall not involve in similar
offences in future.
II) In Crl.P.No.15526/2026
1) The petitioners are directed to be enlarged on
bail in WLOR No.04/2026-2027 registered by Range Forest
Officer, Gopala Swamy Betta Range, Gundlupete Taluk,
Chamarajanagara District, for the offences punishable
under Sections 2(31), 39, 44, 49(b) and 51 of the Wildlife
Protection Act, 1972 , subject to the following conditions:
a) The petitioners shall execute personal
bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- 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 unless the Trial Court exempts his
appearance for valid reasons;
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CRL.P No. 15526 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 15226 of 2026
CNR: KAHC010695502026
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;
Sd/-
(S VISHWAJITH SHETTY)
JUDGE
SHS
List No.: 1 Sl No.: 86