CHETHAN MANDARA @ CHETHAN MANDAR vs STATE OF KARNATAKA

Court
Karnataka High Court

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HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:57123
CRL.P No. 14497 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 14289 of 2026
CRL.P No. 14452 of 2026


CNR: KAHC010642302026





IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

TH
DATED THIS THE 12 DAY OF OCTOBER, 2026


BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY

CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 14497 OF 2026

C/W

CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 14289 OF 2026

CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 14452 OF 2026

IN CRL.P No. 14497/2026

BETWEEN:

CHINNAIAH MATAPATHI
@ CHINNAYYA MATAPATHI
S/O MALLAIAH @ MAHALINGAYYA
AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS,
RESIDING AT ANTAPURA VILLAGE,
BARAGI POST, MUDOL TALUK,
BAGALKOTE DISTRICT - 587 313.
…PETITIONER







Digitally signed
by NANDINI D
Location:
HIGH COURT
OF
KARNATAKA
(BY SRI. GIRISH R, ADVOCATE)

AND:

STATE OF KARNATAKA
BY YALAHANKA PS, BENGALURU,
NOW REPRESENTED BY
STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,
HIGH COURT BUILDING,
BENGALURU - 560 001.
…RESPONDENT
(BY SRI. RAHUL RAI K, HCGP)

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HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:57123
CRL.P No. 14497 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 14289 of 2026
CRL.P No. 14452 of 2026


CNR: KAHC010642302026



THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S 483
BNNS) PRAYING TO PASS AN ORDER GRANTING BAIL THEREBY
DIRECTING RESPONDENT YELAHANKA PS TO RELEASE THE
PETITIONER IN CR NO.198/2026 IN S.C.NO.1242/2026
PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE HONBLE COURT OF THE I/C
LXVI ACC AND SJ BENGALURU CITY FOR THE ALLEGED
OFFENCE P/U/S 103, 61(2)(A), 238 R/W 3(5) OF THE BNS
2023.
IN CRL.P NO. 14289/2026
BETWEEN:
IRAYYA DUNDAYYA MATAPATHI
@ ERAIAH DUNDAIAH MATAPATHI
S/O DUNDAIAH @ DUNDAYYA
AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS,
RESIDING AT CHIMMAD VILLAGE,
JAMAKANDI TALUK,
BAGALAKOTE DISTRICT - 587 312.
...PETITIONER
(BY SRI. GIRISH R, ADVOCATE)
AND:
STATE OF KARNATAKA
BY YALAHANKA PS, BENGALURU.
NOW REPRESENTED BY
STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,
HIGH COURT BUILDING,
BENGALURU - 560 001.
...RESPONDENT
(BY SRI. RAHUL RAI K, HCGP)
THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S
483 BNSS) PRAYING TO PASS AN ORDER GRANTING BAIL
THEREBY DIRECTING RESPONDENT YELAHANKA P.S. TO

- 3 -
HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:57123
CRL.P No. 14497 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 14289 of 2026
CRL.P No. 14452 of 2026


CNR: KAHC010642302026



RELEASE THE PETITIONER IN CR.NO.198/2026 IN
S.C.NO.1242/2026 PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE HONBLE
COURT OF THE LXVI ADDL CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS
JUDGE, BENGALURU (CCH-67) FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCE
P/U/S 103, 61(2)(A), 238 R/W 3(5) OF THE BNS, 2023.
IN CRL.P NO. 14452/2026
BETWEEN:
1. CHETHAN MANDARA
@ CHETHAN MANDAR
S/O DROPATHI
AGED ABOUT 26 YEARS,
RESIDING AT KISHORI VILLAGE,
AMALZERI POST,
MUDHOL TALUKU,
BAGALAKOTE DISTRICT,
KARNATAKA - 587 121.

2.
VINAYAK GURUV @ VINAYAKA GURUVA
S/O BASAVARAJ
AGED ABOUT 19 YEARS,
R/AT JEERAGAL VILLAGE,
MUDHOL TALUKU,
BAGALAKOTE DISTRICT - 587 313.
...PETITIONERS
(BY SRI. GIRISH R, ADVOCATE)
AND:

STATE OF KARNATAKA
BY YALAHANKA PS, BENGALURU.
NOW REPRESENTED BY
STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,
HIGH COURT BUILDING,

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HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:57123
CRL.P No. 14497 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 14289 of 2026
CRL.P No. 14452 of 2026


CNR: KAHC010642302026



BENGALURU - 560 001.
...RESPONDENT
(BY SRI. RAHUL RAI K, HCGP)
THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 OF CR.PC (FILED U/S
483 BNNS) PRAYING TO PASS AN ORDER GRANTING BAIL
THEREBY DIRECTING RESPONDENT YELAHANKA POLICE
STATION TO RELEASE THE PETITIONER IN CR
NO.198/2026 IN CC NO.47411/2026 PENDING ON THE FILE
OF THE HONBLE COURT OF THE VII ACJM, BENGALURU
FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCES P/U/S 103, 61(2)(A), 238
R/W 3(5) OF THE BNS 2023.
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 No.1 to 4 in SC No. 1242/2026 pending
before the Court of the LVIII Additional City Civil and
Sessions Judge, Bengaluru, arising out of Crime No.
198/2026 registered by Yelahanka Sub-Division Police
Station, Bengaluru, for offences punishable under Sections
103, 3(5), 61, 238 of the BNS, 2023, are before this Court

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HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:57123
CRL.P No. 14497 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 14289 of 2026
CRL.P No. 14452 of 2026


CNR: KAHC010642302026



in the above-captioned three petitions filed under Section
483 of the BNSS, 2023 seeking regular bail.
2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties.
3. FIR in Crime No. 198/2026 was registered by
Yelahanka Police Station, Bengaluru, for offences
punishable under Sections 103, 3(5), 61 of the BNS
against the petitioners herein, based on the first
information dated 02.05.2026 received from Bhutesh T.,
Police Officer attached to Yelahanka Police Station. In the
said case, the petitioners were arrested on 02.05.2026
and remanded to judicial custody. After completing the
investigation, the charge sheet is filed against them for
the aforesaid offences. Their bail applications filed before
the Jurisdictional Sessions Court were rejected, and
therefore they are before this Court.
4. Material on record would go to show that, on
28.04.2026 at about 09:00 p.m., one Kushal S. had
approached Yelahanka Police Station and informed that

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HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:57123
CRL.P No. 14497 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 14289 of 2026
CRL.P No. 14452 of 2026


CNR: KAHC010642302026



the dead body of an unknown person aged 30 to 32 years
was found in a Rajkaluve within the jurisdiction of
Yelahanka Police Station. Thereafter, UDR Case No.
28/2026 was registered, and the dead body was forwarded
for the purpose of post-mortem. Subsequently, the
relatives of the deceased had identified the dead body.
Since the relatives of the deceased had suspected the
hand of the accused persons in the death, the
Investigating Officer had summoned the accused, and it is
alleged that they had confessed to the crime, and
therefore, FIR was registered against them in Crime No.
198/2026.
5. The entire case of the prosecution is based on
circumstantial evidence. In the charge sheet which is now
filed, it is stated that the deceased, Ramesh
Pattadakalmata, was an accused in a POCSO case in which
the minor daughter of accused No. 1 was the victim. It
appears that accused No. 1 had sent his minor daughter to
Bangaluru for higher studies, and Ramesh Pattadakalmata

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HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:57123
CRL.P No. 14497 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 14289 of 2026
CRL.P No. 14452 of 2026


CNR: KAHC010642302026



had followed her to Bangaluru and was troubling her even
in Bangaluru. Therefore, accused No.1 contacted his
relative, accused No.2, for the purpose of eliminating
Ramesh Pattadakalmata. Thereafter, accused No.2
contacted his friends, accused No.3 and 4, and in
furtherance of their conspiracy, accused Nos. 2 to 4 came
to Bangaluru, and after developing friendship with
Ramesh, they had taken him to an isolated place, made
him consume alcohol, and thereafter committed his
murder by strangulating his neck with the help of a nylon
rope. Accused No.2 to 4 subsequently had disposed of the
dead body of Ramesh into a Rajkaluve within the
jurisdiction of Yelahanka Police Station, Bengaluru, and
had absconded. The investigation of the case is already
completed and the charge sheet is filed. Trial in the case is
yet to commence. The allegation in the charge sheet is
required to be proved during the full fledged trial.
6. Under these circumstances, I am of the opinion
that the prayer made by the petitioners for grant of

- 8 -
HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:57123
CRL.P No. 14497 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 14289 of 2026
CRL.P No. 14452 of 2026


CNR: KAHC010642302026



regular bail needs to be answered affirmatively, subject to
appropriate conditions. Accordingly, the following :
ORDER
i. The criminal petitions are allowed.
ii. The petitioners are directed to be enlarged on
bail in SC No.1242/2026 pending before the Court of LVIII
Additional City Civil and Session Judge, Bengaluru, arising
out of Crime No.198/2026 registered by Yelahanka Sub-
Division, Police Station, Bengaluru for offences punishable
under Sections 103, 3(5), 61, 238 of BNS 2023, subject to
the following conditions:
a) Petitioners shall execute a 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

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HC-KAR
NC: 2026:KHC:57123
CRL.P No. 14497 of 2026
C/W CRL.P No. 14289 of 2026
CRL.P No. 14452 of 2026


CNR: KAHC010642302026



unless the Trial Court exempts his 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 him is disposed off.

Sd/-
(S VISHWAJITH SHETTY)
JUDGE



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