Karnataka High Court
Praveena @ Lucifer vs The State Of Karnataka on 25 March, 2026
Author: S Vishwajith Shetty
Bench: S Vishwajith Shetty
-1-
NC: 2026:KHC:16979
CRL.P No. 280 of 2026
HC-KAR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 25TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY
CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 280 OF 2026 (439(Cr.PC) /
483(BNSS))
BETWEEN:
1. PRAVEENA @ LUCIFER (A-5) S/O RAJU,
AGE ABOUT 23 YEARS,
RESIDING NEAR LAVANYA BAR,
ADUGODI MAIN ROAD, ADUGODI,
BENGALURU-560 030.
2. SOMASHEKAR @ SOMASHEKARNATH
@ SOMA @ KATLU (A-7),
S/O. UMESH KUMAR,
AGE ABOUT 23 YEARS,
RESIDING AT NO.3/3,
OPP. CORPORATION KALYANA MANTAPA,
KORAMANGALA MAIN ROAD, AUDUGODI,
BENGALURU-560030.
Digitally signed ...PETITIONERS
by SACHIN
Location: HIGH (BY SRI. TIGADI VEERANNA GADIGEPPA, ADVOCATE
COURT OF
KARNATAKA THROUGH (VC))
AND:
THE STATE OF KARNATAKA,
BY KORAMANGALA P.S.,
REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,
HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA,
BENGALURU-560001.
...RESPONDENT
(BY SRI HARISH GANAPATHI, HCGP THROUGH (VC))
-2-
NC: 2026:KHC:16979
CRL.P No. 280 of 2026
HC-KAR
THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 439 CR.PC (FILED U/S 483
BNNS) PRAYING TO ENLARGE THE PETITIONERS ON BAIL IN
SC NO.1416/2021 (CRIME NO.156/2021) FOR THE OFFENCE
PUNISHABLE UNDER SECTION 143, 145, 147, 148, 120(B),
201, 307, 35, 37 R/W 149 OF IPC AND SECTION 25(1), (1-B),
27(3) OF INDIAN ARMS ACT 1959 FILED BY THE RESPONDENT
KORAMANGALA POLICE PENDING BEFORE THE HONBLE COURT
OF THE LXVI ADDL. CITY AND SESSIONS JUDGE AT
BENGALURU (CCH-67).
THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY,
ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY
ORAL ORDER
Accused Nos.5 and 7 in S.C.No.1416/2021 pending
before the Court of LXVI Additional City Civil and Sessions
Judge, Bengaluru City arising out of Crime No.156/2021
registered by Koramangala Police Station, Bengaluru for
the offences punishable under Sections 143, 145, 147,
148, 120(B), 201, 307, 302, 35, 37 read with Section 149
of IPC and Section 25(1)(1b) and 27(3) of Indian Arms
Act, 1959 are before this Court in this successive bail
application filed under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik
Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 of BNSS 2023 and 439 of Cr.P.C.
-3-
NC: 2026:KHC:16979
CRL.P No. 280 of 2026
HC-KAR
2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties.
3. FIR in Crime No.156/2021 was registered by
Koramangala Police Station, Bengaluru against 9 named
persons and others based on the first information dated
19.07.2021 received from Smt. Jennifer, who is the wife of
deceased Joseph Babu. During the course of investigation,
petitioners herein were arrested on 23.07.2021 and
remanded to judicial custody. After completing
investigation, charge sheet has been filed against 11
persons and petitioners are arrayed as accused No.5 and 7
in the charge sheet. Their bail application filed earlier was
rejected by the jurisdictional Sessions Court and therefore
they had approached this Court in Crl.P.No.6345/2025 and
Crl.P.No.4024/2025, which was dismissed as not pressed
on 25.06.2025 with liberty to the petitioners to approach
this Court afresh after they are granted bail in Crime
No.16/2024 registered by Vivekanagar Police Station,
Bengaluru for offences punishable under Sections 35, 37,
120(B), 201, 302, 324, 427, 452 of IPC, Section 25(1)(1b),
-4-
NC: 2026:KHC:16979
CRL.P No. 280 of 2026
HC-KAR
27(3) of Indian Arms Act and Sections 3(1)(i) and 3(2),
3(4) of the Karnataka Control of Organized Crime Act,
2000. It is under this circumstance, petitioners are before
this Court in this successive bail application.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that
allegation against the petitioners and accused No.8 to 11
in the charge sheet are identical. Accused No.8 to 11 have
been granted bail by this Court in Crl.P.No.1984/2023,
Crl.P.No.2039/2023 dated 08.12.2023 and
Crl.P.No.15099/2025 dated 12.01.2026. He submits that
petitioners have been now granted regular bail in Crime
No.16/2024 registered by Viveknagar Police and has
placed reliance on the order dated 03.09.2025 passed by
the Court of Principal City Civil and Sessions Judge,
Bengaluru in Special CC No.1502/2024, which arises from
Crime No.16/2024.
5. Per contra, learned High Court Government
Pleader who has opposed the petition, however does not
-5-
NC: 2026:KHC:16979
CRL.P No. 280 of 2026
HC-KAR
dispute the submission made by learned counsel for the
petitioners.
6. Perusal of the charge sheet would go to show
that allegation of assaulting the deceased Joseph Babu
with deadly weapons is as against accused Nos.1 to 3, who
are in custody. Petitioners who are arrayed as accused
No.5 and 7 in the charge sheet had allegedly conspired
with the other accused to commit the murder of deceased
Joseph Babu and on the date of incident, they were
allegedly armed with deadly weapons and were found
standing outside the bank and threatening the public.
There is no allegation against the petitioners about they
assaulting the deceased and no other overt acts are
alleged against them.
7. Learned High Court Government Pleader has
not disputed the submission made by the learned counsel
for the petitioners that allegation as against accused No.8
to 11 are similar to the allegation found against the
petitioners in the charge sheet. Accused No.8 to 10 have
-6-
NC: 2026:KHC:16979
CRL.P No. 280 of 2026
HC-KAR
been granted regular bail by the Co-ordinate Bench of this
Court in Crl.P.No.1984/2023 and Crl.P.No.2039/2023
disposed of on 08.12.2023. Accused No.11 has been
granted regular bail by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court
in Crl.P.No.15099/2025 disposed of on 12.01.2026.
Petitioners have produced the copy of the order passed in
Special CC No.1502/2024 by the Court of Principal City
Civil and Sessions Judge dated 03.09.2025 wherein they
have been granted regular bail in Crime No.16/2024
registered by Viveknagar Police Station, Bengaluru.
Petitioners are in custody for the last more than three and
half years.
8. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that
material charge sheet witnesses have been already
examined before the trial Court and therefore, there
cannot be apprehension that petitioners may tamper with
the material charge sheet witnesses.
9. Under the aforesaid circumstances, I am of the
opinion that the prayer made by the petitioners for grant
-7-
NC: 2026:KHC:16979
CRL.P No. 280 of 2026
HC-KAR
of regular bail in this successive bail petition needs to be
answered affirmatively. Accordingly, the following order:
ORDER
i) The Criminal Petition is allowed.
ii) The petitioners/accused No.5 and 7 are directed to
be enlarged on bail in Crime No.156/2021 of Koramangala
Police Station, Bengaluru City, registered for the offence
punishable under Sections 143, 145, 147, 148, 120(B),
201, 307, 302, 35, 37 read with Section 149 of IPC and
Section 25(1)(1b) and 27(3) of Indian Arms Act, 1959
pending in S.C.No.1416/2021 on the file of the LXVI
Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Bengaluru (CCH-
67) subject to the following conditions:
a) The petitioners shall execute personal bonds
for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- each 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
-8-
NC: 2026:KHC:16979
CRL.P No. 280 of 2026HC-KAR
unless the Trial Court exempts their
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
them is disposed off.
Sd/-
(S VISHWAJITH SHETTY)
JUDGE
SN
List No.: 19 Sl No.: 3