ARJUN Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Accused Nos.1 to 5 have filed this petition under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Cr.P.C.', for brevity) seeking anticipatory bail in Crime No.66/2020 of Ramanagar Police Station registered for an offence punishable under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (hereinafter referred to as the 'IPC', for brevity).

(2.) It is the case of the prosecution that one Shantaram Krishna Sudeer of Usoda of Joida Taluk has filed complaint on 12.11.2020 stating that, 24 years back his elder daughter Satyavati's marriage took place with Balu More and two daughters and one son are born to them. The deceased-Satyavati was working at a local resort along with wives of her brothers- in-law namely Laxmi and Shanta. It is further stated that, the complainant searched one bride groom for elder grand daughter Roopa, who is daughter of Smt. Satyavati (deceased) and 8 days prior to the incident, the groom visited his house to see bride and at that time the petitioners/accused Nos.1 to 5 did not attend the said occasion, therefore, the complainant along with his family members on 07.11.2020 visited house of the petitioners and enquired regarding their non-appearance on the said occasion. At that time, the petitioners told the complainant and others who were present including deceased-Satyavati that she is going to work on the bike of strangers and people were talking as, she is acting as prostitute and it is affecting to their family reputation and asked her to die. The deceased-Satyavati upset with the said words used by the petitioners and on 11.11.2020 at 6.00 p.m. the complainant came to know that his daughter committed suicide by hanging in the forest. Immediately the complainant and his family members went to the spot and saw the dead body. In that regard, the complainant has filed complaint which came to be registered in Crime No.66/2020 of Ramanagar Police Station for an offence under Section 306 of IPC against the petitioners. The petitioners apprehending their arrest have filed Crl. Misc. No.5152/2021 seeking anticipatory bail and the same came to be rejected by the learned I Addl. District and Sessions Judge, U.K. Karwar, sitting at Sirsi by order dated 12.08.2021. Therefore, the petitioners/accused Nos.1 to 5 are before this Court seeking anticipatory bail.

(3.) Heard the arguments of the learned counsel appearing for the petitioners and the learned High Court Government Pleader for the respondent-State.