GANGADHARA Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This petition is filed by the petitioner-accused No.1 under Sec. 439 of Cr.P.C., for granting bail in Crime No.45/2021 registered by Banavara Police station, pending in Spl.C.No.188/2021 on the file of the Additional District and Sessions Judge, FTSC-1 at Hassan, for the offences punishable under Ss. 366A, 376(2) read with Sec. 34 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for short 'IPC') and Sec. 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (for short 'POCSO' Act).

(2.) Heard the arguments of learned counsel for the petitioner and learned High Court Government Pleader for the respondent-State.

(3.) The case of the prosecution is that the complainant-Rangaswamy, father of the victim girl has filed a complaint before the police on 1/4/2021 alleging that his minor daughter aged about 15 years when coming back home from school found missing from 31/3/2021. During the investigation the police traced the victim girl at Kallugundi on 2/4/2021 where she was found along with the petitioner-accused and the petitioner ran away from the spot. The victim girl was rescued and subjected to medical examination. The petitioner was apprehended on 9/4/2021 and remanded to judicial custody. The petitioner has moved bail petition before the Sessions Judge, which came to be rejected. Hence, the petitioner-accused is before this Court.