GUNASHEKARA Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This petition is filed by accused No.10 under Sec. 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, for granting regular bail in Crime No.180/2022 registered by Halasurgate Police Station, for the offences punishable under Ss. 255 , 258 , 259 , 260 , 465 , 468 , 473 , 420 r/w Sec. 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, pending on the file of 1st ACMM, Bengaluru.

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

(3.) The case of the prosecution is that a suo- motu compliant registered by Halasurugate Police for the aforesaid offences against accused persons on 19/7/2022, stating that they have got the information that some persons were selling the fake e-stamps at Kandaya Bhavana, Bengaluru. Therefore he set up a D- Kayath customer by sending one Naveen Kumar, Head Constable 11048 for asking the old stamp paper. Accordingly, the D-Kayath customer/police men went and met one Karthik and asked about old stamp papers for the face value of Rs.50.00 five in numbers and stamp papers for the face value of Rs.10.00 five in numbers. So he has assured and has taken him to meet One Vishwanath/accused No.1. Subsequently said Vishwanath undertook to give the E-stamp and asked to give a sum of Rs.10,000.00 as advance amount and to give e-stamp for the face value of Rs.10.00, they have charged Rs.5,000.00 and to give e-stamp for the face value of Rs.50.00, they have charged Rs.6,000.00. Thereafter, on 19/7/2022 at 07:30 a.m., the accused No.3/Venkatesh and accused No.4/Shyamraju who brought the said e-stamp papers. Then police trapped them and seized ten stamp papers under seizure panchanama. During the investigation they arrested so many accused persons and also this petitioner was arrested on 1/8/2022. It is alleged that on the basis of voluntary statement of accused No.8, this petitioner was arrested.