(1.) The appellants - accused Nos.1 to 4 are before this Court seeking grant of bail under Sec. 14A(2) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (hereinafter referred to as 'the SC/ST (POA) Act' for short) in the event of their arrest in Crime No.286/2025 of Tunga Nagar Police Station, before the learned II Additional District and Sessions Judge, Shivamogga, registered for the offences punishable under Ss. 352, 351(3), 329(3), 190 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita ( for short 'BNS'), Sec. 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(2)(va) of the SC/ST (POA) Amendment Act, 2015, on the basis of the first information lodged by informant - Anand.
(2.) Heard Sri. Prasad B.S., learned Counsel for the appellant and Smt. Rashmi Jadhav, learned ASPP for the respondent No.1-State. Perused the materials on record.
(3.) In view of the rival contentions urged by the learned counsel for both the parties, the point that would arise for my consideration is: