BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: In a relief to BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj, the High Court of Karnataka on Friday granted him conditional interim anticipatory bail in the Bikla Shivu murder case.
Vacation bench Justice G Basavaraja passed this order after hearing senior advocate Sandesh Chouta, appearing for Basavaraj.
Shivaprakash alia Bikla Shivu, a history-sheeter, was murdered on July 15, 2025, in Bharathinagar police station limits, Bengaluru.
The probe was subsequently transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the stringent KCOCA was invoked on August 12 against those named in the case. The MLA was named in the FIR.
"Since the petitioner was granted protection by the coordinate bench in July and it remained till December 19, it is just and proper to grant ad-interim anticipatory bail till the disposal of the main petition," Justice Basavaraja stated.
In July, while hearing the MLA's petition for quashing the FIR, a coordinate bench of the high court had given an interim order directing the investigating officer not to take coercive steps against him, his counsel stated.
The interim protection from arrest continued until December 19, when the high court quashed the order invoking KCOCA against the MLA. The court had asked him to approach the special court for anticipatory bail, the counsel added.
The legislator moved the high court after the special court rejected anticipatory bail application on December 23. The next day, the CID filed a charge sheet in the case against all but two suspects, including Byrathi Basavaraja (accused number 5).
In the charge sheet, no role has been attributed to the petitioner, while the investigating agency sought time to complete the probe against him, the counsel said.
The counsel further stated that after the July interim protection, the MLA had appeared before the investigating officer and his statement was recorded.
The court observed that though the petitioner had appeared before the investigation officer after a notice was issued to him under the BNSS, no charge sheet had been filed even after more than five months. It also noted that no proper reasons had been assigned for the delay as required under Section 193 of the BNSS.
"The petitioner shall be released on bail in the event of his arrest on the production of a Rs 5 lakh self-bond with two sureties for a like sum, to the satisfaction of the investigation officer. He shall assist the investigation and shall not tamper with witnesses in any manner," Justice Basavaraja said and posted the main petition to January 6, 2026, for consideration of objections to be filed by the CID.