17-Yr-Old Victim Had 'Worldly Knowledge Of Consequences': Karnataka High Court Grants Bail In POCSO Case, Notes She Married Accused

The Karnataka High Court has granted bail to a 28-year-old man accused of marrying a 17-year-old girl and indulging in sexual relations with her on the ground that the girl had worldly knowledge about the consequences of her actions. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 217]

The single judge bench of Justice S. Vishwajith Shetty noted in the order that the accused and the survivor were in love and got married at a temple and lived together for a considerable duration.

“…It appears that the victim and the petitioner who were in love got married in a temple and lived together for a considerable period of time in a rented house and had consensual sex. The victim girl was aged about 17 years as on the said date and therefore she had the worldly knowledge about the consequences of her act…”, the court said.

The court added that Trial in the case is yet to commence and allegations against him will have to be proved in a full-fledged trial.

Accordingly, it allowed the man to be released from judicial custody as he was suffering incarceration since May 19 after being arrested for the offences under Sections 137(2), 64(2)(m), 127(2), 127(3) of BNS, 2023, Sections 4 and 6 of POCSO Act, 2012 and Section 9 of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

The court clarified that the bail would be subject to furnishing personal bond to the tune of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties for the like sum, regular appearance on all posting dates before the Trial Court unless exempted and non-tampering with prosecution witnesses, among other conditions.

Earlier, Srinivasapura Police Station at Kolar had registered a crime against the accused after investigating a complaint filed by the 17-year-old daughter's mother on May 16, 2025. According to the parent, her daughter had left for college on April 28, 2025 but she never returned home.

The police, in due course of investigation traced the location of the accused and the minor, which led to his arrest and him being charge sheeted for the aforesaid offences. The bail application preferred by the accused was rejected by the trial court on October 25, 2025.

During the hearing, the High Court took note of the statement under Section183 BNSS before the jurisdictional magistrate to the effect that the survivor had willingly gone with the petitioner and got married, and resided as husband and wife in a rented house.

According to the survivor, her parents were forced to take her back home after the petitioner started locking her inside the rented house before leaving for work due to his doubts about her fidelity.

However, the court also perused the statement given by owner of the rented house and noted as below:

“...The prosecution has recorded the statement of Ramesh, who is said to be the owner of the house, in which, the petitioner and the victim girl were residing. Ramesh has not stated about any ill-treatment meted on victim girl by the petitioner in his house nor has he stated about the victim girl bringing to his notice about the ill-treatment meted on her by the petitioner…”

After noting the above factual circumstances, the court ordered that the petitioner be enlarged on bail for the time being.

Case Title: Manjunatha v. State of Karnataka & Ors.

Case No: CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 513 OF 2026

Citation: [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 217]

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