Bengaluru: Karnataka high court has granted bail to a 25-year-old man from Karkala in Udupi district, observing that as a customer of a brothel, it could not have been possible for him to know the actual age and caste of the survivor.Justice S Rachaiah made the observation in an order passed on Aug 10 while allowing the man’s petition. The court directed him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and appear before the trial court on all hearing dates. He was also directed not to commit any similar offence or threaten any prosecution witnesses.Between Dec 24 and 26, 2025, the girl in question was allegedly kept at a house in Mangaluru and told to cooperate with “customers”. Her father was also allegedly involved. On returning to Birur, she informed her uncle and aunt, who lodged a complaint under various provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012, Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, Juvenile Justice Act, 1986, and the SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015.Following registration of the case, the petitioner was arrested. A sessions court rejected his bail plea on March 25, following which he approached the high court. The petitioner, arraigned as accused no. 2, claimed he was merely a customer and was unaware of the survivor’s age. He also claimed he did not know that she belonged to an SC community.
