- (1.) This petition is filed by the petitioner/accused No.1 under Section 439 of Cr.P.C., seeking regular bail in Crime No.69/2016 of Mannalli Police Station, Dist. Bidar, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 302 of IPC.
(2.) The case of prosecution is that the complainant Basawaraj is a resident of Shirkatnalli village and is a petty vendor of pins and hooks. He married deceased Meenakshi about 10 years back. About one year back, he started working in the garden land of one Hibare in Kabirabadwadi village and started residing with his family in the said garden land. The complainant and his wife Meenakshi came into contact with a shepherd by name Tukaram i.e., accused No.1. It is alleged that Meenakshi developed illegal intimacy with said Tukaram and after coming to know of this affair, complainant and others held a panchayat and counseled Tukaram and dispute was settled. It is further case of the prosecution that about 2 months prior to the incident, the complainant Basawaraj and his family settled at Meenaekheli village. On 15-06- 2016, complainant and his wife Meenakshi went to sell pins and hooks to Chimmanchod village on a motorcycle. The complainant left his wife in the said village and went to sell his goods and at about 5:00 PM, when he returned to Chimmanchod village, he did not find his wife Meenakshi. A search was made by the complainant for his wife at various places, but Meenakshi was not traced out and on 28-07-2016, when complainant had been Bhemalkheda village, hearing the news that a lady has committed suicide by hanging in the limits of Manhalli village, he visited respondent P.S. and after seeing the photographs, cloths and ornaments of the lady, he identified the deceased as his wife Meenakshi. Suspecting accused No.1 Tukaram to be behind the murder of his wife, he lodged FIR against him.
(3.) I have heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned High Court Government Pleader appearing for respondent-State.;