The Karnataka High Court has ruled against the state government’s petition to revoke the bail granted to BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj, who faces charges in connection with the murder of rowdy-sheeter Shivaprakash, also known as Biklu Shiva. Justice M Nagaprasanna presided over the decision, maintaining the bail issued to Basavaraj on March 12, 2026.
Case Background and Legal Proceedings
The murder case involves the death of Biklu Shiva, who was violently attacked by a group of assailants outside his mother’s residence in Bengaluru on the evening of July 15, 2025. The victim’s mother, Vijay Lakshmi, filed a complaint citing that Shiva was assaulted by approximately 8-9 unidentified individuals, an incident allegedly witnessed by two people. This led to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR).
Initially, Bharati Nagar Police undertook the investigation, which was later transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) following a directive from the state government. The CID sought and received authorization to apply the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA) to the case on August 2, 2025. However, Basavaraj contested the invocation of KCOCA, and the High Court subsequently approved his challenge on December 19, 2025.
Bail Grant and State’s Appeal
After the High Court’s ruling against KCOCA’s invocation, Basavaraj was denied anticipatory bail and arrested by the CID on February 12, 2026. He was initially held in police custody for a week, followed by judicial custody. Attempts to secure anticipatory bail from the Supreme Court were unsuccessful. Eventually, a trial court granted bail, citing that the evidence against Basavaraj was insufficient to warrant continued detention.
In the court proceedings, the state was represented by Special Public Prosecutor BN Jagadeesha, while Senior Advocate Sandesh Chouta argued on behalf of Basavaraj. The trial court emphasized the lack of a compelling case for further custodial interrogation, an assessment upheld by Justice M Nagaprasanna in the High Court’s decision.
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This recent ruling by the Karnataka High Court highlights the judiciary’s stance on evaluating bail conditions in high-profile cases while weighing the strength of the evidence presented. The court’s decision underscores the essential balance between legal scrutiny and the rights of the accused during ongoing investigations.
