The Karnataka High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Aishwarya @ Ishwarya, daughter of MLA B. Suresh Gowda, in connection with an FIR alleging that a woman Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) was abused and slapped during bandobasth duty at Marramma Temple in Arathi Ukkada, Mandya. The order was passed by Justice S. Vishwajith Shetty on September 22, 2026.
The FIR was registered at Kyathanahalli Police Station on the basis of information given by Savitha B. Police Patil, PSI, Women Police Station, Mandya, regarding an incident dated August 12, 2026. According to the FIR, the petitioner arrived at the temple with two others for darshan. When one of them allegedly attempted to enter the sanctum, the PSI tried to stop him. The petitioner allegedly abused the officer and slapped her on the cheek.
The petitioner had earlier approached the jurisdictional Sessions Court for anticipatory bail, but the application was rejected on August 31, 2026. She then approached the High Court. Her counsel argued that the incident occurred in the spur of the moment, was not intentional, and that both the petitioner and her father had publicly tendered an unconditional apology. It was also submitted that she had no criminal antecedents and was willing to cooperate with the investigation.
Justice S. Vishwajith Shetty considered the petitioner’s clean antecedents, her undertaking to cooperate with the investigation, the maximum punishment prescribed for the alleged offences, and the material showing that she and her father had publicly apologised.
“The material on record would go to show that the petitioner is the daughter of MLA and her husband is a serving Deputy Superintendent of Police… Learned Senior Counsel has produced material before this Court which would prima facie go to show that petitioner as well as her father have tendered unconditional apology publicly for the untoward incident that had taken place on 12.08.2026.”
The Court further observed that the petitioner had no other criminal antecedents and had undertaken to cooperate with the police.
The High Court allowed the petition and granted anticipatory bail. The petitioner was directed to be released if arrested in Crime No.127/2026, subject to executing a personal bond of Rs.1 lakh with two sureties of the same amount. She was also directed to appear before the Investigating Officer within 15 days, regularly appear before the Trial Court, not tamper with prosecution witnesses, cooperate with the investigation, and not involve herself in similar offences in future.
Case Title: Smt. Aishwarya @ Ishwarya v. State of Karnataka
Case Number: Criminal Petition No. 13991 of 2026;
