Karnataka High Court Denies Bail in Blackmail Case, Says ‘True Lover Does Not Threaten with Intimate Photos’

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of a man accused of blackmailing his girlfriend using intimate photographs and forcing sexual relations. Justice V. Sreeshanand observed that “no true lover can coerce a partner into sexual relations by threatening to release private moments,” emphasizing that the relationship between the accused and the victim was not consensual.

Case Background

The victim filed an FIR in March 2025, stating that she had been in a romantic relationship with the accused. During their relationship, the man secretly recorded intimate moments and later threatened to make them public, coercing her into sexual activity. Distressed by repeated blackmail, the victim informed her family and lodged a report under the BNS and IT Act sections. Following the registration of the case, the accused absconded. He initially sought bail from the trial court, which was denied, and a chargesheet was subsequently filed. The matter then reached the Karnataka High Court.

Court Observations

While hearing the anticipatory bail plea, Justice V. Sreeshanand noted that the accused had exploited the pretense of love to seduce and sexually exploit the victim. Using threats to release intimate images, he forced the victim into sexual acts, making his conduct criminal and non-consensual. The bench also remarked that since the accused is absconding, he cannot be considered a law-abiding citizen. The court categorically rejected claims that the relationship was consensual and held that, prima facie, the accused was not eligible for bail.

This ruling reinforces the principle that coercion through blackmail, especially involving intimate images, cannot be justified under the guise of a romantic relationship.