Karnataka High Court Revokes Anticipatory Bail of Vachanananda Swamiji in POCSO Case

The Karnataka High Court on June 25, 2026 set aside the anticipatory bail previously granted to Vachanananda Swamiji, the Jagadguru of the Panchamasali Peetha, in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The bench, led by Justice M. Nagaprasanna, held that the bail was issued a week before the complaint was registered and without hearing the victim, which violated procedural standards. Consequently, the court ordered the anticipatory bail to be nullified but extended protection from arrest for three weeks to allow the petitioner to apply for regular bail before the trial court. The court also emphasized that filing a charge sheet does not automatically erase an anticipatory bail order.

The case involves allegations of offences under Sections 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 of the POCSO Act, relating to alleged sodomy. The victim’s lack of being heard before bail was granted was highlighted as a key factor for the revocation.