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‘No true lover blackmails’: Karnataka High Court denies pre-arrest bail to man who filmed intimate scenes to ‘force’ sex

Intimate Video Blackmail Case: The Karnataka High Court noted the accused is absconding and can't be called a law-abiding citizen to grant anticipatory bail as a special relief.

Written by: Somya Panwar

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Feb 5, 2026 06:24 PM IST

Karnataka High Court News: The accused took intimate photographs of his lover, and blackmailed her, said the Karnataka High Court. (The image is generated using AI)

Karnataka High Court Latest News: Highlighting that “no true lover would indulge in taking photographs of intimate scenes and blackmail” their partner and force sex, the Karnataka High Court has denied anticipatory bail to a man who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in the guise of a love affair.

Justice V Srishanada, while hearing the man’s plea, said, “Assuming that the incident is a consensual act on account of the love affair, no true lover would indulge in taking photographs of intimate scenes and blackmail the victim girl for forcible sexual intercourse.”

The order further noted that the police investigation indicated that the accused was absconding, and he couldn’t be termed as a “law-abiding citizen” for the relief.

No true lover would indulge in taking photographs of intimate scenes and blackmail, said the Karnataka High Court. (The image is enhanced using AI.)

Findings

It is crystal clear that there was intimacy developed between the parties.
The survivor was enticed by the petitioner herein to have a physical relationship in the guise of a love affair.
The survivor was sexually assaulted, and the physical relationship established was not consensual.
The accused took photographs of the survivor of intimate scenes.
He threatened her that if she fails to obey his instruction for the forcible sexual intercourse, he will publicise the pictures.
The survivor lodged a complaint with the police after the blackmail became intolerable, and the matter was investigated, and the chargesheet was filed.
The accused is absconding and cannot be termed a law-abiding citizen to grant anticipatory bail as a special relief.
No consensual act on account of a love affair will indulge the lover coercing the other party into a physical relationship by threatening them to publicise their intimate photographs.
In light of the prima facie materials collected by the investigation, the accused’s petition cannot be entertained.

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Background

The accused sexually assaulted the survivor after allegedly developing a bond with her.
He allegedly documented their private scenes and started blackmailing her for a physical relationship as and when called.
On March 11, 2025, the survivor reported the crime after her relationship with the accused reached the ears of her family.
A case was registered under the relevant Sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and Section 67(A) (Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of the Information Technology (IT) Act.
The police investigated, filed the chargesheet, and declared the accused absconding.
The accused subsequently attempted to obtain an order for the grant of anticipatory bail but was denied by the trial court.