Haobijam Soraren Singh v. State of Haryana

o o o o o 1o o o 103o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoAToCHANDIGARHo o o HaobijamoSorarenoSinghoo o o o o o ....Petitionero versuso StateoofoHaryanaoo o o o o o ....Respondento o DateoofoDecision:oAprilo16,o2026o DateoofoUploading:oAprilo16,o2026o

CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:oo Mr.oShivoKumaroSharma,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o Mr.oGurmeetoSingh,oAAGoHaryana.oo o o o Mr.oRishabhoChaudhary,oAdvocateoforotheocomplainant.oo o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(Oral)oo o o o Presento petitiono haso beeno filedo undero Sectiono 482o ofo Bharatiyao Nagariko Surakshao Sanhita,o 2023o (hereinaftero too beo referredo aso 'theo BNSS')o (correspondingotooSectiono438oofoCr.oP.C.)oseekingograntoofoanticipatoryobailotoo theopetitioner,oinocaseobearingoFIRoNo.254odatedo03.11.2025,oregisteredoforotheo offencesopunishableounderoSectionso420,o406,o467,o468,o506oando120-Boofotheo Indiano Penalo Code,o 1860o (foro shorto 'IPC')o (correspondingo Sectionso 318(4),o 316(2),o338,o336(3),o351(2)oando61(2)oofotheoBNS,o2023),oatoPoliceoStationoCivilo Lines,oDistrictoBhiwani.oo

2.oo o Theo gravameno ofo allegationso againsto theo petitionero iso thato complainant,onamely,oDeepakoChaudharyostatedothatoduringo2015–16,oheowaso engagedoinopropertyodealingoinoGurugramoandoDelhi,owhereoheocameointoocontacto witho Suresho Parshad.o Througho him,o heo waso introducedo too severalo associates,o o o o o o 2o o includingoHaobijamoSorarenoSingho(petitioneroherein),oandotheyodevelopedocloseo relations.oAllotheoaccusedopersons,oincludingoHaobijamoSorarenoSingho(petitionero herein),oactedoinoconspiracyotoocheatotheocomplainantobyoluringohimointooinvestingo moneyoinoaopurportedoforeignocurrencyobusiness.oTheyofalselyorepresentedothato theyo possessedo largeo amountso ofo foreigno currencyo ando wouldo provideo higho returnsouponoexchange.oAllegedly,otheopetitionerowasopartoofothisonetworkoando activelyoassociatedowithotheootheroaccusedoinobuildingotrustoandofacilitatingotheo fraudulentoscheme.oOno05.12.2020,oSureshoParshadoandohisoassociatesovisitedotheo complainant'sohouseoandoinducedohimotooarrangeo₹50,00,000oonotheopretextoofo urgentoneed,oassuringorepaymentowithoprofitoafterocurrencyoexchange.oBelievingo them,o theo complainanto ando hiso fatheropaido theo amount.o However,o theo foreigno currencyoprovidedoinoreturnowasofoundotoobeodeficientoandopartoofoaodeceptiveo transaction.oThereafter,ounderocontinuousoinducementoandofalseoassurancesobyoallo accused,oincludingoHaobijamo(petitioneroherein),otheocomplainantopaidofurthero amountsoonodifferentooccasions.oInototal,oaosumoofo₹1,65,00,000owasoobtainedo fromohimothroughofraudoandomisrepresentation.oWhenotheocomplainantodemandedo hisomoneyoback,otheoaccusedopersonsoavoidedorepaymentoonovariousopretextsoando latero tookohimo too differento places,o includingoImphal,o undero falseo promisesoofo returningotheomoney.oHowever,otheyoneitheroreturnedotheoamountonorohonouredo theiroassurancesoandoeventuallyoabsconded.oTheocomplainantowasoalsoothreatenedo withodireoconsequences.oItoisoallegedothatoHaobijamoSorarenoSingho(petitionero herein),o alongo witho theo co-accused,o waso parto ofo theo criminalo conspiracy,o participatedo ino inducingo theo complainant,o ando facilitatedo theo fraudulento transactions,otherebyocontributingotootheomisappropriationoofo₹1,65,00,000.oo

3.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoiteratedothatobareoperusaloofo theoFIRoitselfoshowsothatoallegationsoleveledoagainstotheopetitioneroareoconcocted,o improbableoandodevoidoofoanyomerit.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroiteratedothatotheo o o o o o 3o o petitionerohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedointootheoFIRoinoquestion.oLearnedocounselo hasoarguedothatothereoisonoospecificoallegationoinorespectoofoamountoinoquestiono havingobeenoentrustedoororeceivedobyotheopetitioner,oandonotoevenoanyospecifico transactionsoareostatedotoohaveobeenoexecutedobyotheopetitioner.oLearnedocounselo haso arguedo thato allegedo electronico material,o sucho as,o Callo Detailo Records,o screenshots,oflightoticketodetailsoandoaopen-driveocontainingocertainorecordsoareo alreadyo ino possessiono ofo theo Investigatingo Agencyo ando nothingo incriminatingo materialoisotoobeoeffectedofromotheopetitioner.oLearnedocounselohasosubmittedothato noospecificoactoofoinducement,oexecutionoofoforgedodocumentooroissuanceoofoanyo threatohasobeenoattributedotootheopetitioner.oLearnedocounselohasofurtherosubmittedo thatodisclosure-statementoofotheoco-accusedocannotobeoreadoagainstotheopetitionero andotheosameoareonotoadmissibleoinolaw.oLearnedocounselohasoarguedothatotheo allegedotransactionsopertainotootheoyearo2022,owhereas,otheoFIRoinoquestionohaso beenoregisteredoinotheoyearo2025ocausingounexplainedodelayoofoabouto03oyears.oo

3.1.o o Learnedo counselo forotheopetitionerohaso submittedo thatoduringo theo pendencyoofotheopresentoproceedings,otheopetitionerowasoarrestedoono23.02.2026o atoImphalobyoofficialsoofoPoliceoStationoCiviloLines,oBhiwani,oinoconnectionowitho theo presento FIR,o withouto issuanceo ofo noticeo undero Sectiono 35(3)o BNSSo (correspondingotooSectiono41-AoofotheoCr.oP.C.).oLearnedocounselohasofurthero submittedo thato theo petitionero waso producedo beforeo theo learnedo Chiefo Judicialo Magistrate,oImphaloWest,oManipur,owithoaorequestoforotransitoremand,owhichowaso declined,oandotheopetitionerowasoreleasedoonobailovideoorderodatedo24.02.2026.o LearnedoCJM,oImphaloWest,oManipurohadoobservedothatomandatoryoprovisionsoofo lawohadonotobeenocompliedowithoandothatotheomaterialoonorecordodidonotoprimao facieojustifyoinvocationoofoSectiono467oIPCo(correspondingotooSectiono338oofotheo BNS).oo o o o o o 4o o

3.2.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasosubmittedothatoco-accusedoofo theopetitioner,onamely,oSanjanaoSharma,oagainstowhomosimilarokindoofoallegationso asoagainstotheopetitioner,ohaveobeenoleveledoandosheohasobeenograntedoconcessiono ofoanticipatoryobailobyothisoCourt,ovideoorderodatedo12.02.2026opassedoinoCRM-M-70905-2025.oo

3.3.o o Learnedocounseloassertsothatotheopoliceohaveonotoconductedoaofairo ando impartialo investigationo ando theo inquiryo conductedo soo faro iso noto onlyo incompleteo buto alsoo taintedo witho bias.o Moreover,o theo custodialo interrogationo shouldonotobeousedoasoaopunitiveomeasureoandoisojustifiedoonlyowhenoabsolutelyo necessaryoforotheorecoveryoofomaterialoevidence.oLearnedocounselohasoarguedothato nothingo iso toobeorecoveredo fromo theopetitioner.oFurthermore,o theo petitionero iso readyotoojoinotheoinvestigationoandohenceonoousefulopurposeowouldobeoservedobyo sendingo himo behindo theo bars.o Ono theo aforesaido submissions,o theo granto ofo anticipatoryobailoisoentreatedofor.oo

4.o o Perocontra,olearnedoStateocounselohasoreferredotooreplyobyowayoofoano affidavitodatedo04.04.2026,oandowhileoraisingosubmissionsoinotandemowithotheo saidoreply,oheohasoopposedotheograntoofoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitionerobyo arguingo thato theo offenceo committedo byo theo petitionero iso seriouso ino nature.o Relevantoofotheosaidoreplyoreadsothus:o "9.o Thatoduringotheoinvestigation,oitowasofoundothatothereowasoaochato betweeno theo complainanto ando theo accusedo Haobijamo Sorareno Singho ono phoneo no.o 9856091376,o ino whicho ao demando ofo Rs.5,00,000/-o fromo theo complainanto waso foundo ando ao photoo copyo ofo theo pageo waso presentedo ino whichotwoobagsoandoaosuitcaseoareovisible,oinowhicho500-500orupeeonotesoareo visibleoinooneobagoandothreeopages,oinowhichotheoIndigooairoticketoofotheo accusedonamelyoHaobijamoSoraren,oforotheodateo21.09.2024,ofromoImfhalotoo Delhi,owasofound.oOnlineobookingohasobeenodoneoandoaophotoocopyoofoao chequeoofoaccountonumbero923010070455086oofoAXISoBANKohasobeen,o presented,oinowhichoanoamountoofoRs.70,00,000/-oisowrittenoandoaopenodriveo hasobeenopresentedoinowhichotheoaccusedoHaobijamoSorrenoSinghoandotheo complainanto ando theo complainant'so fathero Hosiyaro Singho areo visible,o theo CDRo ofo accusedo Haobijamo Sorareno Singho waso takeno ino whicho theo complainanto waso foundo too haveo comeo too Deepak'so houseo ino Bhiwani,o Haryana.o Inotheocase,oitogototooknowothat,otheomainoaccusedoSureshoando presentopetitioner-accusedoHaobijamoSorarenoSinghoareotheocousinobrothero o o o o o 5o o andofriendoofotheomainoaccusedoSureshoPrasadoandoheowasoinvolvedoinotheo conspiracyotoousurpomoneyofromotheocomplainant.oo

10.oo Thatoonodatedo23.02.2026,opresentopetitioner-accusedowasoarrestedoino theopresentocaseofromoThanggaloBajaroImphal.oAfterothatoheowasoconfinedoino theoJailoofopoliceostationoCityoImphal.oo

11.oo Thatoonodatedo24.02.2026,otheoaccusedoHaobijamoSorarenoSinghowaso producedobeforeotheoLd.oCourtoofoImphaloandoanoapplicationowasomadeotootheo Ld.oCourtoImphaloforofiveoday'sotransitoremandoofotheoaccused.oThatotheoLd.o CourtoImphalobyomakingotheoaccusedodepositoaobondoofoRs.o2,00,000/-oando givingo himo reliefo ofo twoo months,o theo accusedo waso orderedo too comeo too Bhiwanio ono theo secondo ando fourtho Saturdayso foro twoo monthso foro theo investigationoinvolvedoinotheocaseoandocooperateoinotheoinvestigation.oItoiso submittedohereothatoasoperotheoorderoofotheoLd.oCourtoofoImphal,otheofourtho Saturdayowasoono28.02.2026oandotheosecondoSaturdayowasoono14.03.2026o ando theo fourtho Saturdayo iso ono 28.03.2026,o ono whicho presento petitioner-accusedodidonotovisitotheoBhiwanioandodidonotojoinotheoinvestigationotillonow,o asoperotheoordersoofoLd.oCourtoofoImphal.oHenceoheoisodisobeyingotheoorderso ofoLd.oCourtoofoImphal.oAocopyoofocourtoordersoareoannexedoherewithoaso AnnexureoR2."o o

4.1.o o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso furthero iteratedo thato theo allegationso againstotheopetitioneroareospecificoandodirect.oGivenotheoseverityoofotheooffenceo regardingo dishonestlyo cheating,o thereo existso ao substantialo likelihoodo thato theo petitioneromayoabscondoorotamperowithotheoevidence,oifoheoisoenlargedoonobail.oOno theostrengthoofotheseosubmissions,odismissaloofotheopetitionoinohandoisoentreatedo for.oo

5.o o Iohaveoheardotheolearnedocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveogoneo throughotheoavailableorecordoofotheocase.oo

6.o o ItowouldobeoappositeotooreferohereinotooaojudgmentoofotheoHon'bleo SupremeoCourtotitledoasoKishoroVishwasraooPatilovs.oDeepakoYashwantoPatiloando anotheropassedoinoSLP(Crl)oNo.1125-2022,orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:o o "74.oOrdinarily,oarrestoisoaopartoofotheoprocessoofotheoinvestigationointendedo too secureo severalo purposes.o Thereo mayo beo circumstanceso ino whicho theo accusedomayoprovideoinformationoleadingotoodiscoveryoofomaterialofactsoando relevanto information.o Granto ofo anticipatoryo bailo mayo hampero theo investigation.oPre-arrestobailoisotoostrikeoaobalanceobetweenotheoindividual'so righto too personalo freedomo ando theo righto ofo theo investigatingo agencyo too interrogateotheoaccusedoasotootheomaterialosoofarocollectedoandotoocollecto moreoinformationowhichomayoleadotoorecoveryooforelevantoinformation.oo o xxxo o o xxxo o o xxxo o o xxxo o xxxo o o xxxo o o 75.oObservingothatotheoarrestoisoaopartoofotheoinvestigationointendedotoosecureo severalopurposes,oinoAdrioDharanoDasov.oStateoofoW.B.o[AdrioDharanoDasov.o StateoofoW.B.,o(2005)o4oSCCo303o:o2005oSCCo(Cri)o933]o,oitowasoheldoaso undero:o(SCCop.o313,oparao19)oo o o o o o 6o o o "19.oOrdinarily,oarrestoisoaopartoofotheoprocessoofoinvestigationointendedotoo secureoseveralopurposes.oTheoaccusedomayohaveotoobeoquestionedoinodetailo regardingovariousofacetsoofomotive,opreparation,ocommissionoandoaftermatho ofotheocrimeoandotheoconnectionoofootheropersons,oifoany,oinotheocrime.oThereo mayo beo circumstanceso ino whicho theo accusedo mayo provideo informationo leadingotoodiscoveryoofomaterialofacts.oItomayobeonecessaryotoocurtailohiso freedomoinoorderotooenableotheoinvestigationotooproceedowithoutohindranceo andotooprotectowitnessesoandopersonsoconnectedowithotheovictimoofotheocrime,o toopreventohisodisappearance,otoomaintainolawoandoorderoinotheolocality.oForo theseoorootheroreasons,oarrestomayobecomeoanoinevitableopartoofotheoprocesso ofoinvestigation.oTheolegalityoofotheoproposedoarrestocannotobeogoneointooino anoapplicationounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode.oTheoroleoofotheoinvestigatoroiso wellodefinedoandotheojurisdictionaloscopeoofointerferenceobyotheocourtoinotheo processoofoinvestigationoisolimited.oTheocourtoordinarilyowillonotointerfereo witho theo investigationo ofo ao crimeo oro witho theo arresto ofo theo accusedo ino ao cognizableo offence.o Ano interimo ordero restrainingo arrest,o ifo passedo whileo dealingowithoanoapplicationounderoSectiono438oofotheoCodeowilloamountotoo interferenceo ino theo investigation,o whicho cannot,o ato anyo rate,o beo doneo underoSectiono438oofotheoCode."o o 76.oo Ino Siddharamo Satlingappao Mhetreo v.o Stateo ofo Maharashtrao [SiddharamoSatlingappaoMhetreov.oStateoofoMaharashtra,o(2011)o1oSCCo694o :o(2011)o1oSCCo(Cri)o514],otheoSupremeoCourtolaidodownotheofactorsoando:o(2011)o1oSCCo(Cri)o514] parametersotoobeoconsideredowhileodealingowithoanticipatoryobail.oItowasoheldo thatotheonatureoandotheogravityoofotheoaccusationoandotheoexactoroleoofotheo accusedomustobeoproperlyocomprehendedobeforeoarrestoisomadeoandothatotheo courto musto evaluateo theo availableo materialo againsto theo accusedo veryo carefully.oItowasoalsooheldothatotheocourtoshouldoalsooconsiderowhetherotheo accusationsohaveobeenomadeoonlyowithotheoobjectoofoinjuringoorohumiliatingo theoapplicantobyoarrestingohimooroher.o o 77.o Aftero referringo tooSiddharamo Satlingappao Mhetreo [Siddharamo SatlingappaoMhetreov.oStateoofoMaharashtra,o(2011)o1oSCCo694o:o(2011)o1o SCCo(Cri)o514]oandootherojudgmentsoandoobservingothatoanticipatoryobailoSCCo(Cri)o514] canobeograntedoonlyoinoexceptionalocircumstances,oinoJaioPrakashoSinghov.o StateoofoBiharo[JaioPrakashoSinghov.oStateoofoBihar,o(2012)o4oSCCo379o:o

(2012)o2oSCCo(Cri)o468]o,otheoSupremeoCourtoheldoasoundero:o(SCCop.o386,o parao19)oo o "19.o Parameterso foro granto ofo anticipatoryo bailo ino ao seriouso offenceo areo requiredotoobeosatisfiedoandofurtherowhileograntingosuchorelief,otheocourtomusto recordo theo reasonso therefor.o Anticipatoryo bailo cano beo grantedo onlyo ino exceptionalocircumstancesowhereotheocourtoisoprimaofacieoofotheoviewothato theoapplicantohasofalselyobeenoenropedoinotheocrimeoandowouldonotomisuseo hiso liberty.o (SeeoD.K.o Ganesho Babuo v.o P.T.o Manokarano [D.K.o GaneshoSee D.K.o Ganesho Babuo v.o P.T.o Manokarano [D.K.o Ganesho Babuov.oP.T.oManokaran,o(2007)o4oSCCo434o:(2007)o2oSCCo(Cri)o345]o,o StateoofoMaharashtraov.o Mohd.oSajidoHusainoMohd.oS.o Husaino[Stateo ofo Maharashtraov.oMohd.oSajidoHusainoMohd.oS.oHusain,o(2008)o1oSCCo213o:o

(2008)o1oSCCo(Cri)o176]oandoUnionoofoIndiaov.oPadamoNarainoAggarwalo [UnionoofoIndiaov.oPadamoNarainoAggarwal,o(2008)o13oSCCo305o:o(2009)o1o SCCo(Cri)o1]o.)"o o o Economicooffenceso o o 78.oPowerounderoSectiono438oCrPCobeingoanoextraordinaryoremedy,ohasotoo beoexercisedosparingly;omoreoso,oinocasesoofoeconomicooffences.oEconomico offencesostandoasoaodifferentoclassoasotheyoaffectotheoeconomicofabricoofotheo society.oInoDirectorateoofoEnforcementov.oAshokoKumaroJaino[Directorateoofo Enforcementov.oAshokoKumaroJain,o(1998)o2oSCCo105o:o1998oSCCo(Cri)o 510],oitowasoheldothatoinoeconomicooffences,otheoaccusedoisonotoentitledotoo anticipatoryobail."o o o o o o 7o o o 15.oInoSushilao Agrawalo ando otherso v.o Stateo (NCTo ofo Delhi)o ando Anotheroreportedoino(2020)o5oSCCo1,oConstitutionoBenchoofothisoCourtoheldoAnother reportedoino(2020)o5oSCCo1 thatowhileoconsideringoanoapplicationoforograntoofopre-arrestobailotheoCourto haso too considero theo natureo ofo theo offence,o theo roleo ofo theo person,o theo likelihoodoofohisoinfluencingotheocourseoofoinvestigation,oorotamperingowitho evidenceoorolikelihoodoofofleeingojustice.oTheoCourtoheld:-o o "92.4.oCourtsooughtotoobeogenerallyoguidedobyoconsiderationsosuchoaso theo natureo ando gravityo ofo theo offences,o theo roleo attributedo too theo applicant,oandotheofactsoofotheocase,owhileoconsideringowhetherotoo grantoanticipatoryobail,o ororefuseoit.oWhetherotoograntooronotoiso ao matteroofodiscretion;oequallyowhetheroandoifoso,owhatokindoofospecialo conditionso areo too beo imposedo (oro noto imposed)o areo dependento ono factsoofotheocase,oandosubjectotootheodiscretionoofotheocourt."o o

7.o o Asoperotheocaseoofotheoprosecutionoandouponoperusaloofotheoordero datedo21.02.2026opassedobyotheoCourtobelow,owhereby,oapplicationoforograntoofo anticipatoryobailotootheopetitioner,owasodeclined,oitoisoborneooutothatotheopetitionero wasoactivelyoinvolvedoinoaowell-plannedocriminaloconspiracyotoocheatoandodefraudo theo complainanto ofo ao substantialo amount.o Duringo investigation,o incriminatingo materialohasobeenorecovered,oincludingochatsoreflectingoaodemandoofo₹5,00,000/-,o photographso depictingo cash-filledo bags,o travelo recordso establishingo hiso movement,o ao chequeo indicatingo ₹70,00,000/-,o ando ao peno driveo showingo hiso presenceowithotheocomplainantoandoco-accused.oTheoCalloDetailoRecordsofurthero corroborateohisoactiveoinvolvementoandoconnectionowithotheocomplainantoandoco-accusedopersons.oItoisofurtheroborneooutothatotheopetitioneroisocloselyoassociatedo witho theo maino accusedo ando haso playedo ao significanto roleo ino executingo theo fraudulento scheme,o therebyo establishingo hiso complicityo ino theo offence.o Theo conductoofotheopetitionerodisentitlesohimofromoanyodiscretionaryorelief,oasodespiteo beingograntedointerimoprotectionoandospecificodirectionsobyotheolearnedoCourtoato Imphalotoojoinoinvestigationoonodesignatedodates,oheohasowillfullyodisobeyedotheo saidoordersoandofailedotoocooperateowithotheoinvestigation.oHisonon-complianceo clearlyoindicatesothatoheoisoevadingotheoprocessoofolaw.oo

7.1.o o Theopleaoofotheopetitioneroseekingoparityowithoco-accusedoSanjanao Sharma,owhoohasobeenograntedoanticipatoryobail,oisowhollyomisconceivedoando o o o o o 8o o untenable.o Theo caseoofo theo presento petitionero standso ono ao distincto ando gravero footing,oasothereoexistosubstantialoincriminatingomaterialoagainstohim,oincludingo chatsoevidencingomonetaryodemand,ophotographsodepictingocash,otravelorecords,oao penodrive,oandoCalloDetailoRecords.oTheseomaterialsoprimaofacieoestablishotheo activeoandodirectoinvolvementoofotheopetitioneroinotheocommissionoofotheooffence.oo

7.2.o o Noocauseonayoplausibleocauseohasobeenoshown,oatothisostage,ofromo whichoitocanobeodecipheredothatotheopetitionerohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedointootheo presentoFIR.oo

8.o o Itoisobefittingotoomentionohereothatowhileoconsideringoaopleaoforogranto ofoanticipatoryobail,otheoCourtohasotooequilibrateobetweenosafeguardingoindividualo rightsoandoprotectingosocietalointerest(s).oTheoCourtooughtotooreckonowithotheo magnitudeoandonatureoofotheooffence;otheoroleoattributedotootheoaccused;otheoneedo forofairoandofreeoinvestigationoasoalsootheodeeperoandowideoimpactoofosuchoallegedo iniquitiesoonotheosociety.oItoisoimperativeothatoeveryopersonoinotheoSocietyocano expectoanoatmosphereofreeofromoforebodingo&ofearoofoanyotransgression.ooAtothiso stage,othereoisonoomaterialoonorecordotooholdothatoprimaofacieocaseoisonotomadeoouto againstotheopetitioner.oTheomaterialowhichohasocomeoonorecordoandopreliminaryo investigation,oappearotoobeoestablishedoaoreasonableobasisoforotheoaccusations.o Thus,oitoisonotoappropriateotoograntoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitioner,oasoitowouldo necessarilyocauseoimpedimentoinoeffectiveoinvestigation.oInoStateov.oAniloSharma,o

(1997)o7oSCCo187o:o1997oSCCo(Cri)o1039],otheoSupremeoCourtoheldoasoundero:o (SCCop.o189,oparao6)oo o "6.oWeofindoforceoinotheosubmissionoofoCBIothatocustodialointerrogationoiso qualitativelyomoreoelicitation-orientedothanoquestioningoaosuspectowhooisowell-ensconcedowithoaofavourableoorderounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode.oInoaocaseo likeo this,o effectiveo interrogationo ofo ao suspectedo persono iso ofo tremendouso advantageoinodisinterringomanyousefuloinformationsoandoalsoomaterialsowhicho wouldohaveobeenoconcealed.oSuccessoinosuchointerrogationowouldoeludeoifotheo suspectedopersonoknowsothatoheoisowelloprotectedoandoinsulatedobyoaopre-arresto bailoorderoduringotheotimeoheoisointerrogated.oVeryooftenointerrogationoinosuchoao conditiono wouldo reduceo too ao mereo ritual.o Theo argumento thato theo custodialo interrogationoisofraughtowithotheodangeroofotheopersonobeingosubjectedotoothird-o o o o o 9o o degreeo methodso needo noto beo countenanced,o for,o sucho ano argumento cano beo advancedobyoalloaccusedoinoallocriminalocases.oTheoCourtohasotoopresumeothato responsibleopoliceoofficersowouldoconductothemselvesoinoaoresponsibleomannero ando thato thoseo entrustedo witho theo tasko ofo disinterringo offenceso wouldo noto conductothemselvesoasooffenders."o o

9.o o Keepingoinoviewotheofactualomilieuoofotheocaseoinohandoandoinoviewo ofoseriousnessoofotheoallegations,othisoCourtofindsonoocompellingogroundotooextendo theo benefito ofo discretionaryo reliefo too theo petitioner.o Moreover,o custodialo interrogationoofotheopetitioneroisonecessaryoforoanoeffectiveoinvestigationo&otoo unravelotheotruth.oTheopetitionois,othus,odevoidoofomeritsoandoisoherebyodismissed.oo

10.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeodeemedotoobeoanoexpressionoofo opinionouponomeritsoofotheocase/investigation.oo

11.o o Pendingoapplication(s),oifoany,oshalloalsoostandodisposedooff.oo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o o o o ooooJUDGEo Aprilo16,o2026o mahaviroo o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo