Gaurav Chhabra Alias Gaurav Chabra v. State of Punjab

o o o o o oo INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 109o o o o o o ooCRM-M-30056-2023o o o o o o o ooDateoofodecision:oo27.10.2025o oo o GauravoChhabrao@oGauravoChabrao o o ....Petitionerooo V/so StateoofoPunjabo o o o o o o o o o o ....Respondento o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:oo Mr.oPriyanshuoKamra,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o Mr.oAmitoKumaroGoyal,oAddl.oAG,oPunjab.o o o o o o o oo *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o

1.o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono439oofoCr.P.C.oono behalfoofotheopetitioneroforograntooforegularobailoinocaseobearingoFIRoNo.95o datedo 20.05.2017,o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableo undero Sectionso 420,o120-BoofoIPCoatoPoliceoStationoCityoFaridkot,oDistrictoFaridkot.o

2.oo o Theo caseo seto upo ino theo FIRo ino questiono (aso seto outo byo theo petitioneroinotheopresentopetition)oisoasofollows:-o o "TodayoanoApplicationoNo.o331-PCo8/17oDatedo27.02.17o byoJudgeoSinghosonoofoMajoroSinghoresidentoofoStreetoNo.o4/7,o Houseo No.o 850,o Greeno Avenueo Faridkot,o Districto Faridkot,o Mobileo No.:o 70094-63190o aftero investigationo fromo theo SuperintendentoofoPoliceo(Inv.),oFaridkotoandoasoperotheoordersoofo Shrio Nanako Singh,o Senioro Superintendento ofo Police,o Faridkoto regardingofilingoofotheocaseoagainstoNeerajoArora,oDirectoroofo CRM-M-30056-2023o o P a g e o|o2o o o o Natureo Heightso Infrao Limited,o Sundaro Nagar,o Abohar,o Gauravo Chhabra,oDirectoroNatureoHeightsoInfraoLimitedoandoMenkaoTuli,o AuthorizeobyoSignatoryoHeightsoInfraoLimited,oAboharoisoreceivedo atotheoPoliceoStationowhichoisoasofollows:oTo,otheoHon'bleoS.S.P.o Sahib,o Faridkot.o Subject:o Applicationo regardingo takingo actiono against:o1oNeerajoAroraoManagingoDirectoroNatureoHeightsoInfrao Limited,o Streeto No.o 9,o Sundaro Nagaro Hanumangarho Road,o Aboharo2.oGauravoChhabrao(Director)oMobileoNo.o92166-69420,o MenikaoTulioAuthorizeoSignatory,oNatureoHeightsoInfraoLimitedo Company,oAboharoMobileoNo.o82880-37617,oregardingotheofraudo ofo91olakhorupeesodoneowithocollusion.oSir,oitoisosubmittedothato1.oIo amo Judgeo Singho sono ofo Majoro Singho iso theo residento ofo Greeno Avenue,oStreetoNo.o4/7oTehsiloandoDistrictoFaridkot.o2.oThatoinotheo Faridkot,o MDo Neerajo Arorao ofo Natureo Heightso Infrao Limitedo CompanyoalongowithoaccusedoGauravoChhabra,oDirectoroNatureo Heightso Infrao Limitedo sono ofo Shrio Chimano Lalo Chhabrao ando Menikao Tulio witho theo intentiono ofo dishonestyo ando defrauding.o cameoatomyohouseotootellotheoplanoofotheocompany.oInowhichotheyo saidothatoMDoSahibohadocomeotoovisitoFaridkototoday.oSooweotoldo themoaboutoyouothatoJudgeoSinghoisoaoveryogoodoandoresourcefulo man.oDueotoothis,oweohaveoscheduledoanoappointmentotoomeetoyouo today,oinowhichotheyotoldothatoourocompanyodoublesotheoamounto withointerestoquicklyoinoexchangeooforupeesoandoforothis,olandoando propertyowasoalsoogiven.oOnowhichoIoaskedothatoifothisocompanyo ignoredotooreturnotheomoneyolater,othenowhoowillobeoresponsible,o thenotheosaidoaccusedopersonsotoldothatoweoknowoeverythingoabouto MDoNeerajoArora,oheoisoaoveryogoodoandohonestobusinessmanoando weodoogoodoworkoinotheirocompanyoandomadamoMenikaoTulioiso theiro sistero ino lawo ando thiso businessmano runso likeo ao familyo business.oIfoyouofoundoanythingowrongoregardingothisocompany,o thenoyouocanowithdrawotheomoneyowithointerestobyogivingotimeoofo oneomonth.oWeohaveoinvestedoaolotoofomoneyoinothisocompanyoino Muktsaro ando othero nearbyo areas.o Don'to worryo becauseo Neerajo Arora'so producto baseo companyo ino theo nameo ofo Natureo Wayo iso alreadyooperatingoinoeveryopartoofoIndiaoandohasoaohugeonameoino theomarket.oManyopeopleoareomakingoaolotoofomoneyowithothem.o Ono believingo upono them,o Io agreedo too investo moneyo ino thiso companyoandogaveothemofiveolakhorupeesoinotheoformoofoaocasho CRM-M-30056-2023o o P a g e o|o3o o o o noteo ono theo spot.o Ato thato time,o Sukhbiro Singho sono ofo Sukhdevo SinghoresidentoofoHukkioWalaoChowk,oFaridkotoandoGurjitoSingho sono ofo Mahindero Singho residento ofo Naraingarho Bhangali,o Ferozepurowereopresentoatotheospotoandothereafter,oserialowiseo paido 86o lakhso (ino separateo projectso ando planso ofo theo saido company)oinotheonameoofomeoandomyofamilyomembersoinotheoformo ofoaocashonoteotootheoaboveosaidoagentsodepositedoinothisocompanyo byotheosaidoagents.oOnothisooccasion,otheosaidoagentsotoldomeothato ifoallothisoamountowillobeodepositedowithous,othenoyouowillobeogiveno aocaroworthofourolakhorupeesofromotheocompanyoinotheoformoofo gift,o becauseo witho thiso investmento ofo yours,o weo areo alsoo completingoaoveryobigotarget.oUntiloaboutoMarcho2015,oeverythingo waso goingo wello ando meo ando myo family'so banko accountso kepto comingoinotheoformoofochecksofromothisocompany.oButowhenoino Aprilo 2015o wheno theo chequeso ofo theo companyo startedo gettingo bouncedoinoouroaccounts,othenoIocameotooknowothatotheoworkoofo thisocompanyoisonotogoingowelloandotheocompanyoisocheatingoinotheo paymentoofosomeopeople.oAfterothat,oIoinquiredoforohimoatotheoheado officeoofoAboharoCompany,oRajinderoAgarwaloandosenioroheadoofo theo company,o Ankusho Kamra,o whoo wereo there,o saido thato youo shouldonotoworry,oweoknowoaboutoyouroinvestment.oButothereoiso someo financialo problemo goingo ono ino theo companyo ando theo companyoisotryingoitsobestotoofixoeverythingosoonobecauseoweohaveo hadoaomeetingowithoNeerajoAroraotoday.oAfterothatoIometomadamo MenikaoTulioandodemandedomyomoneyobackothenomadamoMonikao Tuli,oDirectoroGauravoChhabraowhoowasothereoassuredomeothato youroinvestmentohasobeenodoneobyous.oIfoanyosuchoconversationo takeso placeo ino theo company,o weo willo beo liableo too repayo youro moneyoalongowithointerest.oAtothisotime,oGurmeetoSinghoresidento ofo Rupana,o Districto Srio Muktsaro Sahib,o Sukhdeepo Singho ando RajinderoAgarwaloresidentoofoFaridkotowereoalsoopresentoatotheo spot.oBelievingotheowordsoofoMadamoMonikaoTulioandoGauravo Chhabra,oIoremainedosilentoforosomeotime,obutoevenoafterosomeo timeopassed,otheseoallegedoagentsocontinuedotoo avoidome,osoo Io startedotooinquireofromotheoFaridkotocompanyooffice,obutonoooneo listenothereoandotheyoclearlyosaidothatoyouoshouldotalkotootheoagento whoohasoinvestedoyouromoney.oWhenoIospokeotooGauravoChhabrao andoMonikaoTuli,otheyosaidothatoyouoshouldonotopanic,oitowillobeo CRM-M-30056-2023o o P a g e o|o4o o o o doneoinoaoweek.oPleaseogiveousotimeoforoanotheroweek,othenoIofelto thatotheointentionsoofotheseopeopleoisonotoright,obutoIohadonooothero optionobutotoowaitoforoaoweek.oBelievingotheirowords,oIowaitedoforo oneomoreoweek.o3.oButoafteroaofewodays,oIohaveostartedotooknowo throughonewspapersoandotelevisionothatothisocompanyohasovacatedo theiro officeo fromo faro awayo ando people'so chequeso haveo startedo gettingobouncedoandotheoownersoandoagentsoofotheocompanyoandoto witho theo connivanceo ofo theiro relatives,o theyo haveo builto manyo unnamedopropertiesoinotheonameoofohimselfoandohisorelativesowitho theo moneyo ofo theo generalo publico throughouto theo countryo ando becauseoofothis,otheomoneyoinvestedobyotheogeneralopublicohaso beeno stoleno illegallyo witho theo intentiono ofo cheating.o Theiro MDo NeerajoAroraoisonotogivingotimeotoomeetoanyoneoandoisonotopickingo upotheophone,osooIofeltothatomyorightfuloearningsowillosink.oSooIo askedo theo accusedo personso too returno myo money,o soo theyo tooko responsibilityotooreturnomyomoneyoinooneomonth,obutowhenoeveno aftero ao month,o theyo startedo avoidingo me,o Io felto thato theyo hado investedomyomoneyoinothisocompanyowithoanointentionotoocheatome.o Afterotalkingotoothemoagainoandoagain,ooneodayotheyoclearlyosaido thatoweowantedotoocheat,oweohaveocheatedoyou,odoowhateveroyouo can.oFromothisoitoseemsotoomeothatoitsoallegedoagent/accusedohaso defraudedo myo moneyo byo colludingo witho theo MDo ofo theo saido company,o haso brokeno myo trusto ando deliberatelyo cheatedo me.o Therefore,obyosubmittingotheoapplication,oitoisorequestedothatostricto legalo actiono beo takeno againsto theo MD,o Directoro ofo theo saido companyoandotheorelatedoagentsoandomyorightfullyoearnedomoneyo beoreturnedosoothatoIocanogetojustice.oIoshallobeogratefulotooyou.oSd/o JudgeoSinghoSonoofoShrioMajoroSinghoResidentoofoStreetoNo.o4/7,o Houseo No.o 850,o Greeno Avenue,o Faridkot,o Districto Faridkoto MobileoNo.o70094-63190.oDated:o27.02.2017.oSPo(INV:)oVerifyo ando report.o Sd/o Sh.o Nanako Singh,o IPS.o Sr.o Supdt.o ofo Police,o Faridkot."o

3.oo o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso arguedo thato theo petitionerohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedointootheoFIRoinoquestion.ooLearnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso furthero iteratedo thato theo petitionero iso ino custodyosinceo21.10.2022.oooLearnedocounselohasoiteratedothatotheopetitionero CRM-M-30056-2023o o P a g e o|o5o o o o waso shownotoobeo aodirectorobuto heo wasoactuallyo ano employee.o o Heo haso furthero arguedo thato theo FIRo ino questiono essentiallyo haso civilo overtones.o Learnedocounselohasofurtheroarguedothatoearlierotheopetitionerowasoextendedo theoconcessionoofointerimobailovideoorderodatedo06.07.2023oearlieropassedo byothisoCourt,obutoheowasonotoableotooavailotheosaidobenefitoonoaccountoofo lackoofomeansoatohisoend.ooThus,oregularobailoisoprayedofor.o

4.oo o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso opposedo theo presento petitiono byo arguingo thato theo allegationso raisedo againsto theo petitionero areo seriouso ino natureoand,othus,oheodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofotheoregularobail.o LearnedoStateocounseloseeksotooplaceoonorecordocustodyocertificateoinoCourt,o whichoisotakenoonorecord.o

5.oo o Io haveo heardo counselo foro theo rivalo partieso ando haveo goneo throughotheoavailableorecordsoofotheocase.o

6.oo o Theo petitionero waso arrestedo ono 21.10.2022o ando ito iso noto ino disputeothatoheoisoinocustodyosinceothen.ooWhereinafteroinvestigationowaso carriedooutoandochallanowasopresentedoono16.03.2023.ooItoisonotodisputedothato outoofototalo55oprosecutionowitnessesocited,oonlyo4ohaveobeenoexaminedotillo dateowhereaso7ohaveobeenogivenoup.ooItoisonotoinodisputeothatoculminationoofo trialowillotakeoitsoownotime.ooTheorivalocontentionsoraisedoatoBarogiveoriseotoo debatableoissuesoshallobeoratiocinatedouponoduringotheocourseoofotrial.oThiso Courto doeso noto deemo ito appropriateo too delveo deepo intoo theseo rivalo contentions,oatothisostage,olestoitomayoprejudiceotheotrial.oNothingotangibleo haso beeno broughto forwardo too indicateo theo likelihoodo ofo theo petitionero abscondingofromotheoprocessoofojusticeoorointerferingowithotheoprosecutiono CRM-M-30056-2023 P a g e | 6

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9.).oo o Aso pero custodyo certificateo filedo todayo byo theo learnedo Stateo counsel,otheopetitioneroisoinocustodyosinceotheodateoofohisoarrest.oo"urther,oaso perotheosaidocustodyocertificateotheopetitioneroisostatedotoobeoin7ol7edoino multipleo "#$s.o o However, this factum cannot be a ground sufficient by itself, to decline the concession of regular bail to the petitioner in the FIR in question when a case is made out for grant of regular bail qua the FIR in question by ratiocinating upon the facts/circumstances of the said FIR. Reliance in this regard can be placed upon the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Maulana Mohd. Amir Rashadi v. State of U.P. and another, 2012 (1) RCR (Criminal) 586; a Division Bench judgment of the Hon'ble Calcutta High Court in case of Sridhar Das v. State, 1998 (2) RCR (Criminal) 477 & judgments of this Court in CRM-M No.38822-2022 titled as Akhilesh Singh v. State of Haryana, decided on 29.11.2021, and Balraj v. State of Haryana, 1998 (3) RCR (Criminal) 191. o o Suffice to say, the further detention of the petitioner in custody is not required in the facts and circumstances of the case.

¶7In view of the above, the petition is allowed. Petitioner is ordered to be released on regular bail on his furnishing bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of the learned concerned CJM/Duty Magistrate. However, in addition to conditions that may be imposed by the concerned CJM/Duty Magistrate, the petitioner shall remain bound by the following conditions:-

(i) The petitioner shall not mis-use the liberty granted.

(ii) The petitioner shall not tamper with any evidence, oral or documentary, during the trial.

(iii) The petitioner shall not absent himself on any date CRM-M-30056-2023 P a g e | 7

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(iv) The petitioner shall not commit any offence while on bail.

(v) The petitioner shall deposit his passport, if any, with the trial Court.

(vi) The petitioner shall give his cell phone number to the Investigating Officer/SHO of concerned Police Station and shall not change his cell-phone number without prior permission of the trial Court/Illaqa Magistrate.

(vii) The petitioner shall not in any manner try to delay the trial.

¶8In case of breach of any of the aforesaid conditions and those which may be imposed by concerned CJM/Duty Magistrate as directed hereinabove or upon showing any other sufficient cause, the State/complainant shall be at liberty to move cancellation of bail of the petitioner.

¶9Ordered accordingly.

¶10Nothing said hereinabove shall be construed as an expression of opinion on the merits of the case.

¶11Since the main case has been decided, pending miscellaneous application, if any, shall also stands disposed off.

(SUMEET GOEL) JUDGE October 27, 2025 Na-een Whether speaking/reasoned: Yes/No