Joga Singh v. State of Punjab

o o o o o o o o 1o o o 103o(2ocases)o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o Dateoofodecision:oSeptembero01,o2025o

1.o o CRM-M-47284-2025o o JogaoSinghoo o o o o o o o o o ....Petitionero versuso StateoofoPunjaboo o o o o o o o o o ....Respondento o

2.o o CRM-M-47337-2025o2. CRM 47337 2025 o SukhdevoSinghoo o o o o o o o o o ....Petitionero versuso StateoofoPunjaboo o o o o o o o o o ....Respondento o o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:oo Mr.oHakamoSingh,oAdvocateoandoo o o Mr.oAjayoSinghoVirk,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner(s).oo o o o Mr.oGurpartapoS.oBhullar,oAAGoPunjab.oo o o o Mr.oNamitoSharma,oAdvocateoforotheocomplainant.oo o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o

1.o o Byothisocommonoorder,otheoaforesaidotwoopetitionsoareobeingo disposedoof,oasotheyoemanateofromoaocommonoFIR.oo o o Foro brevity,o theo factso areo beingo takeno fromo CRM-M-47284-2025.oo

2.o oo Presento petitiono haso beeno filedo undero Sectiono 482o ofo theo BhartiyaoNagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(foroshorto'BNSS')oforograntoofo o o o o o o o o 2o o concessionoofoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseoFIRoNo.150odatedo

15.06.2025,ounderoSectionso333,o118(1),o115(2),o191(3),o190,o351(2),o329(3)o ando62oofotheoBharatiyaoNyayaoSanhita,o2023o(foroshorto'BNS')o(Sectionso 117(2),o118(2)oofoBNSoaddedolateroonovideorapatoNo.035odatedo21.06.2025),o registeredoatoPoliceoStationoCityoTarnoTaran,oDistrictoTarnoTaran.oo

3.oo o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoinoquestionoreflectsothatotheopresento caseo waso registeredo ono theo basiso ofo ao statemento madeo byo Jagroopo Singho (complainant)o tootheo effecto thato heo waso havingooneoregisteredo ploto ofo28o marlas,osituatedoatotheomainoroadoofoBaleoChak.oOno05.05.2025,oSawindero Singh,o Dilbagho Singho sonso ofo Hario Singh,o Sukhdevo Singho (petitionero ino CRM-M-47337-2025),oBalwinderoSinghosonsoofoSawinderoSinghoandoJogao Singho (petitionero ino CRM-M-47284-2025)o sono ofo Dilbagho Singh,o allo residentsoofoBaleoChakohadotriedotootakeoillegalopossessionoofohisoaboveosaido plot.o Ino thiso respect,o theo complainanto hado movedo ao complainto ando consequently,otheomatterogotocompromisedobetweenothemoonotheoagreemento thatotillotheodecisionoofotheoownershipoofotheosaidoplot,ononeoofotheopartiesowillo raiseoconstructionoonoit.oHowever,oono15.06.2025oatoabouto05.30oa.m.,owheno theocomplainantowokeoupoinotheomorning,oheosawothatoaboveonamedoaccusedo personsowereoconstructingowallooverohisosaidoplotoandowhenotheyowereotriedo toobeostoppedoforodoingoso,otheoaccusedopersonsostartedopeltingostonesoupono him.oInoorderotoosaveohisolife,otheocomplainantorushedotowardsohisohouse,obuto allo theo accusedo personso chasedo himo ando forciblyo enteredo intoo hiso house.o AccusedoSukhdevoSingho(petitioneroinoCRM-M-47337-2025)oandoBalwindero Singhowereoarmedowithosickleo(datar),oSawinderoSinghowasoarmedowithospadeo

(kahi),oaccusedoJogaoSingho(petitioneroinoCRM-M-47284-2025)owasoarmedo o o o o o o o o 3o o withodangoandoDilbaghoSinghowasoemptyohanded.oDilbaghoSinghoexhortedotoo catchoholdoofohimoandotooteachohimoaolessonofromostoppingothemotooraiseo constructionoofowalloaroundotheoaforesaidoplot.oThen,oaccusedoSukhdevoSingho (petitionero ino CRM-M-47337-2025)o gaveo dataro blowo too theo complainant,o whichohitouponohisorightoelbow.oAccusedoBalwinderoSinghogaveodataroblowotoo hisoleftolegobelowotheoleftoknee.oAfterothat,oaccusedoJogaoSingho(petitioneroino CRM-M-47284-2025)o ando Sawindero Singho gaveo beatingso too hiso father,oCRM 47284 2025 namely,o Hardeepo Singh.o Theyo raisedo hueo ando cry.o Upono which,o allo theo accusedopersonsowhileohurlingothreatsoofokillingothemofledoawayofromotheo spotowithotheirorespectiveoweapons,oandowhileotheyowereoleavingohouseoofotheo complainant,otheyoalsoohitohisomother,onamely,oInderjitoKauroandohisowife,o namely,ooSukhwinderoKaur.oTheocomplainantoalongwithowithohisofatherogoto admittedotooCiviloHospitaloTarnoTaran.oBasedoonothisostatement,otheoinstanto FIRowasodulyoregisteredoandoinvestigationoensued.oo

4.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitioner(s)o haso iteratedo thato theo petitioner(s)ohaveobeenofalselyoimplicatedointootheoFIRoinoquestion.oLearnedo counselohasofurtheroiteratedothatonoospecificoinjuryohasobeenoattributedotootheo petitioner(s).oLearnedocounselohasoiteratedothatotheoallegedoinjuriesosustainedo tootheocomplainantoappearotoobeoself-inflicted,oandoaomaliciousoeffortohaso beenomadeotoofalselyoimplicateotheopetitioner(s)ointootheoFIRoinoquestion.oo Learnedocounselohasofurtheroarguedothat,oonotheootherohand,otheopetitioner(s)o themselvesohaveosustainedoinjuriesoandoareoalsootheovictimsoinotheooccurrenceo inoquestion.oLearnedocounselofurtherosubmittedothatotheodisputeoinoquestionoiso civilo ino nature,o whicho escalatedo intoo ao mutualo altercationo rathero thano ao premeditatedocriminaloassault.oLearnedocounseloassertsothatotheopoliceohasonoto o o o o o o o o 4o o conductedoaofairoandoimpartialoinvestigationoandotheoinquiryoconductedosoofaro isonotoonlyoincompleteobutoalsootaintedowithobias.oFurthermore,otheopetitionerso areoreadyotoojoinotheoinvestigationoandohence,onoousefulopurposeowouldobeo servedobyosendingothemobehindotheobars.oItoisolastlyosubmittedobyotheolearnedo counselothatotheopresentopetitionsobeoallowedoandotheopetitionersobeograntedo theoconcessionoofotheoanticipatoryobail.ooo

5.o o Pero contra,o learnedo Stateo counselo haso opposedo theo granto ofo anticipatoryobailotootheopetitionersobyoarguingothatotheooffenceocommittedobyo theopetitionersoisoseriousoinonature.ooLearnedoStateocounselohasoiteratedothato theocustodialointerrogationoofotheopetitionersoisoimperativeoforotheopurposeoofo effectiveo ando fairo investigation,o particularlyo ino viewo ofo theo facto thato theo weaponsoofooffenceoareoyetotoobeorecoveredofromotheopetitioners.oLearnedo Stateocounselohasofurtherosubmittedothat,oinocaseotheopetitionersoareograntedo theo concessiono ofo pre-arrest,o ato thiso stage,o ito mayo impedeo theo ongoingo investigation,oobstructo recoveryo ando adverselyo effecto effortsotooapprehendo remainingoco-accused.oGivenotheoseverityoofotheooffenceoandotheoexistingo enmityo betweeno theo parties,o thereo existso ao substantialo likelihoodo thato theo petitionersomayoabscondoorotamperowithotheoevidenceoifotheyoareoenlargedoono bail.ooOnotheostrengthoofotheseosubmissions,odismissaloofoanticipatoryobailotoo theopetitionersoisoentreatedofor.oo

6.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo complainanto appearso ando fileso hiso vakalatnama(s),owhichoareotakenoonorecord.oHeohasovociferouslyoopposedotheo grantoofoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitionersobyoraisingosubmissionoinotandemo o o o o o o o o 5o o

7.o o Iohaveoheardotheolearnedocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveo goneothroughotheoavailableorecordoofotheocase.o

8.o o Ito wouldo beo appositeo too refero hereino too ao judgmento ofo theo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto titledo aso Kishoro Vishwasraoo Patilo vs.o Deepako Yashwanto Patilo ando anothero passedo ino SLP(Crl)o No.1125-2022,o relevanto whereoforeadsoasounder:o o "74.oOrdinarily,oarrestoisoaopartoofotheoprocessoofotheoinvestigationointendedo too secureo severalo purposes.o Thereo mayo beo circumstanceso ino whicho theo accusedomayoprovideoinformationoleadingotoodiscoveryoofomaterialofactso ando 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 xxxo o o xxxo o o 75.o Observingo thato theo arresto iso ao parto ofo theo investigationo intendedo too secureo severalo purposes,o ino Adrio Dharano Daso v.o Stateo ofo W.B.o [Adrio DharanoDasov.oStateoofoW.B.,o(2005)o4oSCCo303o:o2005oSCCo(Cri)o933]o,oitoDharanoDasov.oStateoofoW.B.,o(2005)o4oSCCo303o:o2005oSCCo(Cri)o933] wasoheldoasoundero:o(SCCop.o313,oparao19)oo o "19.oOrdinarily,oarrestoisoaopartoofotheoprocessoofoinvestigationointendedotoo secureoseveralopurposes.oTheoaccusedomayohaveotoobeoquestionedoinodetailo regardingovariousofacetsoofomotive,opreparation,ocommissionoandoaftermatho ofotheocrimeoandotheoconnectionoofootheropersons,oifoany,oinotheocrime.o Thereo mayo beo circumstanceso ino whicho theo accusedo mayo provideo informationoleadingotoodiscoveryoofomaterialofacts.oItomayobeonecessaryotoo curtailohisofreedomoinoorderotooenableotheoinvestigationotooproceedowithouto hindranceoandotooprotectowitnessesoandopersonsoconnectedowithotheovictimo ofotheocrime,otoopreventohisodisappearance,otoomaintainolawoandoorderoinotheo locality.oForotheseoorootheroreasons,oarrestomayobecomeoanoinevitableoparto ofotheoprocessoofoinvestigation.oTheolegalityoofotheoproposedoarrestocannoto beogoneointooinoanoapplicationounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode.oTheoroleoofo theoinvestigatoroisowellodefinedoandotheojurisdictionaloscopeoofointerferenceo byotheocourtoinotheoprocessoofoinvestigationoisolimited.oTheocourtoordinarilyo willonotointerfereowithotheoinvestigationoofoaocrimeoorowithotheoarrestoofotheo accusedoinoaocognizableooffence.oAnointerimoorderorestrainingoarrest,oifo passedowhileodealingowithoanoapplicationounderoSectiono438oofotheoCodeo willoamountotoointerferenceoinotheoinvestigation,owhichocannot,oatoanyorate,o beodoneounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode."o o 76.oInoSiddharamoSatlingappaoMhetreov.oStateoofoMaharashtrao[Siddharamo SatlingappaoMhetreov.oStateoofoMaharashtra,o(2011)o1oSCCo694o:o(2011)o1o SCCo(Cri)o514],otheoSupremeoCourtolaidodownotheofactorsoandoparameterso toobeoconsideredowhileodealingowithoanticipatoryobail.oItowasoheldothatotheo natureoandotheogravityoofotheoaccusationoandotheoexactoroleoofotheoaccusedo mustobeoproperlyocomprehendedobeforeoarrestoisomadeoandothatotheocourto mustoevaluateotheoavailableomaterialoagainstotheoaccusedoveryocarefully.oIto wasoalsooheldothatotheocourtoshouldoalsooconsiderowhetherotheoaccusationso haveo beeno madeo onlyo witho theo objecto ofo injuringo oro humiliatingo theo o o o o o o o o 6o o o 77.o Aftero referringo tooSiddharamo Satlingappao Mhetreo [Siddharamo SatlingappaoMhetreov.oStateoofoMaharashtra,o(2011)o1oSCCo694o:o(2011)o1o SCCo(Cri)o514]oandootherojudgmentsoandoobservingothatoanticipatoryobailo canobeograntedoonlyoinoexceptionalocircumstances,oinoJaioPrakashoSinghov.o StateoofoBiharo[JaioPrakashoSinghov.oStateoofoBihar,o(2012)o4oSCCo379o:o

(2012)o2oSCCo(Cri)o468]o,otheoSupremeoCourtoheldoasoundero:o(SCCop.o386,o(2012)o2oSCCo(Cri)o468] parao19)oo o "19.o Parameterso foro granto ofo anticipatoryo bailo ino ao seriouso offenceo areo requiredotoobeosatisfiedoandofurtherowhileograntingosuchorelief,otheocourto mustorecordotheoreasonsotherefor.oAnticipatoryobailocanobeograntedoonlyoino exceptionalocircumstancesowhereotheocourtoisoprimaofacieoofotheoviewothato theoapplicantohasofalselyobeenoenropedoinotheocrimeoandowouldonotomisuseo hiso liberty.o (SeeoD.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.oMohd.oSajidoHusainoMohd.oS.oHusaino[StateoofoStateoofoMaharashtraov.oMohd.oSajidoHusainoMohd.oS.oHusaino[Stateoofo 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 Economicooffenceso o 78.oPowerounderoSectiono438oCrPCobeingoanoextraordinaryoremedy,ohasotoo beoexercisedosparingly;omoreoso,oinocasesoofoeconomicooffences.oEconomico offencesostandoasoaodifferentoclassoasotheyoaffectotheoeconomicofabricoofotheo society.oInoDirectorateoofoEnforcementov.oAshokoKumaroJaino[Directorateo ofoEnforcementov.oAshokoKumaroJain,o(1998)o2oSCCo105o:o1998oSCCo(Cri)oofoEnforcement v.oAshokoKumaroJain,o(1998)o2 SCCo105o:o1998oSCCo(Cri)o 510],oitowasoheldothatoinoeconomicooffences,otheoaccusedoisonotoentitledotoo anticipatoryobail."o o 15.oInoSushilao Agrawalo ando otherso v.o Stateo (NCTo ofo Delhi)o ando Anotheroreportedoino(2020)o5oSCCo1,oConstitutionoBenchoofothisoCourtoheldo 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.oCourtsooughtotoobeogenerallyoguidedobyoconsiderationsosucho asotheonatureoandogravityoofotheooffences,otheoroleoattributedotootheo applicant,oandotheofactsoofotheocase,owhileoconsideringowhetherotoo grantoanticipatoryobail,oororefuseoit.oWhetherotoograntooronotoisoao mattero ofo discretion;o equallyo whethero ando ifo so,o whato kindo ofo specialo conditionso areo too beo imposedo (oro noto imposed)o areo dependentoonofactsoofotheocase,oandosubjectotootheodiscretionoofotheo court."o o

9.o o AsoperotheocaseoputoforthoinotheoFIRoinoquestion,oindubitably,o seriouso allegationso haveo beeno levelledo againsto theopetitioners.o Aso pero theo versionoputoforthobyotheoprosecution,oonotheoallegedodayoofooccurrence,otheo petitionersoalongwithootheroco-accusedoformedoanounlawfuloassembly,osomeo ofothemoarmedowithoweaponsoandohavingocommonointention,obargedointootheo houseoofocomplainantoandoattackedouponohimoandohisofamilyomembers.oTotalo 05oinjuriesowereoinflictedouponocomplainant,oandooutoofothem,oinjuriesoNo.1o o o o o o o o o 7o o ando3owereofoundogrievousoinonature.oTotalo03oinjuriesowereoinflictedoupono theocomplainant'sofather,onamely,oHardeepoSingh,oandooutoofothem,oinjuryo No.1o waso declaredo grievouso ino nature.o Further,o totalo 04o injurieso wereo inflictedouponocomplainant'somother,onamely,oInderjitoKaur,oando03oinjurieso wereoinflictedouponowifeoofocomplainant,onamely,oSukhwinderoKaur.oTheo petitionero(JogaoSingh)oalongwithoco-accusedoSawinderoSingh,oarmedowitho weapons,oattackedouponotheocomplainant'sofatheroHardeepoSinghowithotheo intentiono too killo him.o Multipleo injurieso wereo causedo too Hardeepo Singh,o InderjitoKaur,oSukhwinderoKauroandotheocomplainant,owhoowereoattackedo upon.oTheopetitionero(SukhdevoSingh)oarmedowithosickle,oattackedouponotheo complainantowithoanointentionotookillohim.ooAllotheoaccusedopersons,oaftero formingo unlawfulo assemblyo ando enteringo intoo theo houseo ofo complainant,o committedoseriousoandograveooffenceoinoquestion.oRecoveryoofotheoweaponso isoyetotoobeoeffectedofromotheopetitioner(s).oo o o TheopetitionersohaveospecificallyobeenonamedoinotheoFIR,oando natureoofotheo injurieso attributedo too them,o areo seriouso ando life-threatening,o reflectingoseverityoofotheoallegedoact.oNoocauseonayoplausibleocauseohasobeeno shown,oatothisostage,ofromowhichoitocanobeodecipheredothatotheopetitionerso haveobeenofalselyoimplicatedointootheopresentoFIR.oItogoesowithoutosayingothato ino theo instanto case,o theo complainanto haso categoricallyo statedo thato theo petitionersoalongowithoco-accusedoandoasopartoofoanounlawfuloassembly,oactedo inofurtheranceoofotheirocommonoobjectotooinflictomultipleoinjuriesouponotheo complainantoparty.oo

10.o o Itoisobefittingotoomentionohereothatowhileoconsideringoaopleaoforo grantoofoanticipatoryobail,otheoCourtohasotooequilibrateobetweenosafeguardingo o o o o o o o o 8o o individualo rightso ando protectingo societalo interest(s).o Theo Courto oughto too reckonowithotheomagnitudeoandonatureoofotheooffence;otheoroleoattributedotoo theoaccused;otheoneedoforofairoandofreeoinvestigationoasoalsootheodeeperoando wideoimpactoofosuchoallegedoiniquitiesoonotheosociety.oItoisoimperativeothato everyopersonoinotheoSocietyocanoexpectoanoatmosphereofreeofromoforebodingo &ofearoofoanyotransgression.ooAtothisostage,othereoisonoomaterialoonorecordotoo holdo thato primao facieo caseo iso noto madeo outo againsto theo petitioners.o Theo materialowhichohasocomeoonorecordoandopreliminaryoinvestigation,oappearotoo beo establishedo ao reasonableo basiso foro theo accusations.o Thus,o ito iso noto appropriateotoograntoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitioner,oasoitowouldonecessarilyo causeoimpedimentoinoeffectiveoinvestigation.ooInoStateov.oAniloSharma,o(1997)o 7oSCCo187,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.oVeryooftenointerrogationoinosucho aoconditionowouldoreduceotooaomereoritual.oTheoargumentothatotheocustodialo interrogationoisofraughtowithotheodangeroofotheopersonobeingosubjectedotoothird-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

10.1.o o Ino viewo ofo theo seriousnesso ofo theo allegations,o theo dangerouso natureoofo theo injuries,o formingo unlawfulo assemblyo whileo havingo commono intention,oandotheoovertlyoviolentoconductoofotheoaccusedoasoreflectedoinotheo availableo evidence,o thiso Courto findso noo compellingo groundo too extendo theo benefitoofodiscretionaryoreliefotootheopetitioners.oGrantingobailoatothisostageo wouldo noto onlyo undermineo theo administrationo ofo justiceo buto mayo alsoo o o o o o o o o 9o o emboldenotheoaccusedoandoposeoaothreatotootheosafetyoandowell-beingoofotheo victimoandootherowitnesses.ooInoviewoofotheogravityoofotheoallegations,otheo specifico roleo attributedo too theo petitioners,o theo seriouso natureo ofo injurieso sustainedobyotheovictimsoandotheonecessityoofocustodialointerrogationoforoaofairo andothoroughoinvestigation,othisoCourtoisoofotheoconsideredoopinionothatotheo petitionersodoonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofoanticipatoryobailoinotheofactualo matrixo ofo theo caseo ino hand.o Moreover,o custodialo interrogationo ofo theo petitionersoisonecessaryoforoanoeffectiveoinvestigationo&otoounravelotheotruth.o Theopetitionsoare,othus,odevoidoofomeritsoandoareoherebyodismissed.oo

11.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeodeemedotoobeoanoexpressiono ofoopinionouponomeritsoofotheocase/investigation.oo

12.o o Pendingoapplication(s),oifoany,oshalloalsoostandodisposedoof.oo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o o o o o o o o ooooJUDGEo Septembero01,o2025o mahaviroo Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo