Lovejit Singh @ Lala v. State of Punjab

o o o o o o o o 1o o o 110o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o CRM-M-48502-2025o o o Dateoofodecision:oSeptembero01,o2025o o LovejitoSingho@oLalaoo o o o o o o o o o ....Petitionero versuso o StateoofoPunjaboo o o o o o o o o o ....Respondento o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:oo Ms.oSamanpreetoKaur,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o Mr.oGurpartapoSinghoBhullar,oAAGoPunjab.oo o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(Oral)oo o

1.o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono482oofoBharatiyao NagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(hereinafterotoobeoreferredoaso'theoBNSS')o forograntoofopre-arrest/anticipatoryobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseobearingoFIRo No.46o datedo 15.05.2025,o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableo undero Sectionso115(2),o118(2),o3(5)oofotheoBNSoAct,oatoPoliceoStationoChattiiwind,o DistrictoAmritsaroRural.ooo

2.oo o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoinoquestionoreflectsothatotheopresento caseowasoregisteredoonotheobasisoofoaostatementomadeobyoCharanjitoSingh,oS/oo LaloSinghoR/ooRajewal,oagedoabouto52oyears,owhooisoworkingoasofarmer.o Accordingotootheocomplainant,oono03.05.2025oatoabouto09:30oPM,oheowentotoo theohouseoofohisomaternaloauntonamelyoBiroKauroinovillageoRajewalotooinviteo hero foro theo roofo layingo ceremonyo ofo hiso houseo scheduledoono04.05.2025.oo o o o o o o o o 2o o Whenotheocomplainantowasostandingooutsideotheohouseoofoheromaternaloaunto afteroknockingotheodoor,oatothatotimeoaccused/opetitioneroarmedowithodatar;o GurpreetoSinghoarmedowithobaseballobat;oVanshdeepoSingho@oKakaoarmedo withodaangoalongwithotwoounknownopersons,owhoowereoarmedowithobaseballo batoandodaangoapproachedohim.ooTheopetitioneroraisedoaolalkaraosayingothato theocomplainantobeotaughtoaolessonoforonotoallowingothemotooencroachoupono theogovernmentoland.ooTheosaidoaccusedoattackedotheocomplainantowithodataro whichohitoonohisonoseocausingohimotoofall.ooAccusedoGurpeetoSinghostruckotheo complainanto ono theo backo ofo hiso heado witho ao baseballo bat.o o Accusedo Vanshdeepo Singho hito theo complainanto ono theo waisto witho ao daang.o o o Theo unknownoassailantsoalsooattackedotheocomplainantoonotheowaistoandorightoleg.oo Onoraisingotheohueoandocry,otheoaccusedofledowithotheirorespectiveoweapons.oo Whenotheofamilyoofotheocomplainantoreachedotheospot,otheocomplainantowaso takenotooCiviloHospital,oManawala.ooDueotootheoseriousnessoofotheoinjures,oheo waso referredo too Guruo Nanako Devo Hospital,o Amritsaro whereo heo remainedo underotreatmentountilo06.05.2025oandothereafterowasoagainoadmittedotooCivilo Hospital,oManawalaotillo09.05.2025.oBasedoonotheseosetoofoallegations,otheo instantoFIRowasodulyoregisteredoandoinvestigationoensued.oo

3.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso iteratedo thato ao bareo perusaloofotheoFIRoitselfoshowsothatoallegationsoleveledoagainstotheopetitionero areoconcocted,oimprobableoandodevoidoofoanyomerit.ooLearnedocounselohaso furtheroiteratedothatoasoperotheoprosecution,oaodataroblowowasoattributedotootheo petitioner,obutonarrationoofotheoeventsoinotheoFIRoisoinconsistentoandodoesonoto inspireoconfidence.oFurthermore,othereoisounexplainedodelayoofo12odaysoino lodgingoofotheoFIRoasotheoallegedoincidentotookoplaceoono03.05.2025owhereaso theo FIRo ino questiono waso registeredo onlyo ono 15.05.2025.o o Thiso inordinateoMAHAVIR SINGH o o o o o o o o 3o o delayoclearlyopointsotowardsoafterthought.ooAccordingotoolearnedocounsel,oifo theostoryoofotheoprosecutionoisoassumedotoobeotrueoforotheosakeoofoarguments,o theoinjuryoallegedlyoattributedotootheopetitioneroisoonoaonon-vitalopartoofotheo bodyoofotheocomplainant.ooThus,otheoessentialoingredientsoofoaograveooffenceo areomissing.ooLearnedocounseloassertsothatotheopoliceohaveonotoconductedoao fairoandoimpartialoinvestigationoandotheoinquiryoconductedosoofaroisonotoonlyo incompleteobutoalsootaintedowithobias.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroarguedo thatoco-accused,onamely,oVanshdeepoSinghoaliasoKakaohasobeenograntedotheo concessionoofoanticipatoryobailobyotheoco-ordinateoBenchoofothisoCourtovideo orderodatedo04.08.2025opassedoinoCRM-M-39021-2025.ooItoisonextosubmittedo byotheolearnedocounselothatotheopetitioneroisoaoyoungomanoofo29oyearsoandohiso entireofutureowouldobeojeopardizedoifoheoisosubjectedotooincarcerationoinoao falseocase.ooMoreover,otheocustodialointerrogationoshouldonotobeousedoasoao punitiveo measureo ando iso justifiedo onlyo wheno absolutelyo necessaryo foro theo recoveryoofomaterialoevidence.oFurthermore,otheopetitioneroisoreadyotoojoino theoinvestigationoandohenceonoousefulopurposeowouldobeoservedobyosendingo himobehindotheobars.oOnotheoaforesaidosubmissions,otheograntoofoanticipatoryo bailoisoentreatedofor.oo

4.o o Pero contra,o learnedo Stateo counselo haso opposedo theo granto ofo anticipatoryobailotootheopetitionerobyoarguingothatotheooffenceocommittedobyo theopetitioneroisoseriousoinonature.ooLearnedoStateocounselohasoiteratedothato thereo areo specifico ando directo allegationso againsto theo petitionero whicho areo supportedobyomedicaloevidence.ooTheocomplainantohasospecificallyonamedotheo petitioneroalongwithoco-accusedoandoclearlyoattributedotheoroleoofoinflictingoao blowowithoaodataroonohisonose.ooFurthermore,otheoinjuriesosustainedobyotheo complainanto areo neithero superficialo noro fabricatedo aso iso evidento fromo theoMAHAVIR SINGH o o o o o o o o 4o o medicaloevidence.oGivenotheoseverityoofotheooffence,othereoexistsoaosubstantialo likelihoodothatotheopetitioneromayoabscondoorotamperowithotheoevidenceoifoheo iso enlargedo ono bail.o o Furthermore,o custodialo interrogationo ofo theo presento petitioneroisoessentialotooascertainotheoidentitiesoandorolesoofootheroco-accusedo whoowereoalsooinvolvedoinotheocommissionoofotheooffenceoandowereopresento atotheosceneoofotheooccurrence.oo

5.o o Iohaveoheardotheolearnedocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveo goneothroughotheoavailableorecordoofotheocase.o

6.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.o Ordinarily,o arresto iso ao parto ofo theo processo ofo theo investigationointendedotoosecureoseveralopurposes.oThereomayobeo circumstancesoinowhichotheoaccusedomayoprovideoinformationo leadingotoodiscoveryoofomaterialofactsoandorelevantoinformation.o Grantoofoanticipatoryobailomayohamperotheoinvestigation.oPre-arrestobailoisotoostrikeoaobalanceobetweenotheoindividual'sorightotoo personalofreedomoandotheorightoofotheoinvestigatingoagencyotoo interrogateotheoaccusedoasotootheomaterialosoofarocollectedoandotoo collecto moreo informationo whicho mayo leado too recoveryo ofo relevantoinformation.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 StateoofoW.B.o[AdrioDharanoDasov.oStateoofoW.B.,o(2005)o4oSCCo 303o:o2005oSCCo(Cri)o933]o,oitowasoheldoasoundero:o(SCCop.o313,o parao19)oo o o o o o o o o 5o o o "19.oOrdinarily,oarrestoisoaopartoofotheoprocessoofoinvestigationo intendedotoosecureoseveralopurposes.oTheoaccusedomayohaveotoo beo questionedo ino detailo regardingo variouso facetso ofo motive,o preparation,o commissiono ando aftermatho ofo theo crimeo ando theo connectionoofootheropersons,oifoany,oinotheocrime.oThereomayobeo circumstancesoinowhichotheoaccusedomayoprovideoinformationo leadingotoodiscoveryoofomaterialofacts.oItomayobeonecessaryotoo curtailo hiso freedomo ino ordero too enableo theo investigationo too proceedowithoutohindranceoandotooprotectowitnessesoandopersonso connectedo witho theo victimo ofo theo crime,o too prevento hiso disappearance,otoomaintainolawoandoorderoinotheolocality.oForo theseoorootheroreasons,oarrestomayobecomeoanoinevitableopartoofo theoprocessoofoinvestigation.oTheolegalityoofotheoproposedoarresto cannotobeogoneointooinoanoapplicationounderoSectiono438oofotheo Code.o Theo roleo ofo theo investigatoro iso wello definedo ando theo jurisdictionaloscopeoofointerferenceobyotheocourtoinotheoprocesso ofo investigationo iso limited.o Theo courto ordinarilyo willo noto interfereowithotheoinvestigationoofoaocrimeoorowithotheoarrestoofo theo accusedo ino ao cognizableo offence.o Ano interimo ordero restrainingoarrest,oifopassedowhileodealingowithoanoapplicationo underoSectiono438oofotheoCodeowilloamountotoointerferenceoino theo investigation,o whicho cannot,o ato anyo rate,o beo doneo underoSectiono438oofotheoCode."o o 76.oInoSiddharamoSatlingappaoMhetreov.oStateoofoMaharashtrao [SiddharamoSatlingappaoMhetreov.oStateoofoMaharashtra,o(2011)o 1oSCCo694o:o(2011)o1oSCCo(Cri)o514],otheoSupremeoCourtolaido downotheofactorsoandoparametersotoobeoconsideredowhileodealingo withoanticipatoryobail.oItowasoheldothatotheonatureoandotheogravityo ofo theo accusationo ando theo exacto roleoofotheoaccusedo mustobeo properlyocomprehendedobeforeoarrestoisomadeoandothatotheocourto mustoevaluateotheoavailableomaterialoagainstotheoaccusedoveryo carefully.oItowasoalsooheldothatotheocourtoshouldoalsooconsidero whetherotheoaccusationsohaveobeenomadeoonlyowithotheoobjectoofo injuringoorohumiliatingotheoapplicantobyoarrestingohimooroher.o o o o o o o o o 6o o o 77.o Aftero referringo tooSiddharamo Satlingappao Mhetreo [SiddharamoSatlingappaoMhetreov.oStateoofoMaharashtra,o(2011)o 1oSCCo694o:o(2011)o1oSCCo(Cri)o514]oandootherojudgmentsoando observingo thato anticipatoryo bailo cano beo grantedo onlyo ino exceptionalo circumstances,o inoJaio Prakasho Singho v.o Stateo ofo Biharo[JaioPrakashoSinghov.oStateoofoBihar,o(2012)o4oSCCo379o:o

(2012)o2oSCCo(Cri)o468]o,otheoSupremeoCourtoheldoasoundero:o(2012)o2oSCCo(Cri)o468] (SCCop.o386,oparao19)oo o "19.o Parameterso foro granto ofo anticipatoryo bailo ino ao seriouso offenceoareorequiredotoobeosatisfiedoandofurtherowhileograntingo sucho relief,o theo courto musto recordo theo reasonso therefor.o Anticipatoryo bailo cano beo grantedo onlyo ino exceptionalo circumstancesowhereotheocourtoisoprimaofacieoofotheoviewothato theoapplicantohasofalselyobeenoenropedoinotheocrimeoandowouldo noto misuseo hiso liberty.o (SeeoD.K.o Ganesho Babuo v.o P.T.o Manokarano[D.K.oGaneshoBabuov.oP.T.oManokaran,o(2007)o4o SCCo434o:(2007)o2oSCCo(Cri)o345]o,oStateoofoMaharashtraov.o Mohd.oSajidoHusainoMohd.oS.oHusaino[StateoofoMaharashtraov.o Mohd.o Sajido Husaino Mohd.o S.o Husain,o (2008)o 1o SCCo 213o :o

(2008)o1oSCCo(Cri)o176]oandoUnionoofoIndiaov.oPadamoNaraino Aggarwalo[UnionoofoIndiaov.oPadamoNarainoAggarwal,o(2008)oAggarwalo[UnionoofoIndiaov.oPadamoNarainoAggarwal,o(2008)o 13oSCCo305o:o(2009)o1oSCCo(Cri)o1]o.)"o o Economicooffenceso o 78.o Powero underoSectiono 438oCrPCo beingo ano extraordinaryo remedy,o haso too beo exercisedo sparingly;o moreo so,o ino caseso ofo economico offences.o Economico offenceso stando aso ao differento classo aso theyo affecto theo economico fabrico ofo theo society.oInoDirectorateo ofo Enforcemento v.o Ashoko Kumaro Jaino [Directorateo ofo Enforcementov.o Ashoko Kumaro Jain,o (1998)o 2oSCCo105o:o1998oSCCo(Cri)o510],oitowasoheldothatoinoeconomico offences,otheoaccusedoisonotoentitledotooanticipatoryobail."o o 15.oInoSushilaoAgrawaloandoothersov.oStateo(NCToofoDelhi)oando Anotheroreportedoino(2020)o5oSCCo1,oConstitutionoBenchoofothiso Courtoheldothatowhileoconsideringoanoapplicationoforograntoofo o o o o o o o o 7o o pre-arresto bailo theo Courto haso too considero theo natureo ofo theo offence,otheoroleoofotheoperson,otheolikelihoodoofohisoinfluencingo theo courseo ofo investigation,o oro tamperingo witho evidenceo oro likelihoodoofofleeingojustice.oTheoCourtoheld:-o o "92.4.o Courtso oughto too beo generallyo guidedo byo considerationso sucho aso theo natureo ando gravityo ofo theo offences,otheoroleoattributedotootheoapplicant,oandotheofactso ofo theo case,o whileo consideringo whethero too granto anticipatoryobail,oororefuseoit.oWhetherotoograntooronotoisoao matteroofodiscretion;oequallyowhetheroandoifoso,owhatokindo ofospecialoconditionsoareotoobeoimposedo(oronotoimposed)o areo dependento ono factso ofo theo case,o ando subjecto too theo discretionoofotheocourt."o o

7.o o AsoperotheocaseoputoforthoinotheoFIRoinoquestion,oindubitably,o seriouso allegationso haveo beeno levelledo againsto theo petitioner.o Aso pero theo versionoputoforthobyotheoprosecution,oonotheoallegedodayoofooccurrence,otheo petitioner,o alongwitho co-accused,o allegedlyo formedo ano unlawfulo assemblyo andoarmedowithodeadlyoweaponsolaunchedoaoviolentoandopremeditatedoassaulto onotheoinjured.oTheoallegationsoagainstotheopetitioneroareospecificoandodirect.oo Theopetitioneroisostatedotoohaveoattackedotheocomplainantowithoaosharpoedgedo weapono(datar),oonohisonoseowhichocannotobeotermedoasoaosimpleoinjury.ooTheo delayoinoregistrationoofotheoFIRostandsoreasonablyoexplainedoinoviewoofotheo medicaloconditionoofotheocomplainant,owhoowereounderotreatmentoinodifferento hospitals.o Theo incidento doeso noto merelyo reflecto ao physicalo assaulto buto amountso too ao targetedo ando premeditatedo acto ofo aggressiono againsto theo petitioner.ooo

7.1.o o Indubitably,o theo co-accused,o namely,o Vanshdeepo Singho aliaso Kakaohasobeenograntedoconcessionoofoanticipatoryobailobyotheoco-ordinateo o o o o o o o o 8o o BenchoofothisoCourt,obutotheosaidoco-accusedowasoattributedosimpleoinjuryo whereas,otheopresentopetitionerohasobeenoattributedogrievousoinjury.oErgo,otheo petitionerocannotobeosaidotoobeoatoparityowithothatoco-accused,o&ohence,otheo benefito ofo factumo ofo co-accusedo havingo beeno extendedo concessiono ofo anticipatoryobailocannotobeoaffordedotootheopresentopetitioner.oo

8.o o TheopetitionerohasobeenospecificallyonamedoinotheoFIR,oandotheo natureoofotheoinjuriesoattributedotoohimoisoseriousoreflectingotheoseverityoofotheo allegedoact.oNoocauseonayoplausibleocauseohasobeenoshown,oatothisostage,ofromo whichoitocanobeodecipheredothatotheopetitionerohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedo intootheo presento FIR.o Ito goeso withouto sayingo thatoino theo instanto case,o theo complainanto haso categoricallyo statedo thato theo petitionero alongo witho co-accusedoandoasopartoofoanounlawfuloassembly,oactedoinofurtheranceoofotheiro commonoobjectotooinflictomultipleoinjuriesouponotheocomplainant.oo

9.o o Itoisobefittingotoomentionohereothatowhileoconsideringoaopleaoforo grantoofoanticipatoryobail,otheoCourtohasotooequilibrateobetweenosafeguardingo 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 petitioner.o Theo materialowhichohasocomeoonorecordoandopreliminaryoinvestigation,oappearotoo beo establishedo ao reasonableo basiso foro theo accusations.o Thus,o ito iso noto appropriateotoograntoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitioner,oasoitowouldonecessarilyo causeo impedimento ino effectiveo investigation.o o InoStateo v.o Anilo SharmaoStateo v.o Anilo SharmaoMAHAVIR SINGH o o o o o o o o 9o o [Stateov.o Anilo Sharma,o (1997)o 7o SCCo 187o :o 1997o SCCo (Cri)o 1039],o theo SupremeoCourtoheldoasoundero:o(SCCop.o189,oparao6)oo o "6.o Weo findo forceo ino theo submissiono ofo CBIo thato custodialo interrogationo iso qualitativelyo moreo elicitation-orientedo thano questioningo ao suspecto whooiso well-ensconcedo witho ao favourableo orderounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode.oInoaocaseolikeothis,oeffectiveo interrogationoofoaosuspectedopersonoisoofotremendousoadvantageoino disinterringo manyo usefulo informationso ando alsoo materialso whicho wouldohaveobeenoconcealed.oSuccessoinosuchointerrogationowouldo eludeoifotheosuspectedopersonoknowsothatoheoisowelloprotectedoando insulatedo byo ao pre-arresto bailo ordero duringo theo timeo heo iso interrogated.oVeryooftenointerrogationoinosuchoaoconditionowouldo reduceo too ao mereo ritual.o Theo argumento thato theo custodialo interrogationo iso fraughto witho theo dangero ofo theo persono beingo subjectedotoothird-degreeomethodsoneedonotobeocountenanced,ofor,o suchoanoargumentocanobeoadvancedobyoalloaccusedoinoallocriminalo cases.oTheoCourtohasotoopresumeothatoresponsibleopoliceoofficerso wouldoconductothemselvesoinoaoresponsibleomanneroandothatothoseo entrustedowithotheotaskoofodisinterringooffencesowouldonotoconducto themselvesoasooffenders."o o

9.1.o o Inoviewoofotheoseriousnessoofotheoallegations,otheoroleoattributedo tootheopetitioneroofoinflictingoaodataroblowoonotheonoseoofotheocomplainant,o thisoCourtofindsonoocompellingogroundotooextendotheobenefitoofodiscretionaryo reliefotootheopetitioner.oGrantingobailoatothisostageowouldonotoonlyoundermineo theoadministrationoofojusticeobutomayoalsooemboldenotheoaccusedoandoposeoao threatotootheosafetyoandowell-beingoofotheovictimoandootherowitnesses.ooInoviewo ofotheogravityoofotheoallegations,otheospecificoroleoattributedotootheopetitioner,o theoseriousonatureoofoinjuriesosustainedobyotheocomplainantoandotheonecessityo ofocustodialointerrogationoforoaofairoandothoroughoinvestigation,othisoCourtoiso ofotheoconsideredoopinionothatotheopetitionerodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoMAHAVIR SINGH o o o o o o o o 10o o ofo anticipatoryo bailo ino theo factualo matrixo ofo theo caseoinohand.o Moreover,o custodialo interrogationo ofo theo petitionero iso necessaryo foro ano effectiveo investigationo&otoounravelotheotruth.oTheopetitionois,othus,odevoidoofomeritso andoisoherebyodismissed.o

10.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeodeemedotoobeoanoexpressiono ofoopinionouponomeritsoofotheocase/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 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