Jagtar Singh Alias Jagga v. State of Haryana

INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 110o o o o o o o ooooooCRM-M-62215-2025o Dateoofodecision:o06.11.2025o o JagtaroSingho@oJaggao o o o o o o ....Petitionerooo o o V/so StateoofoHaryanaoo o o o o o o ....Respondento o o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:oo Mr.oKaranjeetoSinghoBrar,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o Mr.oTarunoAggarwal,oAddl.AG,oHaryana.o o o o Mr.oRPSoJammu,oAdvocateoforotheocomplainant.o o oo o o o o o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(Oral)oo

1.o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono482oofoBharatiyao NagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(hereinafterotoobeoreferredoaso'theoBNSS')o forograntoofopre-arrest/anticipatoryobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseobearingoFIRo No.0251o datedo 18.10.2025,o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableo undero Sectionso 126,o 140(3),o 190,o 191(2),o 191(3),o 333,o 351(2)o ofo BNSo 2023o (Sectionso115(2),o117(2),o140(4),o331(7)oofoBNSo2023oaddedolateroon)oato PoliceoStationoKalanoWali,oDistrictoDabwali.o

2.oo o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoinoquestionoisothatotheocomplainantoo Vakilo Singho ino hiso complainto madeo too theo policeo haso statedo thato heo iso ao residento villageo Dhani,o Districto Sirsao ando engagedo ino farming.o Theo agriculturalofieldsoofohisofamilyoadjoinothoseoofotheopetitioner.ooItowasofurthero allegedothatowheneverosonoofotheopetitioneroLovepreetoSinghovisitsohisofieldso CRM-M-62215-2025o o P a g e o?o2o o o o inotheoevening,oheohabituallyoconsumesoliquoroandothrowsoemptyoglassobottleso intoomyofields.oHeofurtherosubmittedothatoheohasorepeatedlyoobjectedotoothiso behaviouro ando reprimandedo theo petitionero (herein)o ando hisosonoLovepreeto Singh,oonoseveralooccasions.oHowever,oinsteadoofomendingotheiroconduct,o theyostartedoabusingohimoandobeganoharbouringoaogrudgeoagainstome.ooOno

18.10.2025,oatoabouto1:00oAM,owhileoheowasosleepingowithinotheoboundaryoofo hisoDhani,oandohisowife,oSmt.oPramjeetoKaur,omotherowereosleepingoinsideo theoroomoofotheohouseosituatedoinotheoDhani,otheopetitioneroalongwithohisosono LovepreetoSinghoalongowitho4–5ounidentifiedopersons,ocameotoohisoDhanioinoao tractor-trolleyoandostartedoforcefullyoknockingoonotheogate.oWhenoheoopenedo theogate,osonoofotheopetitioneronamelyoLovepreetoSinghowasoholdingoanoirono rod,owhileotheopetitioneroandotheootheropersonsowereocarryingowoodenostickso (dangs)oandoalloofothemoenteredotheopremisesoofotheocomplainantooandostartedo assaultingo him.o Wheno theo complainanto raisedo alarmo byo shoutingo "Maaro Diya,o Maaro Diya,"o theyo forciblyo liftedo him,o puto himo insideo theo tractor-trolley,oandotookohimotootheirofields.oThere,otheyothrewotheocomplainantodowno fromotheotrolleyoandoagainostartedobeatingomeomercilesslyowithoironorodsoando sticks.oJagtaroSingho@oJaggaoando4–5oothersoheldomeodown,owhileoLovepreeto Singhostruckoaoblowowithotheoironorodoonotheocalfoofomyorightolegoandotwistedo myolegousingotheorod.oJagtaroSingho@oJaggaoalsoohitotheocomplainantoonohiso leftohandowithoaostick.oThereafter,oalloofothemoloadedotheocomplainantobacko intoo theo tractor-trolleyo ando droppedo himo meo ato theo gateo ofo myo Dhani,o threateningotookillohimobeforeofleeingotheospotowithotheiroweapons.oHeoraisedo anoalarmothatoheohadobeenoattacked,ouponowhichohisowifeocameoout,oandoheo narratedo theo entireo incidento too her.o Sheo immediatelyo contactedo Sarvjeeto Singh,osonoofoKulwantoSingh,oresidentoofoVillageoDeshumalkana,owhoocameo CRM-M-62215-2025o o P a g e o?o3o o o o tootheospot,oarrangedoforohisomedicaloassistance,oandogototheocomplainanto admittedotootheoGovernmentoHospital,oKalanwali.oTheodoctoroatoGovernmento Hospital,oKalanwali,oprovidedofirstoaidoandoreferredotheocomplainantotootheo Governmento Hospital,o Sirsa.o However,o insteado ofo takingo theo complainanto there,oSarvjeetoSinghoadmittedohimotooCityoHealthoCareoandoNeurooResearcho Centre,oSirsa,oforotreatment.oHeofurtheroallegedothatoLovepreetoSingh,oJagtaro Singho @o Jagga,o residentso ofo Villageo Deshumalkana,o alongo witho 4–5o unidentifiedopersons,ohaveoassaultedohimowithoutoanyojustificationowithoirono rodsoandosticks.oOnotheseosetoofoallegationsotheopresentoFIRohasobeenoallegedo againstotheopetitoneroandohisoco-accused.o

3.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso submittedo thato theo accusedoisoanoinnocentopersonoandohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedoinotheopresento case.oHeofurtherosubmitsothatotheopartiesoareocloselyorelatedoandoliveoinotheo sameovillage.ooTheocomplaintoisoaoresultoofofamilyolandopartitionodisputesoando strainedo relations,o ando haso beeno falselyo ando vindictivelyo lodgedo outo ofo internaloenmity.oCo-accusedoLovepreetoSinghohasoalreadyobeenoarrested;otheo entireorecovery,oMLRoandoinvestigationoregardingoinjuriesostandocompleted.ooo neitheroinflictedoanyoinjuryonorowasoheoarmedowithoanyoweapon.oTheoFIRo itselforevealsoseriousoinconsistenciesoandoexaggeration,oasothereoisoaodelayoofo nearlyo 17o hourso ino lodgingo theo report.o o Heo haso furthero arguedo thato noo independento witnesso oro neighbouro haso beeno cited,o althougho theo allegedo occurrenceo iso saido too haveo takeno placeo nearo theo complainant'so residence.o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerofurtherosubmitsothatotheopetitionerohasonoo roleowhatsoeverowithotheoallegedocommissionoofooffence.ooLearnedocounselo haso iteratedo thato neithero anyo specifico injuryo haso beeno attributedo too theo petitioneronoroanyomotiveohasocomeoforthotooshowoallegeoinvolvementoofotheo CRM-M-62215-2025o o P a g e o?o4o o o o petitioneroinocommittingotheooffenceoinoquestion.ooLearnedocounseloassertso thatotheoinotheoinstantocase,otheoFIRofailsotooincludeomaterialofacts,owhicho furtheroraisedoquestionsoaboutoitsocredibilityoandofairness.ooMoreover,otheo custodialo interrogationo shouldo noto beo usedo aso ao punitiveo measureo ando iso justifiedo onlyo wheno absolutelyo necessaryo foro theo recoveryo ofo materialo evidence.ooFurthermore,onothingoisotoobeorecoveredofromotheopetitioneroandoheo iso readyotoojoinotheoinvestigationo andohenceonoousefulopurposeowouldobeo servedobyosendingohimobehindotheobars.oItoisolastlyosubmittedobyotheolearnedo counselothatotheopresentopetitionobeoallowedoandotheopetitionerobeograntedotheo concessionoofotheoanticipatoryobail.ooo

4.o o Pero contra,o theo learnedo Stateo Counselo assistedo byo Mr.o RPSo Jammu,oAdvocateoforotheocomplainantohasoopposedotheograntoofoanticipatoryo bailotootheopetitionerobyoarguingothatotheooffenceoisoofoaoseriousonature.oTheo investigationowithorespectotootheopetitioneroisostilloongoingoandotheopetitionero hasospecificallyobeenonamedoinotheoFIR.ooTheopetitionerowasocarryingoaodandao inohisohand.oAsoperotheoinvestigation,otheopetitioneroalongwithohisoco-accusedo trespassedointootheohouseoofotheocomplainantoatomidnightoandomanhandledotheo complainant.o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso iteratedo thato theo custodialo interrogationoofotheopetitioneroisoimperativeoforotheopurposeoofoeffectiveoando fairoinvestigationoandotoounearthotheocaseoofotheoprosecution.oAccordingotoo learnedoStateocounsel,oinocaseotheopetitioneroisograntedotheoconcessionoofopre-arrest,oatothisostage,oitomayoimpedeotheoongoingoinvestigation.o

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 CRM-M-62215-2025o o P a g e o?o5o o o o YashwantoPatiloandoanotheropassedoinoSLP(Crl)oNo.1125-2022,orelevanto whereoforeadsoasounder:o o "74.o Ordinarily,o arresto iso ao parto ofo theo processo ofo theo investigationo intendedotoosecureoseveralopurposes.oThereomayobeocircumstancesoinowhicho theo accusedo mayo provideo informationo leadingo too discoveryo ofo materialo factsoandorelevantoinformation.oGrantoofoanticipatoryobailomayohamperotheo investigation.o Pre-arresto bailo iso too strikeo ao balanceo betweeno theo individual'sorightotoopersonalofreedomoandotheorightoofotheoinvestigatingo agencyotoointerrogateotheoaccusedoasotootheomaterialosoofarocollectedoandotoo collecto moreo informationo whicho mayo leado too recoveryo ofo relevanto information.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.oObservingothatotheoarrestoisoaopartoofotheoinvestigationointendedotoo 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,o itowasoheldoasoundero:o(SCCop.o313,oparao19)oo o "19.oOrdinarily,oarrestoisoaopartoofotheoprocessoofoinvestigationointendedotoo secureoseveralopurposes.oTheoaccusedomayohaveotoobeoquestionedoinodetailo regardingo variouso facetso ofo motive,o preparation,o commissiono ando aftermathoofotheocrimeoandotheoconnectionoofootheropersons,oifoany,oinotheo crime.oThereo mayobeocircumstancesoinowhichotheoaccusedomayoprovideo informationoleadingotoodiscoveryoofomaterialofacts.oItomayobeonecessaryotoo curtailohisofreedomoinoorderotooenableotheoinvestigationotooproceedowithouto hindranceoandotooprotectowitnessesoandopersonsoconnectedowithotheovictimo ofotheocrime,otoopreventohisodisappearance,otoomaintainolawoandoorderoino theolocality.oForotheseoorootheroreasons,oarrestomayobecomeoanoinevitableo partoofotheoprocessoofoinvestigation.oTheolegalityoofotheoproposedoarresto cannotobeogoneointooinoanoapplicationounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode.oTheo roleo ofo theo investigatoro iso wello definedo ando theo jurisdictionalo scopeo ofo interferenceobyotheocourtoinotheoprocessoofoinvestigationoisolimited.oTheo courtoordinarilyowillonotointerfereowithotheoinvestigationoofoaocrimeoorowitho theo arresto ofo theo accusedo ino ao cognizableo offence.o Ano interimo ordero restrainingo arrest,o ifo passedo whileo dealingo witho ano applicationo underoSectiono 438oofo theo Codeo willo amounto too interferenceo ino theo investigation,owhichocannot,oatoanyorate,obeodoneounderoSectiono438oofotheo Code."o o 76.o Ino Siddharamo Satlingappao Mhetreo v.o Stateo ofo Maharashtrao [SiddharamoSatlingappaoMhetreov.oStateoofoMaharashtra,o(2011)o1oSCCo 2025.11.06 17:59 694o:o(2011)o1oSCCo(Cri)o514],otheoSupremeoCourtolaidodownotheofactorso CRM-M-62215-2025o o P a g e o?o6o o o o andoparametersotoobeoconsideredowhileodealingowithoanticipatoryobail.oIto wasoheldothatotheonatureoandotheogravityoofotheoaccusationoandotheoexacto roleoofotheoaccusedomustobeoproperlyocomprehendedobeforeoarrestoisomadeo ando thato theo courto musto evaluateo theo availableo materialo againsto theo accusedoveryocarefully.oItowasoalsooheldothatotheocourtoshouldoalsooconsidero whetherotheoaccusationsohaveobeenomadeoonlyowithotheoobjectoofoinjuringo orohumiliatingotheoapplicantobyoarrestingohimooroher.o o 77.o Aftero referringo tooSiddharamo Satlingappao Mhetreo [Siddharamo Satlingappao Mhetreo v.o Stateo ofo Maharashtra,o (2011)o 1o SCCo 694o :o

(2011)o 1o SCCo (Cri)o 514]o ando othero judgmentso ando observingo thato anticipatoryobailocanobeograntedoonlyoinoexceptionalocircumstances,oinoJaio PrakashoSinghov.oStateoofoBiharo[JaioPrakashoSinghov.oStateoofoBihar,o

(2012)o4oSCCo379o:o(2012)o2oSCCo(Cri)o468]o,otheoSupremeoCourtoheldoaso undero:o(SCCop.o386,oparao19)oo o "19.oParametersoforograntoofoanticipatoryobailoinoaoseriousooffenceoareo requiredotoobeosatisfiedoandofurtherowhileograntingosuchorelief,otheocourto mustorecordotheoreasonsotherefor.oAnticipatoryobailocanobeograntedoonlyoino exceptionalocircumstancesowhereotheocourtoisoprimaofacieoofotheoviewothato theoapplicantohasofalselyobeenoenropedoinotheocrimeoandowouldonotomisuseo hisoliberty.o(SeeoD.K.oGaneshoBabuov.oP.T.oManokarano[D.K.oGanesho Babuov.oP.T.oManokaran,o(2007)o4oSCCo434o:(2007)o2oSCCo(Cri)o345]o,o StateoofoMaharashtraov.oMohd.oSajidoHusainoMohd.oS.oHusaino[Stateoofo Maharashtraov.oMohd.oSajidoHusainoMohd.oS.oHusain,o(2008)o1oSCCo 213o:o(2008)o1oSCCo(Cri)o176]oandoUnionoofoIndiaov.oPadamoNaraino Aggarwalo[UnionoofoIndiaov.oPadamoNarainoAggarwal,o(2008)o13oSCCo 305o:o(2009)o1oSCCo(Cri)o1]o.)"o o Economicooffenceso o 78.oPowerounderoSectiono438oCrPCobeingoanoextraordinaryoremedy,ohasotoo beoexercisedosparingly;omoreoso,oinocasesoofoeconomicooffences.oEconomico offencesostandoasoaodifferentoclassoasotheyoaffectotheoeconomicofabricoofotheo society.oInoDirectorateo ofo Enforcemento v.o Ashoko Kumaro Jaino [DirectorateoofoEnforcementov.oAshokoKumaroJain,o(1998)o2oSCCo105o:o 1998oSCCo(Cri)o510],oitowasoheldothatoinoeconomicooffences,otheoaccusedoiso notoentitledotooanticipatoryobail."o o 15.oInoSushilao Agrawalo ando otherso v.o Stateo (NCTo ofo Delhi)o ando Anotheroreportedoino(2020)o5oSCCo1,oConstitutionoBenchoofothisoCourto heldothatowhileoconsideringoanoapplicationoforograntoofopre-arrestobailotheo Courtohasotooconsiderotheonatureoofotheooffence,otheoroleoofotheoperson,otheo likelihoodoofohisoinfluencingotheocourseoofoinvestigation,oorotamperingowitho evidenceoorolikelihoodoofofleeingojustice.oTheoCourtoheld:-o CRM-M-62215-2025o o P a g e o?o7o o o 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

7.o o AsoperotheocaseoputoforthoinotheoFIRoinoquestion,oindubitably,o seriousoallegationsohaveobeenolevelledoagainstotheopetitioner,oasoheohasobeeno specificallyonamedoinotheoFIR.ooFurther,ospecificoroleohasobeenoattributedotoo theopetitionerotootheoeffectothatoheowasocarryingoaowoodenodandaoinohisohando andoheoalongwithohisoco-accusedotrespassedointootheohouseoofocomplainantoato midnighto ando manhandledo theo complainant.o Heo alongwitho hiso co-accusedo gaveobeatingsotootheocomplainantoandohadoalsooabductedotheocomplainantotooao passageoinotheirofieldsoandogaveobeatingsotoohimowithoironorodoandodandas.oo o o Noocauseonayoplausibleocauseohasobeenoshown,oatothisostage,o fromo whicho ito cano beo decipheredo thato theo petitionero haso beeno falselyo implicatedointootheopresentoFIR.ooo

8.o o Furthermore,o theo investigationo iso stillo ato ao crucialo stage,o ando custodialointerrogationoofotheopetitioneroisoconsideredonecessaryotoouneartho theo completeo factso ando too ascertaino involvemento ofo anyo othero personso connectedowithotheocase.oTheopetitioneroisoyetotoobeoarrestedoandograntoofo anticipatoryobail,oatothisostage,omayoprejudiceotheoongoingoinvestigation.oTheo apprehensionoexpressedobyotheoprosecutionothatotheopetitioner,oiforeleasedoono bail,omayoabscondooroattemptotooinfluenceowitnessesoalsooappearsotoobeonoto withoutobasis.oGivenotheoseriousnessoofotheooffence,otheostageoofoinvestigationo andopossibilityoofotamperingowithoevidenceooroobstructingojustice,othisoCourto I attest to the accuracy andisoofotheoviewothatotheopetitionerodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofobailoato CRM-M-62215-2025o o P a g e o?o8o o o o thiso juncture.o Moreover,o ino viewo ofo theo seriouso allegations,o theo custodialo interrogationoofotheopetitioneroisoindispensableoandocrucialoforounearthingotheo broaderoconspiracyoandoidentifyingotheootheroaccomplicesothatomayobeowithino theo exclusiveo knowledgeo ofo theo petitioner.o Moreover,o theo granto ofo anticipatoryobailoatothisoprematureostageomayoseriouslyoprejudiceotheoongoingo investigationo ando potentiallyo resulto ino tamperingo witho evidenceo oro influencingomaterialowitnesses.o

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 Sharmao [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.oWeofindoforceoinotheosubmissionoofoCBIothatocustodialointerrogationoiso qualitativelyomoreoelicitation-orientedothanoquestioningoaosuspectowhooisowell-ensconcedowithoaofavourableoorderounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode.oInoaocaseo likeo this,o effectiveo interrogationo ofo ao suspectedo persono iso ofo tremendouso advantageoinodisinterringomanyousefuloinformationsoandoalsoomaterialsowhicho wouldohaveobeenoconcealed.oSuccessoinosuchointerrogationowouldoeludeoifotheo I attest to the accuracy and suspectedopersonoknowsothatoheoisowelloprotectedoandoinsulatedobyoaopre-CRM-M-62215-2025o o P a g e o?o9o o o o arrestobailoorderoduringotheotimeoheoisointerrogated.oVeryooftenointerrogationo inosuchoaoconditionowouldoreduceotooaomereoritual.oTheoargumentothatotheo custodialo interrogationo iso fraughto witho theo dangero ofo theo persono beingo subjectedotoothird-degreeomethodsoneedonotobeocountenanced,ofor,osuchoano argumentocanobeoadvancedobyoalloaccusedoinoallocriminalocases.oTheoCourto hasotoopresumeothatoresponsibleopoliceoofficersowouldoconductothemselvesoinoao responsibleo mannero ando thato thoseo entrustedo witho theo tasko ofo disinterringo offencesowouldonotoconductothemselvesoasooffenders."o

10.o o Inoviewoofotheogravityoofotheoallegationsoandonatureoofooffence,o sinceo theo necessityo ofo custodialo interrogationo wouldo ariseo foro ao fairo ando thorougho investigation,o thiso Courto iso ofo theo consideredo opiniono thato theo petitionerodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofoanticipatoryobailoinotheofactualo matrixo ofo theo caseo ino hand.o Moreover,o custodialo interrogationo ofo theo petitioneroisonecessaryoforoanoeffectiveoinvestigationo&otoounravelotheotruth.o Theopetitionois,othus,odevoidoofomeritsoandoisoherebyodismissed.oo

11.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeodeemedotoobeoanoexpressiono ofoopinionouponomeritsoofotheocase/investigation.oo

12.o o Pendingoapplication(s),oifoany,oshalloalsoostandodisposedooff.o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o ooooooooooooooooo o o ooooooooooooooooooooo ooo o o oooJUDGEo o Novembero06,o2025o Naveeno o o o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo o