Lovepreet Singh @ Shikari v. State of Punjab

INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 101o o o o o o o o o o o CRM-M-66683-2025o o LovepreetoSingho@oShikario o o o o ……Petitioner(s)o o o Versusoo o StateoofoPunjabo o o oooooooooo……Respondent(s)o o o Decidedoono:o30.01.2026o Dateoofouploading:o30.01.2026o o o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:oo Mr.oShaktioMehta,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o Mr.oAdhirajoSingh,oAAG,oPunjab.o o o o o o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(Oral)oo

1.o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono482oofoBharatiyao NagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(hereinafterotoobeoreferredoaso'theoBNSS')o forograntoofopre-arrest/anticipatoryobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseobearingoFIRo No.0141o datedo 21.07.2025,o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableo undero Sectionso126o(2),o115(2),o118(1),o351(2),o191(3),o190oofoBNSo2023,oatoPoliceo StationoCiviloLinesoPatiala,oDistrictoPatiala.o

2.oo o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoinoquestionoreflectsothatotheopresento FIRo waso registeredo ato theo instanceo ofo theo complainant-Gursewako Singho residentoofovillageoJahla,oDistrictoPatiala,owhooinohisostatementomadeotootheo policeohasostatedothatoono18.07.2025,oafteroservingofoodoandoattendingotootheo NAVEEN NAGPAL uncleoofohisofriendoPrinceoatoRajindraoHospital,oPatiala,oheoboardedoaoprivateo CRM-M-66683-2025o o P a g e o?o2o o o o o busofromoSamanaoChungiotoogootowardsohisovillage.oWhenotheobusoreachedo nearoRajindraoHospitaloMedicaloCollegeoatoabouto2:00oPM,osomeounknowno personsocameoinofrontoofotheobusoandoforciblyostoppedoit.oOneoofothemocalledo outo hiso nameo ando said,o "Kalu,o geto downo fromo theo bus,"o ando thereaftero forciblyomadeohimoalightofromotheobus.ooHeostatedothatoamongotheoassailants,o heo recognizedo theo presento petitionero ando Chamkaur,o residento ofo villageo Saiwal;o Bhattio ando hiso brothero Raju,o residentso ofo villageo Tauhra,o whoo surroundedohim.oHeofurtherostatedothatotheopetitionero(herein)ogaveoaokirpano blowoonohisohead,ocausingoanoinjuryoonotheorightosideoofohisohead.oChamkauro alsoo inflictedo ao kirpano blow,o ando wheno heo raisedo hiso righto armo too saveo himself,otheoblowostruckotwoofingersoofohisorightohand.oHeofurtherostatedothato thereafteroRaju,owhoowasoalsooarmedowithoaokirpan,orepeatedlyoattackedohimo onohisohead,oandowhenoheotriedotoodefendohimselfowithohisoleftohand,otheo fingersoofohisoleftohandowereoalsoogrievouslyocutobyotheokirpan.ooHeostatedothato dueotootheoinjuries,oheofelloonotheoground.oHeofurtherostatedothatoalongowitho theoaforesaidopersons,otwooorothreeootherounknownopersonsoalsooassaultedo himobyogivingokicksoandofistoblowsoandobyostrikingohimowithosticks,oasoao resultoofowhichoheosustainedoseriousoinjuries.oHeohasofurtheroallegedothatotheo motiveobehindotheoassaultoisopreviousoenmity,oasoearlieroinotheoyearo2024,oao quarrelohadotakenoplaceobetweenothemonearotheoOldoBusoStand,oPatiala.oOno accounto ofo theo saido grudge,o theo above-namedo accusedo attackedo himo ando causedotheopresentoinjuries.oHeofurtherostatedothatoheowasoadmittedotootheo hospitaloforotreatmentobyooneoGogi,oresidentoofoneighbouringovillageoBarsat.oo Uponotheseosetoofoallegations,otheopresentoFIRocameotoobeoregisteredoagainsto CRM-M-66683-2025o o P a g e o?o3o o o o o

3.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerosubmitsothatotheopetitioneroiso anoinnocentopersonoandohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedoinotheopresentocaseoatotheo behestoofotheocomplainantowhooisohavingopreviousogrudgeowithotheopetitioner.oo Learnedocounseloappearingoforotheopetitionerofurtherosubmitsothatothereoisoano inordinateodelayoofo3odaysoinolodgingoofotheoFIR.ooItoisofurtherosubmittedothato theosimilarlyosituatedoco-accused,onamelyoChamkauroSingh,ohasoalreadyobeeno grantedotheoconcessionoofoanticipatoryobailoandoonothisogroundoofoparityoaso well,o theo petitionero iso entitledo too theo granto ofo anticipatoryo bail.o o Learnedo counseloassertsothatotheoinotheoinstantocase,otheoFIRofailsotooincludeomaterialo facts,o whicho furthero raisedo questionso abouto itso credibilityo ando fairness.oo Moreover,o theo custodialo interrogationo shouldo noto beo usedo aso ao punitiveo measureoandoisojustifiedoonlyowhenoabsolutelyonecessaryoforotheorecoveryoofo materialo evidence.o o Furthermore,o theo petitionero iso readyo too joino theo investigationoandohenceonoousefulopurposeowouldobeoservedobyosendingohimo behindotheobars.oItoisolastlyosubmittedobyotheolearnedocounselothatotheopresento petitiono beo allowedo ando theo petitionero beo grantedo theo concessiono ofo theo anticipatoryobail.ooo

4.o o Perocontra,olearnedoStateoCounsel,ohasovehementlyoopposedotheo grantoofoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitioner,owhileoraisingoargumentsoinotandemo withotheostatusoreportodatedo28.01.2026,orelevantowhereoforeadsothus:o "18.oThatotheopetitioneroLovepreetoSingho@oShikariohasoplayedoano activeoandoprimaryoroleoinotheocommissionoofotheooffenceoasoperotheo statementoofocomplainantoGursewakoSingh.oTheocomplainantohaso specificallyonamedotheopetitioneroandohasocategoricallyostatedothato theopetitionerogaveoaoblowoofokirpanoonohisoheadocausingoinjuryoono theorightosideoofohisohead.oTheocomplainantohasofurtherostatedothato theoreasonoofoenmityoisothatoearlieroalsooinotheoyearo2024otheyohadoao quarreloregardingosomeoissueonearoOldoBusoStandoPatialaoandodueo 2026.01.30 16:07 toothatotheopetitioneroalongwithootheroaccusedoattackedohimoando CRM-M-66683-2025o o P a g e o?o4o o o o o causedo injuries.o Theo petitionero alongwitho co-accusedo Chamkauro Singh,o Bhatti,o Rajuo ando 2/3o unknowno personso surroundedo theo complainanto aftero stoppingo theo buso nearo Rajindrao Hospitalo MedicaloCollegeoandoforciblyomadeohimogetodownofromotheobus.o Theo petitionero ando othero accusedo personso inflictedo grievouso injuriesoonotheocomplainantowithokirpansoandoalsoogaveokicks,ofisto blowso ando beato himo witho stickso dueo too whicho theo complainanto becameoseriouslyoinjured.oTheocomplainantosustainedototaloseveno injuriesoincludingofracturesoinotheofingersoofobothohandsowhichoareo grievousoinonatureoasoperotheoMedicooLegaloReport.oTheopetitionero hasobeenoabscondingosinceotheoregistrationoofotheopresentoFIRoando hasonotojoinedotheoinvestigationowhichoshowsohisoguiltyoconscienceo andointentionotooevadeotheoprocessoofolaw."oo oo o LearnedoStateoCounselofurtherosubmitsothatothereoareospecifico ando categoricalo allegationso againsto theo petitionero too theo effecto heo gaveo ao kirpano blowo ono theo heado ofo theo petitioner.o o Ito iso furthero arguedo thato theo injuriesosustainedobyotheocomplainantohaveobeenodeclaredotoobeogrievousoino nature.o Theo investigationo quao theo FIRo ino questiono iso stillo ongoingo ando recoveryoofoallegedoweaponoisotoobeoeffectedofromotheopetitioner.oLearnedo Stateocounselohasoiteratedothatotheocustodialointerrogationoofotheopetitioneroiso imperativeoforotheopurposeoofoeffectiveoandofairoinvestigationoandotoouneartho theocaseoofotheoprosecution.oAccordingotoolearnedoStateocounsel,oinocaseotheo petitioneroisograntedotheoconcessionoofopre-arrest,oatothisostage,oitomayoimpedeo theoongoingoinvestigation.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 YashwantoPatiloandoanotheropassedoinoSLP(Crl)oNo.1125-2022,orelevanto whereoforeadsoasounder:o CRM-M-66683-2025o o P a g e o?o5o o o o 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 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 694o:o(2011)o1oSCCo(Cri)o514],otheoSupremeoCourtolaidodownotheofactorso andoparametersotoobeoconsideredowhileodealingowithoanticipatoryobail.oIto NAVEEN NAGPAL wasoheldothatotheonatureoandotheogravityoofotheoaccusationoandotheoexacto CRM-M-66683-2025o o P a g e o?o6o o o o o 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 o "92.4.oCourtsooughtotoobeogenerallyoguidedobyoconsiderationsosucho NAVEEN NAGPAL asotheonatureoandogravityoofotheooffences,otheoroleoattributedotootheo CRM-M-66683-2025o o P a g e o?o7o o o o o 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 AsoperotheoallegationsoputoforthoinotheoFIR,oseriousoallegationso haveoundeniablyobeenolevelledoagainstotheopresentopetitioner.oTheoFIRohaso beeno registeredo againsto theo petitionero ando hiso co-accusedo ono theo basiso ofo specificoandocategoricaloallegations,owhereinotheocomplainantohasoallegedothato theopetitioner,oalongowithohisoaccomplices,owasoarmedowithoKirpanoandogaveo injuriesotootheocomplainant.ooTheoallegationsoagainstotheopetitioneroareoofo causingo injuryo ono theo heado ofo theo petitionero byo givingo ao Kirpano blow.o Moreover,otheoinjuriesosustainedobyotheocomplainantohaveobeenodeclaredotoo beodangerousotoolife.oooInoviewoofotheospecificoovertoactoattributedotootheo petitioneroandotheonatureoofotheoweaponoallegedlyousedobyohim,otheoprincipleo ofoparityoisonotoattracted.ooTheocontentionoregardingotheoallegedodelayoofo3o daysoinolodgingotheoFIRoalsoodoesonotomeritoacceptance,oasomereodelayoino registrationoofotheoFIRodoesonotoentitleotheopetitionerotootheoconcessionoofo anticipatoryo bail,o particularlyo ino viewo ofo theo specifico allegationso ando attributedo role.o Aso pero submissionso madeo byo learnedo Stateo counsel,o theo investigationoisostilloatoaopreliminaryostage,oandocustodialointerrogationoofotheo presentopetitioneroisonecessaryotoounravelotheotruth.oTheolearnedocounseloforo theopetitionerohasofailedotoodemonstrateothatotheocaseoregisteredoagainstohimoiso false.ooo o o Noocauseonayoplausibleocauseohasobeenoshown,oatothisostage,o fromo whicho ito cano beo decipheredo thato theo petitionero haso beeno falselyo implicatedointootheopresentoFIR.oooNAVEEN NAGPAL CRM-M-66683-2025o o P a g e o?o8o o o o o

8.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 suspectedopersonoknowsothatoheoisowelloprotectedoandoinsulatedobyoaopre-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 CRM-M-66683-2025o o P a g e o?o9o o o o o

9.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

10.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeodeemedotoobeoanoexpressiono ofoopinionouponomeritsoofotheocase/investigation.oo

11.o o Pendingoapplication(s),oifoany,oshalloalsoostandodisposedooff.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 Januaryo30,o2026o Naveeno o o o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o Yes/Noo o