Sunny Kumar v. State of Punjab

o o o o oo INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 109o o o o o o ooCRM-M-69120-2025o(O&M)o o o o ooDateoofodecision:oo18.02.2026o o o o Dateoofouploading:oo18.02.2026o o o SunnyoKumaro o o o ....Petitioneroo o V/so o StateoofoPunjaboo o o o ....Respondento o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo Present:oo Mr.oMikhailoKad,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o o Mr.oAdhirajoSingh,oAAG,oPunjab.o o o oo *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o

1.o o Presentopetitionoisotheosecondoattempt,owhichohasobeenofiledo underoSectiono483oofoBNSSoforograntooforegularobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseo bearingoFIRoNo.162odatedo19.06.2023oregisteredoforooffencesopunishableo underoSections,o302/148/149oofoIPCo(Sectionso323oofoIPCoaddedolateroon),o atoPoliceoStationoSahnewal,oDistrictoLudhiana.o

2.oo o Theo caseo seto upo ino theo FIRo ino questiono (aso seto outo byo theo petitioneroinotheopresentopetition)oisoasofollows:-o o "StatementoofoGautamoPrasadosonoofoMussaioResidentoofo VillageoBelaoPoliceoStationoBitioDistrictoAmbedkaroNagaroUPoato presento residento ofo Careo ofo Singlao Dao Vehra,o Streeto No.02,o Makkaro Colony,o Giaspura,o Policeo Stationo Sahnewalo Ludhianao agedo45oyearsoMoboNoo9855477137ostatedothatoIoalongwithomyo CRM-M-69120-2025o(O&M)o o P a g e o|o2o o o o familyoisoresidingoatotheoaboveosaidoaddressoIoworkoinoKangaroo factoryoinoSherpur.oIohaveo4ochildreno2oboysoando2ogirlsobothogirlso areoelder,ofromogirlsotheoyoungestoboyoAnshoKumaroaliasoLalluo andoyoungestoboyoAnshumanoKumar.oMyosonoAnshoKumaroaliaso Lallu,owhoowasocameooutofromotheoLudhianaoJailoonobailojustoao monthoandohalfoagooonowhomoaocaseouso307owasoregisteredoino Policeo Station,o Sahnewal.o Myo boyo Ansho Kumaro aliaso Lallu'so friendoMohitoKumarosonoofoJagdishoKumaroresidentoofoStreetoNoo 02oMakkaroColonyoGiaspuraoPoliceoStationoSahnewaloLudhianao whoolivesojustoinofrontoofoourohouse.oTodayoato100oPMomyoyoungero sonoAnshumanocalledomeothatoAnshoKumaroaliasoLalluohasohadoao bigo fighto ino Indirao Parko ato Indirao Colonyo Giaspurao witho oneo BalwantoSinghoandohiso8-10ootherocompanions.ooOnowhichoIolefto theofactoryoatotheosameotimeobutowhenoIocame,oIosawothatomyosono AnshoKumaroaliasoLalluowasobeingobeatenobyoBalwantoSinghoando hisoothero8-10ounknownopersonsowithohisoweaponsoandoDatars.oIo wasoemptyohanded.oWhenoIolookedobyohidingomyselfothenoBalwanto Singhoalongowithohiso8-10ounknownopersonsobeatenohimomanyo timesowithoaosharpoedgedoknifeoonohisoheadoleftoarmoandoothero partsoofohisobodyoandowasokilled.oThatotheoaboveosaidopersonsoalsoo gaveo injurieso too Mohito Kumar.o Io screamedo Martao Martao theno BalwantoSinghoando8-10ounknownopersonsofledofromotheospotoonoao motorcycleoalongwithotheiroweapons.oThenopeoplesowereogatheredo there.oIoalongwithootherorelativesowentotoospotoandosawothatomyo boyoAnshoKumaroaliasoLalluowasobleedingoaolotodueotootheowoundo onohisobody,ooneoofotheofingersoofomyoboy'sohandowasocutoando separated.oIosawomyoboyowithomyootherorelativesothenomyoboyowaso deadoandomyootherosonoAnshumanosaidothatoyesterdayoatoaroundo

6.00o Balwanto Singho alongwitho hiso othero companionso cameo too quarrelo witho myo sono Ansho Kumaro aliaso Lalluo ando Mohit.o Howsoevero Balwanto Singho alongwitho othero 8-10o companionso killedowithohisodeadlyoweapons.oTheoreasonoisoBalwantoSinghoando hisoaccompliceohadoearlierofirstoencounterowithoMohitoandoAnsho Kumaro aliaso Lallu.o Io ando myo sono Anshumano cano identifyo theo personsowhenoeverotheyoareoinofrontoofous.oRequestedoforolegalo actiono shouldo beo takeno againsto Balwanto Singhoando othero 8-10o unknownopersons."o CRM-M-69120-2025o(O&M) P a g e | 3

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¶3Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner was initially arrested on 22.06.2023. 0earnedocounseloappearingo forotheopetitioner theopetitionerohasobeenofalsel3oimplicatedointootheo$%&oino 2uestion. 0earnedocounseloappearingoforotheopetitioner has further argued that the prime prosecution witness namely PW-Mohit Kumar (who is also alleged to have suffered injuries) has turned hostile. 0earnedo counselo appearingo foro theo petitioner has further argued that the petitioner is in custody for the last more than 2 years, 7 months & witnesses are not coming forth despite repeated bailable warrants having been issued against them. To buttress his arguments, learned counsel for the petitioner has relied upon zimni orders dated 19.05.2025, 02.06.2025, 03.07.2025,

28.07.2025, 01.09.2025, 09.10.2025 and 10.11.2025 passed by the trial Court. Thus, regular bail is prayed for.

¶40earnedo Stateo counsel has vehemently opposed the present petition by arguing that the allegations raised are serious in nature and, hence, the petitioner does not deserve the concession of regular bail. 0earnedo Stateo counselo see6so too placeo ono recordo custod3o certificateo datedo '7.+).)+)(oino,ourt,owhichoisota6enoonorecord.o

¶5I have heard counsel for the parties and have gone through the available records of the case.

¶6It is not in dispute that the petitioner came to be arrested on

22.06.2026 whereinafter investigation was carried out and challan was presented on 15.04.2024. Total 24 prosecution witnesses have been cited and out of which only 7 have been examined. It is not in dispute that one of the prime witnesses namely PW-Mohit Kumar has turned hostile. It is CRM-M-69120-2025o(O&M)o o P a g e o|o4o o o o noto ino disputeo thato theo conclusiono ofo trialo willo takeo longo time.o o Ato thiso juncture,oitowouldobeoappositeotooreferohereinotootheodictaopassedobyotheo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto Javedo Gulamo Nabio Shaikho vs.o Stateo ofo Maharashtraoandoanother,o2024(3)oRCRo(Criminal)o494,orelevantowhereofo readsothus:o o "18.oCriminalsoareonotobornooutobutomade.oTheohumano potentialoinoeveryoneoisogoodoandoso,oneverowriteooffoanyocriminalo asobeyondoredemption.oThisohumanistofundamentaloisooftenomissedo whenodealingowithodelinquents,ojuvenileoandoadult.oIndeed,oeveryo sainto haso ao pasto ando everyo sinnero ao future.o Wheno ao crimeo iso committed,o ao varietyo ofo factorso iso responsibleo foro makingo theo offendero commito theo crime.o Thoseo factorso mayo beo socialo ando economic,omayobe,otheoresultoofovalueoerosionooroparentaloneglect;o mayo be,o becauseo ofo theo stresso ofo circumstances,o oro theo manifestationoofotemptationsoinoaomilieuoofoaffluenceocontrastedo withoindigenceoorootheroprivations.oo o 19.oIfotheoStateooroanyoprosecutingoagencyoincludingotheo courtoconcernedohasonoowherewithalotooprovideooroprotectotheo fundamentalo righto ofo ano accusedo too haveo ao speedyo trialo aso enshrinedounderoArticleo21oofotheoConstitutionothenotheoStateooro anyootheroprosecutingoagencyoshouldonotoopposeotheopleaoforobailo onotheogroundothatotheocrimeocommittedoisoserious.oArticleo21oofo theoConstitutionoappliesoirrespectiveoofotheonatureoofotheocrime."o oo o Theo rivalo contentionso raisedo ato Baro giveo riseo too debatableo issues,owhichoshallobeoratiocinatedouponoduringotheocourseoofotrial.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-69120-2025o(O&M)o o P a g e o|o5o o o o

6.1.o o Indubitably,o theo presento petitiono iso theo secondo attempto ono behalfoofotheopetitioneroforosecuringoregularobail.ooTheolastooneobearingono.o CRM-M-39684-2024o waso dismissedo aso withdrawno ono 02.09.2024o (Annexureo P-5).o o However,o keepingo ino viewo theo entiretyo ofo factso ando circumstanceoofotheocaseoinohandoespeciallyokeepingoinoviewotheoextendedo custodyoandopaceoofotrial,othisoCourtoisoinclinedotoofavourablyoconsiderotheo instantopleaoforobail.oAoprofitableoreference,oinothisoregard,ocanobeomadeotooao judgmentoofothisoCourtopassedoinoCRA-S-2332-2023otitledoasoRafiqoKhano versusoStateoofoHaryanaoandoanother;orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:oo "10.o o Aso ano epilogueo too theo aboveo discussion,o theo followingo principlesoemerge:oo Io Second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o filedo iso maintainableo ino lawo &o henceo sucho petitiono oughto noto too beo rejectedosolelyoonotheogroundoofomaintainabilityothereof.o o II.oo Sucho second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o iso maintainableo whethero earliero petitiono waso dismissedo aso withdrawn/dismissedo aso noto pressed/dismissedo foro non-prosecutionooroearlieropetitionowasodismissedoonomerits.oo o IIIo oForo theo second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o too succeed,otheopetitioner/applicantoshallobeoessentially/pertinentlyo requiredo too showo substantialo changeo ino circumstanceso ando showingoofoaomereosuperficialooroostensibleochangeowouldonoto suffice.oTheometaphoricoexpressionoofoseekingosecond/successiveo bailo plea(s)o oughto noto beo abstractedo intoo literalo iterationso ofo petition(s)o withouto substantial,o effectiveo ando consequentialo changeoinocircumstances.oo o IVo oNooexhaustiveoguidelinesocanopossiblyobeolaidodownoasotoo whato wouldo constituteo substantialo changeo ino circumstanceso aso everyocaseohasoitsoownouniqueofacts/circumstance.oMakingosucho anoattemptoisonothingobutoanoutopianoendeavour.ooErgo,othisoissueo isobestoleftotootheojudicialowisdomoandodiscretionoofotheoCourto dealingowithosuchosecond/successiveoregularobailopetition(s).o Vo oIno caseo ao Courto chooseso too granto second/successiveo regularobailopetition(s),ocogentoandolucidoreasonsoareopertinentlyo requiredotoobeorecordedoforograntingosuchopleaodespiteosuchoao pleao beingo second/successiveo petition(s).o Ino othero words,o theo causeoforoaoCourtohavingosuccessfullyocountenanced/entertainedo suchosecond/successiveopetition(s)ooughtotoobeoreadilyoandoclearlyo decipherableofromotheosaidoorderopassed."o o CRM-M-69120-2025o(O&M) P a g e | 6

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6.2. As per the custody certificate dated 17.02.2026 filed by the learned State counsel, the petitioner has suffered incarceration for 2 years, 7 months & 21 days and is shown to be involved in one other case/FIR. ;owe8er,othisofactumocannotobeoaogroundosufficientob3oitself,otoodeclineotheo concessionooforegularobailotootheopetitioneroinotheo$%&oino2uestionowhenoao caseo iso madeo outo foro granto ofo regularo bailo ;uao theo $%&o ino 2uestiono b3o ratiocinatingouponotheofacts/circumstancesoofotheosaido$%&.o&elianceoinothiso regardocanobeoplacedouponotheojudgmentoofotheo;on?bleoSupremeo,ourtoino MaulanaoMohd.oAmiroRashadiov.oStateoofoU. .oandoanother!o20"2o#"$o RCRo#Criminal$o%&'<oao/i8isiono"enchojudgmentoofotheo;on?bleo,alcuttao ;igho,ourtoinocaseoofoSridharo(asov.oState!o"))&o#2$oRCRo#Criminal$o*++o @ojudgmentsoofothiso,ourtoinoCRM-Mo,o.3&&22-2022otitledoasoA-hilesho Sin.hov.oStateoofoHaryana!odecidedoono)*.''.)+)',oando/alratiov.oStateoofo Haryana!o"))&o#3$oRCRo#Criminal$o")".o o Suffice to say, the further detention of the petitioner in custody is not required in the facts and circumstances of the case.

¶7The 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-69120-2025o(O&M) 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 February 18, 2026 Na1een