Jaswinder Singh v. State of Punjab

INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o o o o o 109o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o CRM-M-73365-2025o o JaswinderoSinghoo ……Petitioner(s)o Versusoo StateoofoPunjabo ooooo……Respondent(s)o Decidedoono:o12.01.2026o Dateoofouploading:oo12.01.2026o o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:oo Mr.oSangramoSinghoSaron,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o Mr.oBaljinderoSinghoSra,oAddl.oAG,oPunjab.o o o Mr.oSukhwinderoSinghoDhillon,oAdvocateoforotheocomplainant.o oo o o o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(Oral)oo

1.o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono482oofoBharatiyao NagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(hereinafterotoobeoreferredoaso'theoBNSS')o forograntoofopre-arrest/anticipatoryobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseobearingoFIRo No.131o datedo 16.11.2025,o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableo undero Sectionso109,o115(2),o3(5)oofoBNSo2023oandoSectiono25oofotheoArmsoAct,o 1959,oatoPoliceoStationoMalout,oDistrictoSrioMuktsaroSahib.o

2.oo o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoinoquestionoreflectsothatotheoFIRowaso lodgedo ono theo statemento ofo complainanto Ujagaro Singho sono ofo Wadhawao Singh,owhooinohisocomplaintogivenotootheopoliceohasostatedothatoheoretiredo fromotheoCooperativeoBank,oMaloutoBranch,oinotheoyearo2011.ooHeohasothreeoNAVEEN NAGPAL CRM-M-73365-2025o o P a g e o?o2o o o o children―twoo daughterso ando oneo son―allo ofo themo areo marriedo ando areo residingoinoAustraliaoonoPermanentoResidencyovisas.oTheocomplainant'sosono namelyo Arshdeepo Singh,o arrivedo ino Indiao abouto 45o dayso ago.o o Heo alsoo frequentlyotravelsotooAustralia.ooHeofurtherostatedothatoheohasoplantedoaoguavao orchardoonoapproximatelyo5½okillasoofomyolandosituatedowithinotheorevenueo limitsoofovillageoSaunke.ooAoresidentialostructureohasoalsoobeenoconstructedo withinotheoorchardoforotheostayoofotheocontractor,owhichoisoequippedowithoao single-phaseo electricityo connection.o Theo electricityo poleso installedo byo theo ElectricityoDepartmentodoonotocauseoanyoobstructionooroinconvenienceotooanyo person.oTheolandoadjoiningotootheocomplainant'solandobelongsotoohisobrother,o AngrejoSingh,oandotheolandoadjoiningohisolandobelongsotooJaswinderoSingho sono ofo Lakhveero Singh,o residento ofo villageo Saunke.o o Theo saido Jaswindero Singhohad,oonotwoooccasions,osubmittedoapplicationsoagainstotheocomplainanto beforeotheoElectricityoDepartmentoseekingoremovaloofotheoelectricityopoleso andotheoelectricityoconnection.oAnoinquiryoinothisoregardowasoconductedobyo theoXEN,oEnforcementoDepartment,oBathinda,oandotheoinquiryoreportowaso recordedoinofavouroofotheocomplainant.oTheocomplainantohasofurtherostatedo thatodueotoothisotheosaidoJaswinderoSinghonursedoaogrudgeoagainstohimoando tookotheosameoasoaopersonaloinsult.ooo o o Ono16.11.2025,oatoabouto12:45oPM,otheocomplainantoalongwitho hisobrotheroAngrejoSinghowentotooinspectotheirofields.oAtothatotime,oJaswindero SinghoalongowithohisouncleoAjitoSinghosonoofoBalbiroSingh,oresidentoofovillageo Saunke,o wereo standingo ono theo patho (pahi)o nearo theo guavao orchardo ofo theo complainant.o Wheno theyo reachedo nearo them,o Jaswindero Singho askedo theo complainantotoouproototheohand-pumpoinstalledonearotheotransformer.oTheo complainanto repliedo himo thato theo saido hand-pumpo waso installedo ono CRM-M-73365-2025o o P a g e o?o3o o o o governmentoland.ooUponothis,oAjitoSinghosonoofoBalbiroSinghoraisedoaolalkarao saying,o "Theyo willo noto learno likeo this;o leto usoteachohimo aolessono today."o Immediatelyo thereafter,o Jaswindero Singho tooko outo ao revolvero fromo theo waistbandoofohisotrousersoandopointedotheosameoatotheocomplainant.oWhenotheo complainantoalongwithohisobrotheroAngrejoSinghotriedotoorunoawayotoosaveo themselves,oJaswinderoSinghofiredoaoshotofromohisorevolver,owhichohitotheo complainantoonohisorightoankle,ocausingohimotoofalloonotheoground.oThereafter,o JaswinderoSinghofiredoanotheroshotouponotheocomplainantowithoanointentionotoo kill.ooOnohearingotheirocriesoofo"marta-marta,"obothoJaswinderoSinghoandohiso uncleoAjitoSinghofledofromotheospotoalongowithotheorevolver.oTheobrotheroofo theocomplainantoAngrejoSinghowithotheoassistanceoofosonoofotheocomplainanto ArshdeepoSingh,ogototheocomplainantoadmittedotootheoGovernmentoHospital,o Malout,o whereo heo iso presentlyo undergoingo treatment.o o Ono theseo seto ofo allegations,o instanto FIRo waso registeredo againsto theo petitionero ando hiso co-accused.o

3.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerosubmitsothatotheopetitioneroiso anoinnocentopersonoandohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedoinotheopresentocase.oHeo hasofurtherocontendedothatothereoexistsoaodisputeobetweenotheopetitioneroando theocomplainantosideowithoregardotootheoinstallationoofoaotransformer,oandothato theo petitionero hado alsoo movedo applications/complaintso againsto theo complainantosideobeforeotheoElectricityoDepartment.oOnoaccountoofotheosaido dispute,o theo complainanto iso statedo too beo nursingo ao grudgeo againsto theo petitionero ando haso falselyo implicatedo himo ino theo presento case.o o Learnedo counselofurtherosubmitsothatotheoallegedoincidentoisostatedotoohaveotakenoplaceo onotheopahiosituatedobetweenotheoagriculturalofieldsoofotheopetitioneroandotheo complainant.oHeohasourgedothatotheopetitioneroisoaoresidentoofoFerozepuroCity,o CRM-M-73365-2025o o P a g e o?o4o o o o whereaso theo lando ino questiono iso situatedo ato villageo Saunke,o Districto Srio MuktsaroSahib,owhereotheoallegedooccurrenceoisostatedotoohaveotakenoplace,o andotherefore,otheopresenceoofotheopetitioneroatotheospotoatotheorelevantotimeoiso doubtful.ooHeohasofurtherosubmittedothatotheopetitioneroisoemployedowithoAxiso Bankoandoisoaopersonoofocleanoantecedents,ohavingonoopriorocriminalorecord.oo Learnedocounseloassertsothatotheoinotheoinstantocase,otheoFIRofailsotooincludeo materialo facts,o whicho furthero raisedo questionso abouto itso credibilityo ando fairness.o o Moreover,o theo custodialo interrogationo shouldo noto beo usedo aso ao punitiveo measureo ando iso justifiedoonlyowheno absolutelyo necessaryo forotheo recoveryoofomaterialoevidence.ooFurthermore,otheopetitioneroisoreadyotoojoino theoinvestigationoandohenceonoousefulopurposeowouldobeoservedobyosendingo himobehindotheobars.oItoisolastlyosubmittedobyotheolearnedocounselothatotheo presentopetitionobeoallowedoandotheopetitionerobeograntedotheoconcessionoofo theoanticipatoryobail.ooo

4.o o Perocontra,olearnedoStateoCounsel,oassistedobyolearnedocounselo forotheocomplainant,ohasovehementlyoopposedotheograntoofoanticipatoryobailotoo theopetitionerobyhoarguingothatotheoallegationsoagainstotheopetitioneroareograveo andoseriousoinonature.oLearnedoStateoCounselosubmitsothatotheopetitionerohado firedo ao shoto ato theo complainant,o whicho hito himo ono hiso righto ankle,o ando thereafterofiredoanotheroshotoatotheocomplainantowithoaoclearointentionotookillo him.oTheoinvestigationoquaotheoFIRoinoquestionoisostilloongoingoandorecoveryo ofo allegedo weapono iso too beo effectedo fromo theo petitioner.o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso iteratedo thato theo custodialo interrogationo ofo theo petitionero iso imperativeoforotheopurposeoofoeffectiveoandofairoinvestigationoandotoouneartho theocaseoofotheoprosecution.oAccordingotoolearnedoStateocounsel,oinocaseotheo CRM-M-73365-2025o o P a g e o?o5o o o o 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 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 ofoNAVEEN NAGPAL authenticity of this order/judgment interferenceobyotheocourtoinotheoprocessoofoinvestigationoisolimited.oTheo CRM-M-73365-2025o o P a g e o?o6o o o o 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 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 2026.01.12 17:38 [DirectorateoofoEnforcementov.oAshokoKumaroJain,o(1998)o2oSCCo105o:o CRM-M-73365-2025o o P a g e o?o7o o o 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 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 AsoperotheoallegationsosetoforthoinotheoFIR,oseriousochargesohaveo undeniablyobeenolevelledoagainstotheopresentopetitioner.oTheoFIRohasobeeno registeredo againsto theo petitionero ando hiso co-accusedo ono theo basiso ofo theo specificoallegations,owhereinotheocomplainantohadoallegedothatotheopetitionero wasoarmedowithoaofireoarmoandohadofiredouponohimowithoanointentionotookillo him,o causingo ano injuryo ono hiso righto ankle.o Theo allegationso againsto theo petitionero areo graveo ando seriouso ino nature.o Aso pero submissionso madeo byo learnedoStateocounsel,otheoinvestigationoisostilloatoaopreliminaryostage,oando custodialointerrogationoofotheopresentopetitioneroisonecessaryotoounravelotheo truth.oTheolearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasofailedotoodemonstrateothato theocaseoregisteredoagainstohimoisofalse.ooo o o Noocauseonayoplausibleocauseohasobeenoshown,oatothisostage,o fromo whicho ito cano beo decipheredo thato theo petitionero haso beeno falselyo implicatedointootheopresentoFIR.ooo

8.o o Itoisobefittingotoomentionohereothatowhileoconsideringoaopleaoforo I attest to the accuracy andgrantoofoanticipatoryobail,otheoCourtohasotooequilibrateobetweenosafeguardingo CRM-M-73365-2025o o P a g e o?o8o o o 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 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

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 CRM-M-73365-2025o o P a g e o?o9o o o o 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 o o o oooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o ooooooooooooooooo o o ooooooooooooooooooooo ooo o o oooJUDGEo o Januaryo12,o2026o Naveeno o o o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o Yes/Noo o