Avtar Singh v. State Of Punjab

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA

AT CHANDIGARH 2024:PHHC:044600 CRM-M-947-2024 Date of decision: April 3rd, 2024 Avtar Singh .....Petitioner

Versus

State of Punjab .....Respondent

CORAM:

HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE MANJARI NEHRU KAUL

Present:

Mr. Suneet Pal Singh Aulakh, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Navdeep Singh, Deputy Advocate General, Punjab. Mr. Manish Kumar Singla, Advocate with Ms. Shikha Singla and Mr. Dinesh Kumar, Advocates for the complainant.

MANJARI NEHRU KAUL, J. (ORAL) Petitioner is seeking the concession of anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Cr.P.C. in case FIR No.206 dated 12.12.2023 under Sections 406, 420 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Section 13 of Punjab Travel Professional (Regulation) Act, 2014, registered at Police Station Civil Lines, Patiala. 2.

Vide order dated 10.01.2024, the petitioner had been granted interim anticipatory bail with direction to join investigation and the relevant part of the said order reads as under:- "Learned counsel for the petitioner, inter alia, contends that a perusal of the FIR clearly reveals that the only role attributed to the petitioner is of having introduced the complainant to the travel agent; out of `17 lakh, which were given to the travel agent, only `17,000/- stood deposited in the account of the PUNEET SACHDEVA 2024.04.03 16:38 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh

CRM-M-947-2024 -2petitioner, which too had been subsequently transferred in the name of the travel agent. It has been further contended that the petitioner has clean criminal antecedents and is not involved in any other criminal case much less a case of similar nature." 3.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that in compliance of order dated 10.01.2024, the petitioner has joined investigation and cooperated with the investigating agency. 4.

Learned State counsel, on instructions from ASI Davinder Dass, does not dispute the factum of the petitioner having joined investigation and cooperated with the investigating agency. He on further instructions submits that the petitioner is not required for further investigation much less for his custodial interrogation. 5.

In view of the above, the petition is allowed and interim order dated 10.01.2024, is made absolute subject to the conditions laid down in Section 438(2) Cr.P.C.

April 3rd, 2024 (MANJARI NEHRU KAUL) Puneet JUDGE Whether speaking/reasoned :

Yes Whether reportable :

No PUNEET SACHDEVA 2024.04.03 16:38 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh