Ashish Verma v. State Of Punjab

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA

AT CHANDIGARH CRM-M-5553-2025 Date of decision: May 8th, 2025 Ashish Verma .....Petitioner

Versus

State of Punjab .....Respondent

CORAM:

HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE MANJARI NEHRU KAUL

Present:

Mr. Gurmeet Singh, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Amit Rana, Senior Deputy Advocate General, Punjab. MANJARI NEHRU KAUL, J. (ORAL) Petitioner is seeking the concession of anticipatory bail in FIR No.3 dated 14.01.2025 under Section 7 and 7A of The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, registered at Police Station Vigilance Bureau Unit Patiala.

2.

Vide order dated 30.01.2025, 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 the petitioner is in no manner connected with Municipal Committee, Rajpura, and is in fact, a private Architect; he would thus have had no occasion to demand a bribe of ₹1 lakh to get the NOC and the site plan of the complainant's house sanctioned from the Municipal Committee. It has been further submitted that even otherwise, totally vague allegations have been levelled about the alleged bribe having been made from the complainant. Learned counsel has submitted that although it is alleged that there was an audio recording PUNEET SACHDEVA 2025.05.08 14:49 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh

CRM-M-5553-2025 -2of the petitioner demanding the alleged bribe from the complainant, however, even the audio recording was a doctored one, for which he is willing to give his voice sample."

3.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that in compliance of order dated 30.01.2025, the petitioner has joined investigation and cooperated with the investigating agency. 4.

Learned State counsel, on instructions from ASI Mahipal Singh, 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 30.01.2025, is made absolute subject to the conditions laid down in Section 438(2) Cr.P.C./482(2) BNSS.

May 8th, 2025 (MANJARI NEHRU KAUL) Puneet JUDGE Whether speaking/reasoned :

Yes/No Whether reportable :

Yes/No PUNEET SACHDEVA 2025.05.08 14:49 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh