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High Court of Punjab and HaryanaCRM-M/10709/2015disposed of

Sukwant Singh v. State Of Punjab

2015-05-20Mr. Justice Krishna Murari2 pages

CRM-M-10709-2015 (O&M)

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT

CHANDIGARH CRM-M-10709-2015 (O&M).

Decided on: May 20, 2015.

Sukwant Singh ..... Petitioner(s)

Versus

State of Punjab ..... Respondent(s) * * *

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.M.S. BEDI PRESENT Mr.Raj Kumar Gupta, Advocate, for the petitioner.

Mr.Neeraj Sharma, DAG., Punjab.

M.M.S. BEDI, J (ORAL).

Petitioner in the capacity as a religious saint (BABA) has allegedly cheated a large number of people of huge amount with false promise to send them abroad. He has been in custody for the last more than two years.

This is the third petition for bail, inter alia, on the ground that the trial is being conducted at a snail's pace. Head Constable Hardev Singh appearing on behalf of the State has informed that only one witness has been examined. Next date of hearing before the trial Court is stated to be 27.5.2015. Counsel for the petitioner has referred to Sharad Kumar Vs. CBI, 2012 (1) RCR (Crl.) 56, and Sanjay Chandra Vs. CBI, 2011 (6) Recent Apex Judgments 191, in support of his RAJ KUMAR ARORA 2015.05.21 10:43 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document

CRM-M-10709-2015 (O&M) contention that even in offences of serious nature, there is no good reason to detain accused in jail when trial was likely to take considerable time.

I have heard the learned counsel for the petitioner. A perusal of the judgment in Sanjay Chandra's case (supra), indicates that the bail was granted on the ground that the petitioner had been in jail and there was no chance that he would interfere in the trial or tamper with the evidence.

I have considered the facts and circumstances of this case.

The petitioner being a religious personality is likely to influence the witnesses in case released on bail. In the interest of justice, this petition is disposed of with a direction to the trial Court and the prosecution agency to produce all the material witnesses i.e., persons who have actually been victimized by the petitioner within three months after July 1, 2015 and in case the prosecution agency fails to examine all the witnesses by 30.11.2015, it will be open to the trial Court to grant bail to the petitioner to its satisfaction.

(M.M.S. BEDI) May 20, 2015.

JUDGE rka RAJ KUMAR ARORA 2015.05.21 10:43 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document