Manpreet Singh v. State Of Punjab

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA

AT CHANDIGARH DATE OF DECISION :- September 11, 2017 Manpreet Singh

...Petitioner

Versus

State of Punjab

...Respondent

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE H.S. MADAAN Present:- Mr. J.S. Thind, Advocate for the petitioner.

*** This petition for regular bail has been filed by petitioner Manpreet Singh, an accused in F.I.R. No. 177 dated 17.7.2016 under Sections 419, 420, 466, 467, 468, 471, 120-B IPC registered with Police Station Sultanwind, Amritsar.

Briefly stated the case of the prosecution is that F.I.R. in this case was registered against petitioner Manpreet Singh son of Mahinder Singh resident of L-2 641, S. Wind Road, Gurnam Nagar, Sultanwind Road, Amritsar and Mohinder Singh son of Teja Singh resident of H.No. L-2/641 Gurnam Nagar, Sultanwind Road, Amritsar on the allegations that they had jointly used forged documents by tendering duly sworn affidavit for the purpose of cheating the Education Department to get the job of Senior Lab Attendant on compassionate grounds in place of Smt. Amarjit Kaur, mother

of Manpreet Singh, who was Senior Lab Attendant in Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Kot Baba Deep Singh, who had expired on 29.3.2014. As per allegations, Manpreet Singh and Mohinder Singh had forged and fabricated documents by wrongly putting signatures of Smt. Amarjit Kaur, Principal, Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Kot Baba Deep Singh and Satinderbir Singh, District Education Officer (SE), Amritsar. It transpired that application for appointment on compassionate ground submitted by Satwant Singh was already being processed. After registration of F.I.R., the matter was investigated and accused was arrested in this case. Manpreet Singh was arrested on 29.4.2017. He is in custody. Challan against the accused has been prepared and filed in the Court which is pending trial.

Co-accused of the petitioner is stated to have been granted regular bail by coordinate Bench of this Court in CRM-M-26399 of 2016 on September 27, 2016. Copy of that order has been attached with this petition. I have heard learned counsel for the petitioner, learned State counsel besides going through the record.

A per custody certificate placed on file by the learned State counsel, the petitioner is in custody for 4 months and 11 days. The offences are triable by the Judicial Magistrate. Trial is stated to be at initial stage and disposal is likely to take some time. Even on the principle of parity, the petitioner deserves to be granted bail. Therefore, in view of the aforesaid circumstances, this petition is accepted. Petitioner Manpreet Singh is ordered to be released on bail on his furnishing bail bond and surety bond to the satisfaction of the learned trial Court/CJM/Duty Magistrate, Amritsar. However, it is made clear that in case the petitioner is found indulging in

any criminal act at a later stage, this order granting bail to him would be liable to be withdrawn.

(H.S. MADAAN) JUDGE September 11, 2017 p.singh Whether speaking/reasoned Yes/No Whether Reportable Yes/No