Udham Singh Alias Lali v. State Of Punjab

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA

AT CHANDIGARH CRM-M No.19334 of 2026 Udham Singh @ Lali ..... Petitioner

Versus

State of Punjab ..... Respondent Kulwinder Singh @ Sunny ..... Petitioner versus State of Punjab ..... Respondent Date of Decision: 29.04.2026

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH BHARDWAJ *****

Present:

Mr. Kulwant Singh, Advocate for the petitioner in CRM-M-19334-2026.

Mr. Sanpreet Singh Kalra, Advocate for the petitioner in CRM-M-21501-2026.

Mr. Raj Karan Singh, Asstt. A.G., Punjab.

***** Rajesh Bhardwaj, J. (ORAL) 1.

By this order, I dispose of the above mentioned two petitions arising out of the same FIR.

2.

Learned counsel for the petitioner in CRM-M-21501-2026 has submitted that inadvertently, in the head note of the petition, it has

-2been wrongly mentioned that this is the first petition praying for the grant of regular bail instead of second petition praying for the grant of regular bail and, thus, he prays that the same may kindly be corrected and the petition may kindly be read as second petition praying for the grant of regular bail instead of first petition praying for the grant of regular bail.

3.

Allowed as prayed for. The petition bearing CRM-M21501-2026 be now read as second petition praying for the grant of regular bail instead of first petition praying for the grant of regular bail. 4.

Registry is directed to carry out the necessary correction. 5.

Both the petitions have been filed praying for the grant of regular bail to the petitioners in case bearing FIR No.06, dated 23.01.2025, under Sections 105, 3(5) of BNS, registered at Police Station Sadar Raikot, District Ludhiana.

6.

Succinctly, the facts of the case are that FIR in the present case was got registered on the statement of complainant, namely, Harmeet Kaur. It was alleged that on 21.01.2025, at about 05:00 P.M., son of the complainant, namely, Iqbaljeet Singh after taking his Tata Ace car from the house, went to village Andlu and Kalsian to drop labourers, who were working in the fields of Yadvinder Singh. However, he did not return home. The complainant informed his nephew, namely, Jarnail Singh about the same and thereafter, Jarnail Singh along with the neighbor, namely, Pritam Singh went out to search Iqbaljeet Singh but they could not found him. On 22.01.2025, car of Iqbaljeet Singh was found parked in front of Panchayat Ghar and key of the same was still

-3inside the vehicle. Then, they came to know that Udham Singh @ Lali (petitioner in CRM-M-19334-2026) and Kulwinder Singh @ Sunny (petitioner in CRM-M-21501-2026) both had taken his son to the house of Panchayat Member, namely, Gurpreet Kaur, who is the mother of Kulwinder Singh @ Sunny. It was alleged that all three of them, administered poisonous food to the son of complainant and on account of the same, his son, namely, Iqbaljeet Singh died at the spot. Dead body of Iqbaljeet Singh was recovered from the house of Gurpreet Kaur. Thus, the request was made to take legal action against all the accused. On the basis of the same, the FIR was registered. On registration of the FIR, the investigation commenced. Resultantly, both the petitioners were arrested on 23.01.2025.

On completion of the investigation, the challan was presented and on framing of charges, the trial commenced. The petitioners approached the Court of learned Additional Sessions Judge, Ludhiana praying for the grant of bail. However, after hearing both the sides and finding no merit in the same, the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Ludhiana declined the bail applications filed by both the petitioners vide orders dated 05.09.2025 and 10.12.2025. Being aggrieved, the petitioner, namely, Kulwinder Singh @ Sunny earlier approached this Court praying for the grant of regular bail by way of filing CRM-M-2607-2026, however the same were dismissed as not pressed vide order dated 23.01.2026. Hence being aggrieved, the petitioners are before this Court by way of filing the present petitions praying for the grant of regular bail.

7.

Learned counsel for the petitioners have contended before

-4this Court that the petitioners have been falsely and frivolously implicated in the present case. They have submitted that the deceased, namely, Iqbaljeet Singh, went missing from his house on 21.01.2025 and thereafter, his dead body was recovered on 23.01.2025. They have submitted that as per the allegations made by the complainant, the petitioners along with co-accused negligently administered some poisonous food to Iqbaljeet Singh, however, as per the postmortem report, no poison was detected in the body of the deceased. They have submitted that the petitioners are behind bars from last more than 01 year and the complainant has only partly examined. They have submitted that the petitioner, namely, Kulwinder Singh @ Sunny has no criminal antecedents, whereas the petitioner, namely, Udham Singh @ Lali is convicted in 01 case, however, he has been released on bail in that case. They have submitted that in the facts and circumstances, the petitioners deserve to be granted regular bail.

8.

Per contra, learned State counsel has vehemently opposed the submissions made by counsel for the petitioners. He has submitted that the deceased was taken by both the petitioners and the dead body was also recovered from the house of petitioner, namely, Kulwinder Singh @ Sunny. He has submitted that as per the postmortem, no poison was detected in the body of the deceased, however, presence of the organic poison was not ruled out. He has submitted that no definite opinion has been given by the Board of Doctors regarding the cause of death. He, on instructions, has submitted that out of total 16 prosecution witnesses, only the complainant has been partly examined. He has

-5produced custody certificates of both the petitioners today in the Court, which are taken on record.

9.

This Court has heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record with their able assistance. 10.

After hearing counsel for the parties and perusing the record, it is deciphered that the petitioners are alleged to have given some poisonous food negligently to the deceased. The postmortem report shows presence of no poison. The petitioners are behind bars since the date of their arrest, i.e. 23.01.2025. Custody certificates produced would show that the petitioners have suffered an incarceration of 01 year, 03 months and 02 days as on 28.04.2026. It further reflects that the petitioner, namely, Kulwinder Singh @ Sunny is not involved in any other case, whereas the petitioner, namely, Udham Singh @ Lali is convicted in one other case, however he has been released on bail in that case. Out of total 16 prosecution witnesses, only the complainant has been partly examined till date.

11.

This Court would refrain itself from commenting anything on the merits of the case. The arguments and counter arguments as raised before this Court would be assessed by the learned trial Court on the appreciation of the evidences led by both the sides, however, keeping in view the custody of the petitioners and their antecedents, this Court is inclined to grant bail to the petitioners.

12.

The veracity of the allegations would be assessed only after the conclusion of the trial and on the appreciation of evidence to be led by both the parties before the trial Court. The trial of the case will take

-6sufficient long time. Keeping in view the arguments raised by both the sides and perusing the record, this Court is of the opinion that learned counsels for the petitioners succeed in making out a case for grant of regular bail to the petitioners.

13.

Accordingly, both the petitions are allowed and all the petitioners are ordered to be released on bail on their furnishing bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of the concerned trial Court/Duty Magistrate.

14.

Nothing said herein shall be treated as an expression of opinion on the merits of the cases.

(RAJESH BHARDWAJ) 29.04.2026 JUDGE rittu Whether Speaking/Reasoned :

Yes/No Whether Reportable :

Yes/No