Ramandeep Singh v. State Of Punjab

-1IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision : May 17, 2019 Ramandeep Singh ....Petitioner versus State of Punjab ....Respondent Coram:

Hon'ble Mr. Justice Fateh Deep Singh Present :

Mr. Kulwant Singh, Advocate, for the petitioner Mr. Avtar Singh Sandhu, Addl. AG Punjab for the State Mr. Vikas Bali, Advocate, for the complainant Fateh Deep Singh, J. (Oral) The present regular bail application by accused petitioner Ramandeep Singh has come about in case FIR No. 21 dated 2.3.2019, under Sections 363, 366 IPC, Police Station Payal, Police District Khanna, District Ludhiana.

The present case was got registered by complainant Chaman Ram father of a girl aged around 22 years alleging that his daughter the victim in this case for the last two years was residing at the house of Joginder Singh brother-in-law of the complainant who

-2on 25.2.2019 informed the complainant that his daughter had gone missing. It was on 2.3.2019 it transpired that accused non-applicant Jaspal Ram alias Pala who is already a married man has enticed and taken away daughter of the complainant for getting married with her in which the present petitioner along with co-accused non-applicant Sukhdev Singh had helped principal accused and who had kept the girl in the house of Sukhdev Singh during the intervening night of 25/26-2-2019 and on the next day had dropped the girl at Bus Stand Mandi Gobindgarh leading to the registration of the present case. Mr. Kulwant Singh, learned counsel for the petitioner inter-alia contends that the alleged victim was a major and had eloped on her own and has never been kidnapped and there is no specific role attributed to the petitioner and which allegations have come about after more than seven days arguing that the petitioner is behind the bars since a long time.

Learned State counsel, Mr. Avtar Singh Sandhu, Addl. AG Punjab assisted by Mr. Vikas Bali, Advocate, for the complainant have vehemently opposed the bail on the ground that the girl is still untraceable and the accused had facilitated running away of the girl and therefore, if allowed bail, the petitioner might stifle the investigations and the trial.

Going through the submissions, as is there, it is the

-3admitted case that the girl was a major and has gone on her own and even allegations levelled in the FIR are illustrative that the girl was in a relationship with co-accused non-applicant Jaspal Ram alias Pala. The petitioner is behind the bars since a long time. Culpability, if any, shall be determined at the time of trial which is not likely to be concluded in near future, no purpose will be served by retaining the petitioner in jail. Accordingly, he is ordered to be released on regular bail to the satisfaction of learned Chief Judicial Magistrate/Duty Magistrate, Ludhiana.

The present petition stands disposed off accordingly. The observations made herein above shall have no bearing on the merits of the case as these are purely for the disposal of the present bail application.

( Fateh Deep Singh ) May 17, 2019 Judge 'tiwana'

Whether speaking/reasoned ?

Yes/No Whether Reportable ?

Yes/No