Pawanpal v. State Of Punjab
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT
CHANDIGARH CRM-23450-2026 AND CRM-M-30546-2026 Date of Decision: 01.07.2026 PAWANPAL ....Petitioner V/s STATE OF PUNJAB ....Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIKRAM AGGARWAL
Present:
Mr. Jaskirat Singh Bhagat, Advocate for the petitioner.
Mr. Rahul Jindal, Asst. A.G., Punjab.
*** VIKRAM AGGARWAL, J. (ORAL) Prayer in the present petition preferred under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short the 'BNSS') is for the grant of regular bail to the petitioner in case FIR No.121 dated 03.11.2024 registered under Sections 304, 191 (3), 190 and 238 of BNS, 2023 (offence under Sections 21 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and Sections 24 of the Arms Act added subsequently) at Police Station Ramdas, District Amritsar.
2.
On the statement of Constable Gurdev Singh, the present FIR was registered, the contents of which are as under:- "That I am a resident of the above-mentioned address and am serving in the Police Department. I am posted as Gunman with Shri Inderjit Singh, PPS, DSP, Sub Division Rajasansi. Today, on 03.11.2024, at about 04:15 PM, after completion of VVIP duty, I was returning from Dera Baba Nanak on a motorcycle. I had kept my government-issued 9 mm pistol, mobile phone and cash amounting to Rs.5,000/- in a kit bag, and the said kit bag was hanging around my neck while I was riding the motorcycle.
CRM-M-30546-2026 (O&M) -2When I reached near Government Senior Secondary School, village Awan, two persons came near my motorcycle riding on a white Activa scooter. One of them had tied a parna on his head, while the other was cleanshaven. The unknown person sitting on the rear seat of the white Activa suddenly pulled the kit bag hanging around my neck. Due to the strap of the bag breaking, they snatched away the kit bag. Owing to the imbalance of my motorcycle, I fell on the ground. The said unknown persons snatched the government-issued 9 mm pistol, mobile phone and Rs.5,000/-cash lying in my kit bag and also pushed me. I can identify them if produced before me."
3.
Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner was not named in the FIR. He further submits that he was arrested on 12.11.2024 and is suffering incarceration since then. He submits that charges were framed in the instant case on 23.03.2026 and out of total 12 witnesses, none has been examined. He submits that since the trial is likely to take a sufficiently long time, no useful purpose would be served by keeping the petitioner in custody any longer. He also submits that two co-accused Akash Masih and Beant Roop Singh have been granted regular bail though learned counsel fairly concedes that no recovery had been made from them. 4.
Per contra, learned State counsel has opposed the bail application.
5.
Having considered the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties, this Court find no reason to release the petitioner on bail. No doubt, he is in custody since 12.11.2024. However, that alone will not be a sufficient reason to enlarge the petitioner on bail. The allegations against him are extremely serious. He is stated to have snatched the kit bag from the complainant which contained his service pistol, a mobile phone and some cash. Apart from that, upon his arrest, 2 Kg 90 grams of heroin is stated to have been recovered from him, which is a commercial quantity. 1 Kg 500
CRM-M-30546-2026 (O&M) -3grams heroin was also recovered from co-accused Jaspinder Singh, who is also in custody. Charges have been framed recently on 23.03.2026 and the trial shall proceed in the coming days. Keeping in view the gravity of the offence and the nature of the allegations, this Court does not find any reason to grant regular bail to the petitioner.
6.
That being so, the petition is found to be devoid of merit and is accordingly dismissed.
7.
Pending application(s), if any, shall also stand disposed of. (VIKRAM AGGARWAL) JUDGE July 01, 2026 Mani Kumar Whether speaking/reasoned:
Yes/No Whether reportable:
Yes/No