Pardeep and Ors v. State of Haryana

INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo CRM-M-4104-2023o(O&M)o oDateoofoDecision:o08.02.2023o o o PARDEEPoANDoOTHERSo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oo…Petitionerso o Versuso STATEoOFoHARYANAoo o o o o …Respondento o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoHARSHoBUNGERo Presento:o Mr.oPankajoNanhera,oAdvocateo o o forotheopetitioners.o o o o Mr.oRamoKumaroSingla,oD.A.G.,oHaryana.o o HARSHoBUNGER,oJ.ooo o o PetitionersohaveofiledothisopetitionounderoSectiono438oofotheo CodeoofoCriminaloProcedure,o1973oseekingoanticipatoryobailoinocaseoFIRo No.175odatedo19.08.2021,oregisteredounderoSectionso148,o149,o364,o302,o 201oando120-BoofotheoIndianoPenaloCode,o1860,oatoPoliceoStationoBhattuo Kalan,oDistrictoFatehabado(AnnexureoP-1).o o o Briefofactsoofotheocaseoareothatotheoafore-statedoFIRowasogoto registeredoatotheobehestoofocomplainant-AjitoSingh,olevellingoallegationsothato hisofatherohadoexpressedodangeroandoapprehensionothatoBhoopoSinghoando otherso(includingotheopresentopetitioners)omayocauseoinjuriesotoohimoatotheo timeoofoturnoofowateroasotheyohadothreatenedotookillohim.oItowasostatedoinotheo complaintothatoono19.08.2021oinotheomorning,oheoreceivedoaocallofromohiso maternalouncleoVinodoandohisobrotheroNareshoDudiothatotheyocameotooknowo thato ino theo previouso evening,o hiso fathero Hanumano Singho wento ono hiso motorcycleotoofieldsoforoirrigationopurposesoandoatothatotime,otwoovehicleso cameofromovillageosideoinowhichoBhoopoSinghoDudiosonoofoManioRamoDudi,o PardeeposonoofoBhoopoSinghoDudi,oKrishanosonoofoManiram,oBajrangosonoofo Krishan,oVikramosonoofoKrishan,oChhotuoRamosonoofoKashioRam,oVijayo aliasoMoluoandoDholuosonsoofoChhotuoRam,oRajenderoandoSatishosonsoofo Balbir,oJaibiroandoSajjanosonsoofoMangeramoDudi,oresidentsoofoKirdhanowereo sitting.oAtothatotime,ohisobrotheroNareshoKumarosonoofoRameshwar,oresidento ofoChablamoriowasopresentoinotheiroDhanioandohisomotheroSarojoRaniowaso alsoopresentoandotheyohadoseenoabovesaidopersonsofollowingoHanumanoino theiro twoo cars.o Aftero abouto 20/25o minutes,o Naresho Kumaro ino hiso caro proceededoforoFatehabadoandowhenoNareshoKumarowhileogoingoonometalledo roado adjoiningo Kherio Minoro crossedo Mogao No.10,o theno motorcycleo ofo Hanuman,oonowhichoKassio(spade)owasohanging,owasostandingothereoando NareshoKumarothoughtothatoHanumanomightohaveogoneotooirrigateotheofields.o Heo(complainant)owasofurtheroinformedothatodeadobodyoofohisofatherowaso lyingo ino Generalo Hospital,o Fatehabado ando severalo injurieso witho deadlyo weaponsowereopresentoonotheodeadobodyoandoRajenderosonoofoBalbiroSingh,o residentoofoKirdhanobroughtodeadobodyoinoGovernmentoHospitaloasoaocaseoofo roadosideoaccident,obutotheyohaveosuspicionothatohisofatherowasomurdered.o Thereafter,oheo(complainant)oalongowithohisomaternalouncleoVinod,obrotherso SajjanoKumaroandoNareshoKumaroandootherorelativesoreachedoGovernmento Hospital,oFatehabadoandowhenoheosawodeadobodyoofohisofather,oheofoundothato thereo wereo variouso injurieso ono hiso head,o arms,o backo ando feet.o Fromo theo versiono abouto watero disputeo aso statedo too himo byo hiso fathero ando aso pero informationo ofo hiso mothero Sarojo ando brothero Naresho Kumar,o theyo haveo strongosuspicionothatoallotheoabovesaidopersonsohadokidnappedohisofatheroino someovehicleoandotookohimotoosomeosecludedoplaceowhere,oBhoopoSingho DudiosonoofoManioRamoDudi,oPardeeposonoofoBhoopoSinghoDudi,oKrishano sonoofoManiram,oBajrangosonoofoKrishan,oVikramosonoofoKrishan,oChhotuo RamosonoofoKashioRam,oVijayo@oMoluoandoDholuosonsoofoChhotuoRam,o Rajendero ando Satisho sonso ofo Balbir,o Jaiviro ando Sajjano sonso ofoooooooooooooooooooooo MangeramoDudi,ohatchedoaocriminaloconspiracyoandotheyobeingomembersoofo unlawfuloassemblyoandoinoprosecutionoofotheirocommonoobject,ocommittedo murderoofohisofatherowithosharpoedgedoweapons.oItoisofurtheroallegedothato withoanointentionotooscreenothemselvesofromolegalopunishment;oRajender,o Satisho ando Bhoopo Singho hado kepto theo deado bodyo ofo hiso fathero ino theoo GovernmentoHospital,oFatehabadobyoshowingoitoaocaseooforoadosideoaccident. o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionerso submittedo thato theo petitionersowereofalselyoimplicatedoinothisocase,ohowever,osubsequently,otheo petitionersowereonotofoundopresentoatotheospotovideoenquiryoreportodatedo

08.06.2022o (Annexureo P-2).o Ito iso furthero submittedo thato ino thiso case,o polygraphotestoofotheopetitionersowereogotoconductedoandoinquiryowasoalsoo conductedo byo Deputyo Superintendento ofo Policeo ando ono theo basiso ofo polygraphotest,ocallodetailsorecordoandoinquiryoofoDeputyoSuperintendentoofo Police,opetitionersowereodeclaredoinnocentoandowereonotochallanedobyopoliceo andopoliceofiledodetailedoreportoinotheoCourtoono11.11.2022oregardingotheiro innocence.o o o Ito iso submittedo thato upono ano applicationo movedo byo publico prosecutoro undero Sectiono 319o ofo theo Codeo ofo Criminalo Procedure,o theo petitionersowereosummonedotoofaceotrialoasoadditionaloaccusedovideoordero datedo21.12.2022opassedobyolearnedoSessionsoJudge,oFatehabad.oo o o Beingo aggrievedo againsto saido ordero datedo 21.12.2022,o theo petitionerso filedo Criminalo Revisiono bearingo CRR-130-2023o beforeo thiso Court,owherein,onoticeoofomotionowasoissuedovideoorderodatedo13.01.2023o (AnnexureoP-3)oandotheosameoisonowopendingoforo17.03.2023.oo o o Learnedo counselo alsoo submitso thato subsequento too theiro summoningoasoadditionaloaccusedounderoSectiono319oCr.P.C.,otheopetitionerso movedo ano applicationo seekingo anticipatoryo bailo beforeo theo learnedo AdditionaloSessionsoJudge,oFatehabad,owhichowasowronglyodismissedovideo orderodatedo20.01.2023.oAccordingly,oprayeroforoanticipatoryobailohasobeeno madeobyotheopresentopetitionerobyowayoofofilingotheopresentopetition.o o o Pero contra,o learnedo Stateo counselo haso althougho opposedo theo prayeroforograntoofoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitioners,ohowever,oheodoesonoto disputeo theo facto thato theo petitionerso wereo foundo innocento byo theo policeo duringoinvestigationoandotheyohaveobeenosummonedoasoadditionaloaccusedooo videoorderodatedo21.12.2022opassedobyolearnedoSessionsoJudge,oFatehabad,o ono ano applicationo movedo undero Sectiono 319o ofo theo Codeo ofo Criminalo Procedure.oo o o Iohaveoheardolearnedocounseloforotheopartiesoandoperusedotheo paperobookowithotheiroableoassistance.o o o Concededly,o theo petitionerso wereo foundo innocento duringo investigation,ohowever,otheyohaveobeenosummonedounderoSectiono319oofotheo CodeoofoCriminaloProcedureovideoorderodatedo21.12.2022opassedobyolearnedo SessionsoJudge,oFatehabad.oAgainstotheosaidoorderodatedo21.12.2022,otheo petitionerso filedo Criminalo Revisiono bearingo CRR-130-2023o beforeo thiso Court,owherein,onoticeoofomotionowasoissuedovideoorderodatedo13.01.2023o (AnnexureoP-3)oandotheosameoisonowopendingoforo17.03.2023.oo o o Here,oitowouldobeoappositeotooreferotootheojudgmentoofoHon'bleo theoApexoCourtoinoVikasovsoStateoofoRajasthano2013(4)oR.C.R.o(Criminal)o

948.oRelevantoparasoofojudgmentoibidoareoreproducedohere-in-belowo:-o o "12.o Theoonlyoquestionoforoconsiderationobeforeousoiso whetheroinotheocircumstancesoofotheocase,otheoattendanceoofo theoappellantocouldohaveobeenobestosecuredobyoissuingoao summonosimplicitorooroaobailableowarrantoinsteadoofoaonon-bailableowarrantoinoanoapplicationounderoSectiono319oofotheo CriminaloProcedureoCode.o o 13.o Ao perusalo ofo Sectiono 319o ofo theo Criminalo Procedureo Codeo wouldo clearlyo indicateo thato ono theo objectiveo satisfactiono ofo theo courto ao persono mayo beo `arrested'ooro`summoned'oasotheocircumstancesoofotheocaseo mayorequireoifoitoappearsofromotheoevidenceothatoanyosucho persononotobeingotheoaccusedohasocommittedoanooffenceoforo whichosuchopersonocouldobeotriedotogetherowithotheoalreadyo arraignedo accusedo persons.o Theo courto shouldo exerciseo judicialodiscretionoonoaoconsiderationoofotheototalityoofotheo factsoandocircumstancesoofoaogivenocaseoandoinoaomannero whereo propero procedureso areo followedo thato areo fundamentalotootheorightoofofairotrialoofotheoaccused.oTheo sectionodemandsomoreocircumspectionobyotheoTrialoCourto whileo exercisingo itso powerso sinceo ito conferso ano extraordinaryopoweroandoshouldobeousedobyotheocourtoveryo sparinglyotherebyoensuringothatoprinciplesooforuleoofolawo ando basico tenetso ofo criminalo lawo jurisprudenceo areo noto vitiated.o

14.o xxxo o o xxxo o o xxxo

15.o Ino ordero too examineo theo reasoningo ofo theo Trialo Court,otheocaseoisotoobeounderstoodoinoitsoownofactsoando circumstances.o Ino theo instanto case,o theo Trialo Courto aftero appreciatingo theo evidenceo availableo hado reasonableo satisfactionofromotheoevidenceoalreadyocollectedoduringotheo trialo thato theo appellanto hado committedo ano offenceo alongo withotheootheroaccusedowhoohadoundergoneotheoTrialoando thereforeo issuedo ao non-bailableo warranto too seeko theo attendanceoofotheoappellant-hereinounderoanoapplicationoofo Sectiono 319o ofo theo Criminalo Procedureo Code.o Too appreciateotheopresentocase,oitoisopertinentotoodiscussotheo meaningo ofo `bailableo offences'o ando theo circumstanceso ino whicho ao non-bailableo warranto cano beo issued.o Ino theoGURPREET KAUR legislativeo historyo foro theo purposeso ofo bail,o theo termo `bailable'oando`non-bailable'oareomostlyousedotooformallyo distinguishooneoofotheotwooclassesoofocases,oviz.o`bailable'o offencesoinowhichobailomayobeoclaimedoasoaorightoinoeveryo caseowhereasotheoquestionoofograntoofobailoinonon-bailableo offencesotoosuchoaopersonoisoleftobyotheolegislatureoinotheo court'sodiscretionotoobeoexercisedoonoaoconsiderationoofotheo totalityoofotheofactsoandocircumstancesoofoaogivenocase.oTheo discretionohas,oofocourse,otoobeoaojudicialooneoinformedobyo traditionomethodizedobyoanalogy,odisciplinedobyosystemoando sub-ordinatedotootheoprimordialonecessityoofoorderoinosocialo life.oAnotherosuchoinstanceoofojudicialodiscretionoisotheoissueo ofo non-bailableo warranto ino ao complainto caseo undero ano applicationo ofo Sectiono 319o ofo theo Criminalo Procedureo Code.oTheopowerounderoSectiono319oofotheoCr.P.Cobeingo discretionaryomustobeoexercisedojudiciouslyowithoextremeo careoandocaution.oTheocourtoshouldoproperlyobalanceobotho personalo libertyo ando societalo interesto beforeo issuingo warrants.oThereocannotobeoanyostraight-jacketoformulaoforo issuanceo ofo warrantso buto aso ao generalo rule,o unlesso ano accusedoisolikelyotootamperoorodestroyotheoevidenceooroiso likelyotooevadeotheoprocessoofolaw,oissuanceoofonon-bailableo warrantso shouldo beo avoided.o Theo conditionso foro theo issuanceo ofo non-bailableo warranto areo re-iteratedo ino theo caseoofoInderoMohanoGoswamio2007(12)oSCCo1oandoinotheo caseoofoStateoofoU.P.ov.oPoosuoandoAnr;o1976(3)oSCCo1,o whereinoitoisomentionedothatoNon-bailableowarrantoshouldo beo issuedo too bringo ao persono too courto wheno summonso oro bailableo warrantso wouldobeounlikelyotoohaveotheo desiredo result.oThisocouldobeowhenofirstlyoitoisoreasonableotoobelieveo thato theo persono willo noto voluntarilyo appearo ino court;o oro secondlyothatotheopoliceoauthoritiesoareounableotoofindotheo persono too serveo himo witho ao summono ando thirdlyo ifo ito iso consideredo thato theo persono couldo harmo someoneo ifo noto placedo intoo custodyo immediately.o Ino theo absenceo ofo theo aforesaido reasons,o theo issueo ofo non-bailableo warranto aoGURPREET KAUR fortiorio too theo applicationo undero Sectiono 319o ofo theo Criminalo Procedureo Codeo wouldo extinguisho theo veryo purposeo ofo existenceo ofo proceduralo lawso whicho preserveo andoprotectotheorightoofoanoaccusedoinoaotrialoofoaocase."o o o Ao co-ordinateo Bencho ofo thiso Courto ino Baljindero Singho ando anothero o vso o Stateo ofo Punjabo 2015(3)o o R.C.R.o (Criminal)o 950,o whileo consideringotheopleaoofoanticipatoryobailotooanoaccused,owhoowasosummonedo underoSectiono319oCr.P.C.,oheldoasoundero:-o o o "7.o Thereocan,othus,obeonoodoubtothatotheotrialo courtocommittedonooerroroinosummoningotheopetitionersoaso additionalo accusedo ino theo instanto caseo aso theiro nameso figuredoinotheoFIRoandospecificoroleohasobeenoattributedotoo them.o Theo question,o however,o remainso whethero theyo areo entitledotooconcessionoofopre-arrestobail.oForoconsideringo thiso question,o principleso laido downo ino Gurbaksho Singho Sibbiaoetc.ov.oTheoStateoofoPunjabo1980oAIRo(SC)o1632oneedo toobeorecalled.oItowasoheldothereinothatojurisdictionoundero Sectiono438oCr.P.Cohasotoobeoexercisedobyowiseoandocarefulo useo ofo discretion.o Ino caseo ano accusedo haso ao reasono too believeo thato heo wouldo beo arrestedo foro ao nono bailableo offence,oheowouldobeoentitledotooinvokeotheoprovisionsoofo Sectiono438oCr.P.C.oThoughonoohardoandofastoruleocanobeo laidodownoforoexerciseoofothisopower,oitowouldobeotakenoono factsoandocircumstancesoofoeachocase.oInotheocaseoinohand,o sinceo petitionerso haveo beeno summonedo too faceo trialo foro offenceo undero Sectiono 302o I.P.C.,o ono theiro appearanceo beforeotheocourt,otheyohaveoaoreasonableoapprehensionothato theyowouldobeotakenoinocustody.oThus,opleaoforoanticipatoryo bailo iso noto misconceived.o Articleo 21o ofo theo Constitutiono guaranteeso theo righto too lifeo ando libertyo too itso citizens.o Criminalo lawo deriveso itso sourceo ando substanceo fromo theo Constitution.o Allo othero lawso areo supplementaryo ando incidentalotootheoprinciplesolaidodownoinotheoConstitutiono (seeoVikasov.oStateoofoRajasthan'socaseo(supra)oparaso13,o 14).oThus,osuchoadditionaloaccusedowhoodoonotointendotoo defyo lawo ando areo readyo too faceo trial,o theiro pleao foro anticipatoryo bailo cano beo considered,o subjecto too theo principleso alreadyo laido downo ino Gurbaksho Singho Sibbia'scaseo(supra).oThoughoSectiono438oCr.P.Codoesonoto conferoaorightoonosuchoaccusedotoobeograntedodiscretionaryo reliefo ofo anticipatoryo bail,o theiro pleao wouldo deserveo considerationo withino theo availableo parameters.o Ifo appearanceoofoadditionaloaccusedocanobeosecuredoandotheo courto iso satisfiedo thato theyo wouldo cooperateo duringo theo proceedings,o theiro pleao foro anticipatoryo bailo cano beo accepted.oItoalsooneedsotoobeoemphasizedothatoatotheostageo ofo Sectiono 319o Cr.P.C.,o someo depositiono ofo prosecutiono witness(s)oisobeforeotheocourtoandoonoconsiderationoofosameo additionalo accusedo areo summoned.o Howevero summoningo underoSectiono193oCr.P.C.oisoonlyoonotheobasisoofomaterialo accompanyingo theo reporto undero Sectiono 173o Cr.P.C.o Ono perusaloofosame,oadditionaloaccusedoareoarraigned.oThus,o suchoaccusedoareoentitledotooprayoforoanticipatoryobailoono theo groundo thato theiro roleo waso examinedo byo theo investigatingoagencyobutotheyowereofoundoinnocent."o o o Inoviewoofotheoabove,oitoisonotedothatoSectiono438oofotheoCodeo ofoCriminaloProcedureodoesonotoconferoaorightoonoanoaccusedotoobeograntedo discretionaryoreliefoofoanticipatoryobail,ohowever,oitsopleaowouldodeserveo consideration,oifoappearanceoofoadditionaloaccusedocanobeosecuredoandotheo Courtoisosatisfiedothatotheyowouldocooperateoduringotheoproceedings.o o o Further,oatotheostageoofoproceedingsounderoSectiono319oofotheo CodeoofoCriminaloProcedure,osomeodepositionoofoprosecutionowitness(s)oiso beforeo theo Courto ando ono considerationo ofo same,o additionalo accusedo areo summonedo ando sucho accusedo areo entitledo too prayo foro theo concessiono ofo anticipatoryo bailo ono theo groundo thato theiro roleo waso examinedo byo theo investigatingoagencyobutotheyowereofoundoinnocent.o o o Aoperusaloofopaperobookoindicatesothatoinotheopresentocase,otheo petitionersowereofoundoinnocentoduringoinvestigationoandotheyohaveobeeno summonedoasoanoadditionaloaccusedoonoanoapplicationounderoSectiono319oofo theo Codeo ofo Criminalo Procedureo too faceo trialo beforeo theo Court.o Theo petitionersoareonotorequiredoforoanyoinvestigationoorointerrogationopurposeso asotheyohaveobeenosummonedobyotheoCourtounderoSectiono319oCr.P.Coando theyoareoonlyotoofaceotrial.oTheotrialoofotheocaseowillotakeolongotimeoandonoo usefulopurposeowillobeoservedobyosendingotheopetitionersobehindobars.o o o o Consideringo theo totalityo ofo theo factso ando circumstanceso aso mentionedo above,o Io deemo ito propero too disposeo ofo thiso petitiono witho ao directiono too theo petitionerso too surrendero beforeo theo trialo Courto withino ao periodoofotwooweeksofromotoday.oItoisofurtherodirectedothatoinotheoevent,otheo petitionerso surrendero ando appearo beforeo theo trialo Court,o theno theyo beo admittedo too bailo too theo satisfactiono ofo theo trialo Court.o Tillo theo time,o theo petitionersoappearoandosurrenderobeforeotheotrialoCourt,onoocoerciveostepsobeo takenoagainstothem.oo o o Inocase,otheopetitionersodoonotosurrenderobeforeotheotrialocourto withinotheostipulatedoperiodoofotwooweeks,othisopetitionoshallobeodeemedotoo haveobeenodismissed.o o o Nothingo statedo aboveo shallo beo construedo aso ano expressiono ofo opinionoonotheomeritsoofocaseoandotheotrialowouldoproceedoindependentlyoofoooooooooo theoobservationsomadeoinotheopresentocase,owhichoareoonlyoforotheopurposeoofoo adjudicatingotheopresentopetition.o o o Theopetitionoisoaccordinglyodisposedoof.o o o o Februaryo08,o2023o o o o o (HARSHoBUNGER)o Himani/gurpreeto o o o o o o JUDGEo Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/No