Balwant Singh Alias Banti v. State of Punjab

o o o o o o o o oo INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 221o o o o o o ooCRM-M-10780-2025o o o o o o o ooDateoofodecision:oo05.08.2025o o o BalwantoSingho@oBantio o o o o o o o o ....Petitionerooo V/so o StateoofoPunjabo o o o o o o o o o o ....Respondento o o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:oo Mr.oAnkuroJain,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o o o Mr.oJasjitoSingh,oDAG,oPunjab.o o o oo *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o

1.o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono483oofoBNSSoforo grantooforegularobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseobearingoFIRoNo.142odatedo

30.09.2020oregisteredoforotheooffencesopunishableounderoSectionso307,o323,o 324,o326,o341,o506,o201,o148,o149oofoIPCoandounderoSectionso25,o27,o30,o54,o 59oofoArmsoAct,o1959oatoPoliceoStationoKhemoKaran,oDistrictoTarnoTaran.o

2.oo o Theo caseo seto upo ino theo FIRo ino questiono (aso seto outo byo theo petitioneroinotheopresentopetition)oisoasofollows:-o "FirstoInformationoReport:oStatementoofoBalwinderoSinghosonoofo Gajjano Singh,o Residento ofo Mehndipuro agedo abouto 52o yearso CRM-M-10780-2025o o P a g e o|o2o o o o MobileoNo.o87280--85802ostatedothatoIoamotheoresidentoofoaboveo mentionedoaddressoandoisodoingotheoworkoofoagricultureoandoono

26.09.2020o1oandomyobrotheroMalwinderoSinghowasosummonedo ato policeo stationo Khemo Karano regardingo theo disputeo witho HarpreetoSinghosonoofoBaljitoSinghoResidentoofoMehndipuroando dueotooabsenceoofoHarpreetoSinghoandopartyoSHOosentousobacko ando againo ono 27.09.2020o regardingo thiso disputeo Io ando myo brotheroMalwinderoSinghoinotheomorningoatoabouto7/8oAMocameo ato theo policeo stationo ando alsoo myo brothero Jaimalo Singho alongwithootheroresidentsoofoVillageocameothereoregardingotheo compromiseo ando meto SHOo Sahibo ando heo alsoo summonedo theo otheropartyoHarpreetoSinghoandoothersoatotheopoliceostationobuto theyodidn'tocomeopresentothereoandothenoatoabout'4oPMoinotheo eveningoSHOosaidothatootheropartyohasonotocomeoforwardoyouo mayogootomorrowoIowillosummonothemoandoonooneomotorcycleo myobrotheroMalwinderoSinghowhoostartedoridingotheomotorcycleo andoonohisobackoourobrotheroJaimaloSinghosatoonobackoseatoando ono anothero motorcycleo Balwindero Singho sono ofo Virsao Singho startedoridingoandoIosatoonobackoseatoofohimoandoonotheothirdo motorcycleo Meharo Singho sono ofo Ajaibo Singho Residento ofo MehndipuroalsooaccompaniedousoandoinofrontoJaimaloSinghoando Malwindero Singho startedo movingo ando wheno weo reachedo nearo DefenceoBridgeoMehnaipurothenoSatnamoSinghosonoofoSurjano SinghowithoRifleo12oBore,oHarjinderoSinghoaliasoJindao2osonoofo MehtaboSinghowithoRifleo12oboreoandoAvtaroSinghoaliasoTariosono ofo Rano Singho witho Rifleo 12o bore.ailo residentso ofo Mehndipuro whileocomingooutoofotheobushesostartedofiringoshotsoandotheosameo hitomyobrothersoMalwinderoSinghoandoJaimaloSinghoonotheirolegso ando alsoo hito themo ono theiro shoulderso ando theno myo brothero MalwinderoSingholittle.backofromobarricadeoatotheosideoofoKhemo KaranofellodownoandoJaimaloSinghofellodownoonotheoroadonearo DefenceoandoMalwinderoSinghoandoDullaoSinghosonoofoMehtabo Singho witho Datar,o Mehtabo Singho sono ofo Baghelo Singho witho Datar,oGurméiloSinghosonoofoNawaboSinghowithoKirpan,oGurlalo Singho sono ofo Nawab.Singho witho Kirpano Veerzo sono ofo Udhafio SinghowithoDataroandoRajaosonoofoSatnamoSihghowithoDataroallo residentsoofoMehndipurowithotheiroweapénsowithotheointentionotoo giveogrievousoinjuryoonotheopersonoofoMalwinderoSinghoonobotho CRM-M-10780-2025o o P a g e o|o3o o o o theolegs,oarmsoandohandsoinflictedouncountableodeepocutsoandoono theopersonoofomyootherobrotheroJaimaloSinghoHarpreetoSinghosono ofo Baljito Singho Residento ofo Mehndipuro witho Dataro witho theo intentionotookillohimomadeodataroblowoandowhooinohisodefenceo movedohisoleftohandoforwardowhichohitohimoonohisoleftohandoando theohisohandowasoalmostohangedoandoRamandeepoSinghosonoofo BaljitoSinghowithoDatar,oGurpreetoSinghosonoofoSubaoSinghowitho Datar,oBuntyosonoofoNishanoSinghowithoDatar,oGurbhejoSingho sono ofo Rano Singho witho Kirpano ando Navdeepo Singho sono ofo GurjantoSinghowithoKirpanoalloresidentoofoMehndipuroando4-5o unknownopersonsowithoBaseballsowithotheointentionotookillogaveo uncountableoblowsoonolegs,oarmsoandohandsoandothenoweoraised'o theo alarmo "Mardita-Mardita"o theno allo theo accusedo alongwitho theiroweaponsowhileoraisingoLalkaraoandobyoproclaimingothreatso flewoawayofromotheospotoandoMefiaroSinghosonoofoAjaiboSingho alsoohitobyotheofireoshotoonohisoleg.oGrudgeoisothatoweohaveoao disputeoofolandowithothemothenoIoandoBalwinderoSinghoandoothero residentsoofotheoVillageobyoarrangingotheovehicleotooourobrothero Malwindero Singho ando Jaimalo Singho tooko themo too theo Civilo HospitaloKhemoKaranoandoDoctorobyoprovidingotheohelpobeingo theoseriousonatureocaseoreferredousotooAmritsaroandoweoforotheo treatmento ofo ouro botho theo brotherso goto admittedo themo ino Amandeepo Hospital,o Amritsaro whereo botho ofo themo areo undero treatment.oIogotomyostatementorecordedobeforeoyouoatoAmandeepo Hospital,o Amritsaro ando theo sameo iso correct.o Yourso faithfullyo kindlyotakenolegaloaction.oSd/-oBalwinderoSinghoAttestedoSd/-o LakhwinderoSinghoSIoPSoKhemoKaranodatedo30.09.2020.oActiono byoPolice:oOnodatedo27.09.2020oIoSIoalongwithoPoliceopartyoforo obtainingo theo statemento ofo injuredo Malwindero Singho sono ofo Gajjano Singho ando Jaimalo Singho aboveo visitedo Amandeepo HospitaloandotheoDoctoroforotheorecordingoofotheirostatemento declaredothemounfitoBalwinderoSinghoaboveometopresentothereo whoounderonervousnessodidonotogotorecordedohisostatementoono datedo 28.09.2019o 1o SIo alongwitho colleagueo officerso reachedo AmandeepoHospital,oAmritsaroandoDoctorodeclaredotheoinjuredo forogivingotheirostatementsounfitoandononeoofotheowitnessometo presento overo thereo todayo ono 30.09.2020o 1o SIo alongwitho HCo PradumanoSingho613,oCoBachiteroSingho939,oPHGoSurjitoSingho CRM-M-10780-2025o o P a g e o|o4o o o o 4345oonoprivateovehicleoreachedoAmandeepoHospital,oAmritsaro whereoforoobtainingotheostatementsoofoinjuredotookotheowritingo opinionoofotheoDoctoroandotheoDoctorodeclaredotheoinjuredoforo givingo statemento unfit.o Theo witnesso Balwindero Singho meto theo spotowhoseostatementowasorecordedoandowasoreadooverotoohimo andomadeohimounderstoodowhooareohearingotheostatementoando aftero foundingo theo sameo too beo correctlyo recordedo undero hiso statementoputohisosignaturesoinoPunjabiowhichoisoattestedobyomeo Sl.oInoviewoofotheostatementooffenceounderoSectiono307,o341,o323,o 324,o 326,o 506,o 148,o 149o IPCo ando 25/27/54/59o Armso Acto haso beeno foundo too beo committed.o Originalo statemento foro theo registrationoofotheocaseobyohandoPHGoSurjitoSingho4245oisobeingo sentotooPoliceostation.oAfteroregisteringotheocaseonumberoofotheo sameomayobeoinformed.oSpecialoreportsomayobeoissued.oContreo roomomayobeointimated.oIoSIoalongwithocolleagueoofficersoisobuso inoinvestigationoatotheospototodayoAmandeepoHospital,oAmritsoato

02.10o PMo Sd/o Lakhwindero Singho S$Io PS5o Khemo Karao datedo

30.09.2020.o TodayoPoliceoStation:oAtothisotimeoFardoStatementowasoreceivoino theopoliceostationotheocaseounderoSectionsoaboveoatoregisteringo theosameotheostatementoalongwithocopyoofotheobyohandoPHGoforo furtheroinvestigationoisobeingosentotoodeputedoatotheospot.oAftero issuingospecialoreportsobyohoHC/PoRachpaloSinghoNo.o9/422oforo presentingotheosameobeoSenioroOfficers.oControloroomothrougho emailo haso intimated.o Bandio Reporto No.o 31o timeo 5.40o PMo

30.09.2020."o

3.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso submittedo thato theo petitionerohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedointootheoFIRoinoquestionoonoaccounto ofoaolandodispute.ooLearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasofurtherosubmittedo thatotheopetitioneroisoinocustodyosinceo10.09.2024.ooLearnedocounseloforotheo petitionerohasofurtheroiteratedothatothereoareo45oprosecutionowitnessesocited,o buto noneo haso beeno examinedo tillo date.o o Learnedo counselo haso furthero submittedothatotheoco-accusedonamelyoSatnamoSinghoandoAvtaroSingho@o Tari,owhooareoonosimilarofootingoasotheopetitioner,ohaveobeenoextendedotheo CRM-M-10780-2025 P a g e | 5

o concessionooforegularobailo9ideoorderodatedo&%.%%.&'&&opassedoinoCRM-M-5351-2021o ando CRM-M-9496-2021,o respecti9el2.o Thus, regular bail is prayed for.

¶4Counsel for the State has opposed the present petition by arguing that the allegations raised are serious in nature and, thus, the petitioner does not deserve the concession of regular bail.

¶5I have heard counsel for the parties and have gone through the available records of the case.

¶6The petitioner was arrested on 10.09.2024, whereinafter investigation was carried out and challan was presented on 30.11.2024 wherein total 45 witnesses have been cited, out of which none has been examined till date. It is not in dispute that the conclusion of trial will take long time. At this juncture, it would be apposite to refer herein to the dicta passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court Javed Gulam Nabi Shaikh vs. State of Maharashtra and another, 2024(3) RCR (Criminal) 494, relevant whereof reads thus: o "-$#o?riminalsoareonotobornooutobutomade#o9heohumano potentialoinoe(er!oneoisogoodoandoso,one(erowriteooffoan!o*riminalo asobe!ondoredemption#o9hisohumanistofundamentaloisooftenomissedo whenodealingowithodelinDuents,oju(enileoandoadult#oIndeed,oe(er!o sainto haso ao pasto ando e(er!o sinnero ao future#o Eheno ao *rimeo iso *ommitted,o ao (ariet!o ofo fa*torso iso responsibleo foro ma)ingo theo offendero *ommito theo *rime#o 9hoseo fa*torso ma!o beo so*ialo ando e*onomi*,oma!obe,otheoresultoofo(alueoerosionooroparentalonegle*tFo ma!o be,o be*auseo ofo theo stresso ofo *ir*umstan*es,o oro theo manifestationoofotemptationsoinoaomilieuoofoaffluen*eo*ontrastedo withoindigen*eoorootheropri(ations#oo o -,#oIfotheoStateooroan!oprose*utingoagen*!oin*ludingotheo *ourto*on*ernedohasonoowherewithalotoopro(ideooroprote*totheo CRM-M-10780-2025 P a g e | 6

o fundamentalo righto ofo ano a**usedo too ha(eo ao speed!o trialo aso enshrinedoundero2rti*leo -oofotheo?onstitutionothenotheoStateooro an!ootheroprose*utingoagen*!oshouldonotoopposeotheopleaoforobailo onotheogroundothatotheo*rimeo*ommittedoisoserious#o2rti*leo -oofo theo?onstitutionoappliesoirrespe*ti(eoofotheonatureoofotheo*rime#Co

The rival contentions of the learned counsel for the parties; as to whether the petitioner has been falsely implicated into the FIR, shall be gone into during the course of trial. This Court does not deem it appropriate to delve deep into these rival contentions, at this stage lest it may prejudice the rights of either of the parties. !othingotangibleohasobeeno broughto for4ardo too indicateo theo li;elihoodo ofo theo petitionero abscondingo fro-otheoprocessoofojusticeoorointerferingo4ithotheore-ainingoprosecutiono e9idence. As per the custody certificate dated 04.08.2025 filed by the learned State counsel, the petitioner has suffered incarceration 10 months and 25 days. Further, as per the said custody certificate the petitioner is stated to be involved in one more case. However, this factum cannot be a ground sufficient by itself, to decline the concession of regular bail to the petitioner in the FIR in question when a case is made out for grant of regular bail qua the FIR in question by ratiocinating upon the facts/circumstances of the said FIR. Reliance in this regard can be placed upon the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Maulana Mohd. Amir Rashadi v. State of U.P. and another, 2012 (1) RCR (Criminal) 586; a Division Bench judgment of the Hon'ble Calcutta High Court in case of Sridhar Das v. State, 1998 (2) RCR (Criminal) 477 & judgments of this Court in CRM-M No.38822-2022 titled as Akhilesh Singh v. State of CRM-M-10780-2025 P a g e | 7

o Haryana, decided on 29.11.2021, and Balraj v. State of Haryana, 1998 (3) RCR (Criminal) 191. Suffice to say, the further detention of the petitioner in custody is not required in the facts and circumstances of the case.

¶7The petitioner is ordered to be released on regular bail on his furnishing bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of the learned concerned CJM/Duty Magistrate. However, in addition to conditions that may be imposed by the concerned CJM/Duty Magistrate, the petitioner shall remain bound by the following conditions:-

(i) The petitioner shall not mis-use the liberty granted.

(ii) The petitioner shall not tamper with any evidence, oral or documentary, during the trial.

(iii) The petitioner shall not absent himself on any date before the trial.

(iv) The petitioner shall not commit any offence while on bail.

(v) The petitioner shall deposit his passport, if any, with the trial Court.

(vi) The petitioner shall give his cell phone number to the Investigating Officer/SHO of concerned Police Station and shall not change his cell-phone number without prior permission of the trial Court/Illaqa Magistrate.

(vii) The petitioner shall not in any manner try to delay the trial.

¶8In case of breach of any of the aforesaid conditions and those which may be imposed by concerned CJM/Duty Magistrate as directed hereinabove or upon showing any other sufficient cause, the CRM-M-10780-2025 P a g e | 8

o State/complainant shall be at liberty to move cancellation of bail of the petitioner.

¶9Ordered accordingly.

¶10Nothing said hereinabove shall be construed as an expression of opinion on the merits of the case.

¶11Since the main case has been decided, pending miscellaneous application, if any, shall also stands disposed off.

(SUMEET GOEL) JUDGE August 05, 2025 "a(eeno o o o o