Kulwinder Kaur v. State of Punjab

o o o o oo INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o o o o o o 115o o o o o o ooCRM-M-14900-2026o o o o ooDateoofodecision:oo7.5.2026o o o o ooDateoofouploading:oo7.5.2026o o o o KulwinderoKauro o o o ....Petitionero o o V/so o o StateoofoPunjabo o o o o o o ....Respondento o o o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o o Present:-o Mr.oSandeepoSaini,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner(s).o o o o Mr.oAdhirajoSingh,oAAG,oPunjab.o o o o Mr.oManikoMakkar,oAdvocateoforotheocomplainant.o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o

1.o o PresentosecondopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono483oofo BNSSo2023oforograntooforegularobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseobearingoFIRo No.o119odatedo20.8.2024,oregisteredounderoSectionso(103(1)oBNS-302oIPC,o 109oBNS-307oIPC,o191(3)oBNS-148oIPC,o351(2)oBNS-506oIPC,oatoPoliceo Station,oAnajoMandi,oPatiala,oDistrictoPatiala.o CRM-M-14900-2026o o P a g e o|o2o o o o

2.oo o Theo caseo seto upo ino theo FIRo ino questiono (aso seto outo byo theo petitioneroinotheopresentopetition)oisoasofollows:-o o "Atothisotime,oaostatementowasomadeobyoHarjinderoSingho sonoofoGurbakshoSingh,oresidentoofovillageoBarano(Navi).oAnajo Mandio district.o Patiala,o ageo abouto 47o years,o mobileo number-62843-83819,o policeo stationo Anajo Mandio district,o Patiala.o SIo SandeepoKauro122/PR.opoliceostationoAnajoMandi,oPatiala,oinoao caseo registeredo againsto Parvindero Singho aliaso Pindio sono ofo Davindero Singh,o residento ofo villageo Puranio Baran,o Harvindero Singho aliaso Baio sono ofo Gurpalo Singh,o Gurpalo Singho sono ofo HardialoSingh,oresidentoofovillageoBarano(Navi),oGurpaloSingh'so brother-in-lawo unknown,o Jaswindero Singho aliaso Jassuo sono ofo DavinderoSingh,oresidentoofovillageoPuranioBaran,oRohitosonoofo Labho Singh,o Kulwindero Kauro ando Anjalio daughtero ofo Gurpalo Singh,oresidentoofovillageoNavioBaran,oPatialaodistrictoandofiveo otherounknownopersonsounderosectionso103o(1),o109,o191o(3),o190,o 351o(2)oBNS.oTooregister,oConstableoKaramjitoSingho957/Ptiowento tootheopoliceostationomesaage,owhichoisoinoJailo"ItoisostatedothatoIo amoaoresidentoofotheoaboveoaddressoandoamoaolabourer,o1ohaveo threeochildren,oelderosonoSagaroSingh,owhoodiedoabouto4omonthso ago.o TheoyoungeroBikramjitoSinghoisoabouto25oyearsooldoandodaughtero KiranoKauroisoabouto24oyearsoold.oOnotheonightoofo19-08-2024,oato aroundo 10o pm.o Io waso ato homeo ono theo roofo ofo myo neighboro HarvinderoSinghoaliasoBaiosonoofoGurpaloSingh'sohouseoandomanyo peopleo wereo standingo ino theo house.o Ino theo meantime,o myo sono BikramjitoSinghocameofromooutsideoonoaomotorcycleoandowhenoheo startedotooenterotheohouse,oPurvinderoSinghoaliasoPindiosonoofo Davindero Singho aliaso Kalao residento ofo villageo Puranao Barno PatialaochallengedomyosonoBikramjitoSinghoandosaidothatoweowillo seeoyouoinotheomorning.oToowhichomyosonoBikramjitoSinghodidonoto giveohimoanyoansweroandowhenoBikramjitoWhenoSinghowentotoo closeotheoouterodooroofotheohouseoagain.oHarvinderoSinghosonoofo GurpaloSinghoresidentoofovillageoBaranoPatialaocaughtohimoando draggedohimointootheostreet.oWhenoIoranotootheostreetotoosaveomyo sonoBikramjitoSingh.otheyoalsoocaughtomeoandostartedobeatingomeo inotheostreet.oParvinderoSinghohitomyosonoBikramjitoSinghodirectlyo CRM-M-14900-2026o o P a g e o|o3o o o o onotheoheadowithotheoironorod/ironoSuaoheowasoholding,owhichofello onotheogroundoinotheostreet.oThenoHarvinderoSinghohitomyosono BikramjitoSinghoonotheoleftosideoofohisofaceowithotheorodoheowaso holdingo ando alsoo hito othero partso ofo hiso bodyo witho theo rod.o ParvinderoSinghohitomyosonoBikramjitoSinghoonotheoheado3-4otimeso withohisorodoandowithothatoGurpaloSinghosonoofoHardialoSingho residento ofo villageo Baran,o Gurpalo Singh'so brother-in-lawo unknown,o Jaswindero Singho aliaso Jassuo sono ofo Davindero Singho aliasoKalaoresidentoofovillageoPuranioBaran,oRehitosonoofoLabho Singh.o Kulwindero Kauro daughtero Gurpalo Singho ando Anjalio daughteroGurpaloSingh.oresidentsoofovillageoBaran,obeatomyosono BikramjitoSinghoonotheogroundowithosticksoinotheirohands.oWhenoIo triedotoosaveomyosonoBikramjitoSingh,otheseotwoopersonsoando4-5o otherounknownopersonsobeatomeoandomyosonoBikramjitoSinghowitho sticksoandoironoweaponsoinotheirohands.oHarvinderoSinghohitomeo onotheoheadoseveralotimesowithoaostickoandoParvinderoSinghohitomeo onotheoarmoandoheadowithoaosharpoweaponoinohisohandowithotheo intentionoofokillingome.oDueotootheoinjuriesoinflictedoonomyoheado andomyosonoBikramjitoSinghobyotheseotwoopersons,otheyofelloonotheo groundo ando wereo bleedingo profusely.o Myo sono Bikramjito Singho diedoonotheospotodueotoomultipleoinjuriesoandoIowasoalsooseriouslyo injured.oWhenoallotheoaboveopersonsosawothatomyosonoBikramjito Singhowasolyingoonotheogroundoinoaomortallyowoundedocondition.o Butowhenoheofellodown,otheyoshoutedoandothreatenedohimoandofledo fromotheospotoinotheirovehiclesoalongowithotheiroweapons.oHearingo theo sound,o theo surroundingo neighborhoodo gathered,o theno myo familyomembersoandootheroresidentsoofotheomohallaobroughtomyo sono Bikramjito Singho ando meo too Rajindrao Hospital.o Patialao foro treatment.oWhereoinotheoemergency,otheodoctorocheckedomyosono BikramjitoSinghoandodeclaredohimodeadoandotheobodyoofoBikramjito SinghowasokeptoatotheomortuaryoofoRajindraoHospital,oPatialaoforo postmortemoandoIoamoadmittedoinotheoemergencyoforotreatment.o DueotootheobeatingoofomeoandomyosonoBikramjitoSinghobyoallotheo aboveopersons,oIohaveosustainedoinjuriesoandomyosonoBikramjito Singhohasodied.oIfoIocanoidentifyotheoaboveounknownopersonsowheno theyo comeo forward.o Appropriateo legalo actiono shouldo beo takeno againstotheseoaboveopersons.oIohaveorequestedotheopresenceoofomyo brotheroBaljitoSinghosonoofoGurbakshoSinghoresidentoofovillageo CRM-M-14900-2026o o P a g e o|o4o o o o ManjaloKala,odistrictoPatiala.oInotheostatementowrittenobyoyou,o heardo ito iso correct.o LT1-Harjindero Singho True/-Baljito Singho VerificationoSandeepoKauroSI."oo

3.oo o Learnedocounseloappearingoforotheopetitionerohasoarguedothato theopetitioneroisoinocustodyosinceo21.08.2024.ooLearnedocounseloappearingo forotheopetitionerohasofurtheroarguedothatotheopetitionerohasobeenofalselyo implicatedointootheoFIRoinoquestion.ooLearnedocounseloappearingoforotheo petitionerohasofurtherosubmittedothatoassumingoarguendo,otheoprosecutiono versionoavailableoatothisojunctureoisotakenotoobeocorrect,otheopetitioneroiso attributedotheoroleoofogivingoaostickoinjuryotootheodeceasedobutotheofataloblowo hasobeenoattributedotoooneoParwinderoSingh,owhooisostilloinocustody.oLearnedo counselohasofurtherourgedothatotheopetitioneroisoyoungoladyoagedo19oyearso withonoocriminaloantecedents.oooThus,oregularobailoisoprayedofor.oo

4.oo o Learnedo Stateo counselo whileo raisingo submissionso ino tandemo withotheoshortoreplyodatedo05.05.2026ohasoopposedotheopresentopetitionobyo arguingo thato theo allegationso raisedo againsto theo petitionero areo seriouso ino natureoand,othus,oheodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofotheoregularobail.o LearnedoStateocounseloseeksotooplaceoonorecordocustodyocertificateodatedo

6.5.2026,owhichoisotakenoonorecord.oo

4.1.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo complainantohaso alsoowhileo raisingo submissionsoinotandemowithotheoreplyofiledoonobehalfoofotheoStateoopposedo theograntoofoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitionerobyoarguingothatospecificoroleo ofogivingoinjuryobyoaostickoisoattributedotootheopetitioner,owhooalongwithotheo co-accusedohadoencircledotheodeceasedoandohadoactivelyoparticipatedoinotheo offenceoinoquestion.ooHence,odismissaloofotheopetitionoinohandoisoentreatedo CRM-M-14900-2026o o P a g e o|o5o o o o

5.oo o Io haveo heardo counselo foro theo rivalo partieso ando haveo goneo throughotheoavailableorecordsoofotheocase.o

6.oo o Theo petitionero waso arrestedo ono 21.08.2024o whereinaftero investigationowaso carriedo outoando challano wasopresentedo ono18.11.2024.oo Totalo26oprosecutionowitnessohaveobeenocited,ooutoofowhichononeohasobeeno examinedotillodate.ooItoisonotoinodisputeothatotheoconclusionoofotrialowillotakeo longotime.ooAtothisojuncture,oitowouldobeoappositeotooreferohereinotootheodictao passedobyotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoJavedoGulamoNabioShaikhovs.oStateo ofo Maharashtrao ando another,o 2024(3)o RCRo (Criminal)o 494,o relevanto whereoforeadsothus:o o "18.oCriminalsoareonotobornooutobutomade.oTheohumano potentialoinoeveryoneoisogoodoandoso,oneverowriteooffoanyocriminalo asobeyondoredemption.oThisohumanistofundamentaloisooftenomissedo whenodealingowithodelinquents,ojuvenileoandoadult.oIndeed,oeveryo sainto haso ao pasto ando everyo sinnero ao future.o Wheno ao crimeo iso committed,o ao varietyo ofo factorso iso responsibleo foro makingo theo offendero commito theo crime.o Thoseo factorso mayo beo socialo ando economic,omayobe,otheoresultoofovalueoerosionooroparentaloneglect;o mayo be,o becauseo ofo theo stresso ofo circumstances,o oro theo manifestationoofotemptationsoinoaomilieuoofoaffluenceocontrastedo withoindigenceoorootheroprivations.oo o 19.oIfotheoStateooroanyoprosecutingoagencyoincludingotheo courtoconcernedohasonoowherewithalotooprovideooroprotectotheo fundamentalo righto ofo ano accusedo too haveo ao speedyo trialo aso enshrinedounderoArticleo21oofotheoConstitutionothenotheoStateooro anyootheroprosecutingoagencyoshouldonotoopposeotheopleaoforobailo onotheogroundothatotheocrimeocommittedoisoserious.oArticleo21oofo theoConstitutionoappliesoirrespectiveoofotheonatureoofotheocrime."o

6.1.o o Itoisoalsoonotoinodisputeothatotheopetitioneroisoaoladyoagedoabouto 19oyearso(asoperomemooofopartiesoappendedowithotheopetition),ohence,obailo petitionooughtotoobeoconsideredoinoviewoofoprovisootooSectiono480(2)oBNSS.oIto CRM-M-14900-2026 P a g e | 6

o is pertinent to mention herein that the proviso to Section 480 BNSS, 2023, is pari materia with proviso to Section 437 Cr.P.C., 1973. In this regard, it would be apposite to refer herein to a judgment passed by this Court on

14.03.2024 in CRM-M-11503-2024 titled as 'Ravinder Kaur Vs. State of Punjab' (dealing with proviso to Section 437 Cr.P.C.), relevant thereof reads as under: "It would be apposite to refer herein to the dicta of a judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in a case of 'Satender Kumar Antil Vs. Central Bureau of Investigation & Anr., 2022(10) SCC 51' , which held as under:

¶51Proviso to Section 437 of the Code mandates that when the accused is under the age of sixteen years, sick or infirm or being a woman, is something which is required to be taken note of. Obviously, the court has to satisfy itself that the accused person is sick or infirm. In a case pertaining to women, the court is expected to show some sensitivity. We have already taken note of the fact that many women who commit cognizable offenses are poor and illiterate. In many cases, upon being young they have children to take care of, and there are many instances when the children are to live in prisons. The statistics would show that more than 1000 children are living in prisons along with their mothers. This is an aspect that the courts are expected to take note of as it would not only involve the interest of the accused, but also the children who are not expected to get exposed to the prisons. There is a grave danger of their being inherited not only with poverty but with crime as well. xxxx xxxx xxx

¶58Section 437 of the Code empowers the Magistrate to deal with all the offenses while considering an application for bail with the exception of an offense punishable either with life imprisonment or death triable exclusively by the Court of Sessions. The first proviso facilitates a court to conditionally release on bail an accused if he is under the age of 16 years or is a woman or is sick or infirm, as discussed earlier. This being a welfare legislation, though introduced by way of a proviso, has to be applied while considering release on bail either by the Court of Sessions or the High Court, as the case may be. The power under Section 439 of the Code is exercised against an order rejecting an application for bail and against an offence exclusively decided by the Court of Sessions. There cannot be a divided application of proviso to Section 437, while exercising the power under Section 439. While dealing with a welfare legislation, a purposive interpretation giving the benefit to the needy person being the intendment is the role required to be played by the court. We do not wish to state that this proviso has to be considered favourably in all cases as the application depends upon the facts and circumstances contained therein. What is required is the consideration per se by the court of this proviso among other factors." o CRM-M-14900-2026o o P a g e o|o7o o o o o6.2.o o Indubitably,o theo presento petitiono iso theo secondo attempto ono behalfoofotheopetitioneroforosecuringoregularobail.ooTheofirstooneobearingono.o CRM-M-40173-2025o waso dismissedo aso withdrawno ono 01.08.2025o (Annexureo P-5).o o However,o keepingo ino viewo theo entiretyo ofo factso ando circumstanceoofotheocaseoinohandoespeciallyokeepingoinoviewotheoextendedo custodyoandopaceoofotrial,othisoCourtoisoinclinedotoofavourablyoconsiderotheo instantopleaoforobail.oAoprofitableoreference,oinothisoregard,ocanobeomadeotooao judgmentoofothisoCourtopassedoinoCRA-S-2332-2023otitledoasoRafiqoKhano versusoStateoofoHaryanaoandoanother;orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:oo "10.o o Aso ano epilogueo too theo aboveo discussion,o theo followingo principlesoemerge:oo Io Second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o filedo iso maintainableo ino lawo &o henceo sucho petitiono oughto noto too beo rejectedosolelyoonotheogroundoofomaintainabilityothereof.o o II.oo Sucho second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o iso maintainableo whethero earliero petitiono waso dismissedo aso withdrawn/dismissedo aso noto pressed/dismissedo foro non-prosecutionooroearlieropetitionowasodismissedoonomerits.oo o IIIo oForo theo second/successiveo regularo bailo petition(s)o too succeed,otheopetitioner/applicantoshallobeoessentially/pertinentlyo requiredo too showo substantialo changeo ino circumstanceso ando showingoofoaomereosuperficialooroostensibleochangeowouldonoto suffice.oTheometaphoricoexpressionoofoseekingosecond/successiveo bailo plea(s)o oughto noto beo abstractedo intoo literalo iterationso ofo petition(s)o withouto substantial,o effectiveo ando consequentialo changeoinocircumstances.oo o IVo oNooexhaustiveoguidelinesocanopossiblyobeolaidodownoasotoo whato wouldo constituteo substantialo changeo ino circumstanceso aso everyocaseohasoitsoownouniqueofacts/circumstance.oMakingosucho anoattemptoisonothingobutoanoutopianoendeavour.ooErgo,othisoissueo isobestoleftotootheojudicialowisdomoandodiscretionoofotheoCourto dealingowithosuchosecond/successiveoregularobailopetition(s).o Vo oIno caseo ao Courto chooseso too granto second/successiveo regularobailopetition(s),ocogentoandolucidoreasonsoareopertinentlyo requiredotoobeorecordedoforograntingosuchopleaodespiteosuchoao pleao beingo second/successiveo petition(s).o Ino othero words,o theo causeoforoaoCourtohavingosuccessfullyocountenanced/entertainedo suchosecond/successiveopetition(s)ooughtotoobeoreadilyoandoclearlyo decipherableofromotheosaidoorderopassed."o CRM-M-14900-2026o o P a g e o|o8o o o o

6.3.o o Ito iso alsoo noto ino disputeo thato theo petitionero haso noo criminalo antecedents.ooTheorivalocontentionsoofotheolearnedocounseloforotheopartieso shallobeogoneointooduringotheocourseoofotheotrial.ooNothingotangibleohasobeeno broughtoforwardotooindicateotheolikelihoodoofotheopetitionersoabscondingo fromotheoprocessoofojusticeoorointerferingowithotheoprosecutionoevidence.o o o Further,oasoperocustodyocertificateofiledotoday,otheopetitionero hasoundergoneo1oyear,o8omonthsoando13odayso&oisonotoshownotoobeoinvolvedo inoanyootherocase/FIR.oo o o Sufficeo too say,o theo furthero detentiono ofo theo petitionerso ino custodyoisonotorequiredoinotheofactsoandocircumstancesoofotheocase.ooo

7.o o Inoviewoofoabove,otheopresentopetitionoisoallowed.oPetitioneroiso orderedotoobeoreleasedoonoregularobailoonoherofurnishingobail/suretyobondsotoo theosatisfactionoofotheoLd.oconcernedotrialoCourt/DutyoMagistrate.oHowever,o ino additiono too conditionso thato mayo beo imposedo byo theo concernedo trialo Court/DutyoMagistrate,otheopetitioneroshalloremainoboundobyotheofollowingo conditions:o

(i)o Theopetitioneroshallonotomis-useotheolibertyogranted.oo

(ii)oo Theopetitioneroshallonototamperowithoanyoevidence,ooralo orodocumentary,oduringotheotrial.oo

(iii)oo Theo petitionero shallo noto absento herselfo ono anyo dateo beforeotheotrial.oo

(iv)oo Theopetitioneroshallonotocommitoanyooffenceowhileoono bail.oo

(v)oo Theopetitioneroshallodepositoheropassport,oifoany,owithotheo trialoCourt.oo

(vi)o Theopetitioneroshallogiveohisocellphoneonumberotootheo InvestigatingoOfficer/SHOoofoconcernedoPoliceoStationo ando shallo noto changeo hero cell-phoneo numbero withouto prioropermissionoofotheotrialoCourt/IllaqaoMagistrate.oo

(vii)o Theopetitioneroshallonotoinoanyomannerotryotoodelayotheo CRM-M-14900-2026o o P a g e o|o9o o o o

8.o o Inocaseoofobreachoofoanyoofotheoaforesaidoconditionsoandothoseo whicho mayo beo imposedo byo concernedo CJM/Dutyo Magistrateo aso directedo hereinaboveo oro upono showingo anyo othero sufficiento cause,o theo State/complainantoshallobeoatolibertyotoomoveocancellationoofobailoofotheo petitioners.oo

9.oo o Orderedoaccordingly.oo

10.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeoconstruedoasoanoexpressiono ofoopinionoonotheomeritsoofotheocase.oo

11.oo o Sinceotheomainocaseohasobeenodecided,opendingomiscellaneouso application,oifoany,oshalloalsoostandsodisposedooff.o o o o o o o o o ooooooo o (SUMEEToGOEL) o oooooooooooooooooooooo o oooooooooooooooooooJUDGEo Mayo07,o2026o Naveeno o o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o o o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo