Kamalpreet Malhotra v. State of Punjab

INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o 103o o o o o o ooooooo CRM-12859-2026oino/&oo o o o o CRM-M-14896-2026o o KamalpreetoMalhotraooooo o o o o o o o o ....Applicant/Petitionerooo V/so StateoofoPunjaboo o o o o o ....Respondento o Dateoofodecision:01.04.2026o DateoofoUploadingo:o01.04.2026o o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo Present:oo Mr.oTarunoK.oSharma,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o Mr.oHemantoAggarwal,oDAG,oPunjab.o o o Mr.oShaktioMehta,oAdvocateoforotheocomplainant.o o o o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(Oral)oo CRM-12859-2026oo o o Noticeoofotheoapplicationoinohandobeoissuedotootheorespondent.o o o Onotheostrengthoofoadvanceocopy;oMr.oHemantoAggarwal,oDAG,o Punjaboacceptsonoticeoonobehalfooforespondent-StateoofoPunjab.o Mr.o Shaktio Mehta,oAdvocateoacceptsonoticeoonobehalfoofotheocomplainant.o o o o o Havingoheardolearnedocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandoupono perusalo ofo theo record,o thiso Courto deemso ito fito too recallo theo ordero datedo

18.03.2026o ando theo petitiono iso orderedo too beo restoredo too itso originalo number/status.o 2026.04.01 18:13 o o Applicationostandsoallowed,oaccordingly.o o o CRM-12859-2026oino/&oCRM-M-14896-2026o o o o 2o o CRM-M-14896-2026o

1.o o Presento secondo petitionohasobeeno filedoundero Sectiono 482o ofo BharatiyaoNagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(hereinafterotoobeoreferredoaso'theo BNSS')o forograntoofo pre-arrest/anticipatoryobailotootheo petitioner,oino caseo bearingo FIRo No.0198o datedo 23.11.2025,o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableounderoSectionso406oando420oofotheoIndianoPenaloCode,o1860o(foro shorto'IPC'),oatoPoliceoStationoSadaroPatiala,oDistrictoPatiala.oo o o Theo firsto petitiono bearingo CRM-M-347-2026o (Annexureo P-5)o forograntoofopre-arrest/anticipatoryobailofiledobeforeothisoCourtowasodismissedo asowithdrawnoono12.01.2026.oo o o Theo presento petitiono iso theo secondo petitiono foro granto ofo anticipatory/pre-arrestobailowhichohasobeenopreferredobyotheopetitioneroono

16.03.2026.oo

2.o o Theogravamenoofotheoallegationsoagainstotheopetitioneroisothato KamalpreetoMalhotrao(petitioneroherein)oandoAnkitaoallegedlyoinducedotheo complainanto–oKaramjeetoSingh,oonotheopretextoofofacilitatingotheoprocessoofo sendingohisoson,onamely,oHusandeepoSingh,oabroad.oItoisoallegedothatoonosucho inducement,o theyo receivedo ao totalo sumo ofo Rs.18,00,000/-o fromo theo complainant.oHowever,oneitherowasoanyovisaoarrangedoorosanctionedoforotheo complainant'so son,o noro waso theo saido amounto refunded,o therebyo allegedlyo cheatingotheocomplainant.ooUponotheseosetoofoallegations,otheoinstantoFIRo cameotoobeoregisteredoagainstoaccusedopersons.oo

3.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso iteratedo thato ao bareo perusaloofotheoFIRoitselfoshowsothatoallegationsoleveledoagainstotheopetitionero areoconcocted,oimprobableoandodevoidoofoanyomerit.oLearnedocounselohaso furtheroiteratedothatotheopetitionerohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedointootheoFIRoino o o CRM-12859-2026oino/&oCRM-M-14896-2026o o o o 3o o question.oHeohasofurtherocontendedothatotheopetitionerowasoearlierograntedo interimoprotectionobyotheoconcernedoSessionsoCourt,obutocouldonotojoinotheo investigationo dueo too ao communicationo gapo witho hiso counsel,o ando theo subsequentodismissaloofobailowasoonotechnicalogroundsoandonotoonomerits.o Learnedo counselo haso furthero arguedo thato noo specifico date/timeo haso beeno mentionedo ino theo FIRo ino questiono ino respecto ofo theo cheque,o whicho waso allegedlyogivenobyotheocomplainant.oLearnedocounselohasoarguedothatoperusalo ofotheoFIRoinoquestiononowhereoshowsoanyokindoofodishonestointentionoonotheo partoofotheopetitioner.oo

3.1.o o Learnedocounseloassertsothatotheocustodialointerrogationoshouldo notobeousedoasoaopunitiveomeasureoandoisojustifiedoonlyowhenoabsolutelyo necessaryoforotheorecoveryoofomaterialoevidence.oLearnedocounselohasoarguedo thato nothingo iso too beo recoveredo fromo theo petitioner.o Furthermore,o theo petitioneroisoreadyotoojoinotheoinvestigationoandohenceonoousefulopurposeo wouldo beo servedo byo sendingo himo behindo theo bars.o Ono theo aforesaido submissions,otheograntoofoanticipatoryobailoisoentreatedofor.oo

4.o o Perocontra,olearnedoStateocounselo(onotheostrengthoofoadvanceo notice)o haso opposedo theo granto ofo anticipatoryo bailo too theo petitionero byo arguingothatotheooffenceocommittedobyotheopetitioneroisoseriousoinonature.o LearnedoStateocounselohasoassertedothatotheopetitionerohasobeenospecificallyo namedoinotheoFIRoinoquestionotootheoeffectothatotheocomplainantohadopaido substantialoamountotootheopetitioneroandohisoco-accusedoinoorderotoosendohiso sono abroad,o buto theo petitioner,o instead,o cheatedo theo complainant.o Theyo neitherosentosonoofotheocomplainantoabroadonorowasotheoamountoinoquestiono returnedotootheocomplainant.oAccordingotoolearnedoStateocounsel,otheooffenceo 2026.04.01 18:13 committedo byo theo petitionero causedo substantialo financialo ando emotionalo o o CRM-12859-2026oino/&oCRM-M-14896-2026o o o o 4o o distresso too theo victim.o Consideringo theo seriousnesso ofo theo allegations,o custodialo interrogationo ofo theo petitionero maybeo necessaryo too uneartho theo broaderoconspiracy,oidentifyoco-accusedoandorecoverotheoill-gottenomoney.o Givenotheoseverityoofotheooffence,othereoexistsoaosubstantialolikelihoodothato theopetitioneromayoabscondoorotamperowithotheoevidence,oifosheoisoenlargedo ono bail.o Furthermore,o sinceo theo presento petitiono iso theo secondo successiveo anticipatoryobailoapplicationoandoisoanoabuseoofotheoprocessoofolawoandotheo sameodeservesotoobeodismissedowithoexemplaryocosts.oo

4.1.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo complainanto haso causedo appearanceo andoopposedotheograntoofoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitionerobyoarguingothato thereoareodirect/oseriousoallegationsoleveledoagainstotheopetitioner.oInocase,o theopetitioneroisoreleasedoonoanticipatoryobail,othereoisoallolikelihoodothatotheo petitionero mayo abscondo fromo theo processo ofo justiceo aso alsoo interfere/o intimidateotheoprosecutionoevidence/owitnesses.oo

5.o o Iohaveoheardotheolearnedocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveo goneothroughotheoavailableorecordoofotheocase.o

6.o o Itowouldobeoappositeotooreferohereinotooaojudgmentopassedobyo thiso Courto ino ao titledo aso Bhishamo Singho vs.o Stateo ofo Haryana,o 2024(3)o RCR(Criminal)o65,orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:-o o "11.o Asoanoepilogueotootheoaboveorumination,otheofollowingoprincipleso emerge:o o Io Second/successiveoanticipatoryobailopetition(s)ofiledoundero Sectiono438oofoCr.P.C.,o1973oisomaintainableoinolawo&ohenceosucho petitiono oughto noto too beo rejectedo solelyo ono theo groundo ofo maintainabilityothereof.o o IIo oSucho second/successiveo anticipatoryo bailo petition(s)o iso maintainableo whethero earliero petitiono waso dismissedo aso withdrawn/dismissedoasonotopressed/dismissedoforonon-prosecutiono oroearlieropetitionowasodismissedoonomerits.o o o CRM-12859-2026oino/&oCRM-M-14896-2026o o o o 5o o o IIIo oForotheosecond/successiveoanticipatoryobailopetition(s)otoo succeed,o theo petitioner/applicanto shallo beo essentially/pertinentlyo requiredo too showo substantialo changeo ino circumstanceso ando showingo ofo ao mereo superficialo oro ostensibleo changeo wouldo noto suffice.o o IVo oNooexhaustiveoguidelinesocanopossiblyobeolaidodownoasotoo whato wouldo constituteo substantialo changeo ino circumstanceso aso everyo caseo haso itso owno uniqueo facts/circumstance.o Accordingly,o thisoissueoisobestoleftotootheojudicialowisdomoandodiscretionoofotheo Courto dealingo witho sucho second/successiveo anticipatoryo bailo petition(s).o o Vo oIno caseo ao Courto chooseso too granto second/successiveo anticipatoryo bailo petition(s),o cogento ando lucido reasonso areo pertinentlyorequiredotoobeorecordedoforograntingosuchopleaodespiteo suchoaopleaobeingosecond/successiveopetition(s).oInootherowords,o theo causeo foro ao Courto havingo successfullyo countenanced/entertainedo sucho second/successiveo petition(s)o oughtotoobeoreadilyoandoclearlyodecipherableofromotheosaidoordero passed.o o VIo Onceoaopleaoforoanticipatoryobailohasobeenodismissedoaso withdrawn/dismissedoasonotopressed/dismissedoforonon-prosecutiono orodismissedoonomeritsobyotheoHighoCourt,onoosecond/successiveo anticipatoryo bailo petition(s)o shallo beo entertainedo byo ao Sessionso Court."o

7.o o Apartofromoitobeingosecondoanticipatoryobail,oasoperotheocaseoputo fortho ino theo FIRo ino question,o indubitably,o seriouso allegationso haveo beeno levelledo againsto theo petitioner.o Aso pero theo caseo puto fortho ino theo FIRo ino question,otheoallegationsoagainstotheopetitioneroareograveoandospecific.oTheo petitioneroandohisoco-accusedoareospecificallyonamedoinotheoFIRoandothereoareo directo ando specifico allegationso regardingo defrauding/cheatingo theo complainantoonotheopretextoofosendingosonoofotheocomplainantoaboard,obuto theo petitionero ando hero co-accusedo neithero honoredo theiro promiseo noro hado returnedotheomoneyoinoquestionotootheocomplainant.oo

7.1.o o Theo offenceo ino questiono doeso noto merelyo involveo financialo 2026.04.01 18:13 deceitobutostrikesoatotheoveryofabricoofosocialotrust,oinvolvingoelementsoofo o o CRM-12859-2026oino/&oCRM-M-14896-2026o o o o 6o o humanotraffickingoandocross-borderoimmigrationofraud,owhichoareonotoonlyo graveoinonatureobutoalsoohaveofar-reachingoconsequencesoonopublicoorder.o Caseso ofo thiso nature,o whereo vulnerableo individualso areo luredo witho falseo promisesoofolawfulomigrationoandoareosubsequentlyosubjectedotooexploitation,o fallowithinotheoambitoofoorganizedohumanotraffickingoandomeritostrictojudicialo scrutinyoandodeterrence.oHumanotraffickingounderotheogarboofoimmigrationo consultancyo iso aogrowingo menaceowhicho preysoupono theodesperationo ando dreamso ofo unsuspectingo citizens.o Theo Courtso musto remaino vigilanto ando ensureo thato sucho racketso areo noto emboldenedo byoleniencyo ato theo pre-trialo stage.o Theo fraudulento inducemento foro illegalo migration,o followedo byo subjectingoindividualsotooinhumaneoandolife-threateningoconditionsoabroad,o noto onlyo reflectso criminalo intento buto alsoo constituteso ao seriouso affronto too humanodignityoandonationalointerest.oTheoCourtocannotooverlookotheobroadero publicointerestoinvolvedoinocasesoofoimmigrationofraud,oespeciallyowhenotheyo bordero ono transnationalo humano trafficking.o Sucho offenceso necessitateo ao strongoandoprincipledojudicialoresponseotoopreventotheirorecurrence.oo

7.2.o o Suchooffencesostrikeoatotheocoreoofopublicotrustoandoreflectoao disturbingotrendoprevalentoinothiso region,o whereounscrupulouso individualso posingo aso travelo facilitatorso exploito theo aspirationso ofo innocento citizenso seekingo opportunitieso abroad.o Theseo fraudulento activitieso noto onlyo causeo severeofinancialoandoemotionalodistressobutoalsooundermineotheointegrityoofo lawfulo immigrationo systems.o Therefore,o individualso involvedo ino sucho organizedodeceitomustobeodealtowithofirmlyoandoinoaccordanceowithotheolaw,o leavingonooroomoforoleniency.oo

7.3.o o Furthermore,otheoinvestigatingoagencyohasosoughtotheocustodialo 2026.04.01 18:13 interrogationoofotheopetitioneroforoeffectiveorecovery,overificationoofofacts,o o o CRM-12859-2026oino/&oCRM-M-14896-2026o o o o 7o o andotooestablishotheobroaderoconspiracy,oifoany,obehindotheooccurrence.oNoo causeonayoplausibleocauseohasobeenoshown,oatothisostage,ofromowhichoitocano beodecipheredothatotheopetitionerohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedointootheopresento FIR.oItogoesowithoutosayingothatoinotheoinstantocase,otheocomplainantohaso categoricallyostatedothatotheopetitionerohadodefraudedotheocomplainantoofoao substantialoamountounderotheofalseopretextoofofacilitatingolegalomigrationoofo hisosonotooabroad,owhichocausedosevereofinancialoandoemotionalodistress.o

8.o o Indubitably,o theo firsto petitiono (foro granto ofo anticipatoryo bail)o preferredobyotheopetitionerowasodismissedoasowithdrawnobeforeothisoCourtoono

12.01.2026.oItoisowellosettledothatoaosecond/thirdoanticipatoryobailopetitiono seekingo identicalo reliefo iso noto maintainableo unlesso thereo iso ao substantialo changeo ino circumstanceso aftero theo disposalo oro withdrawalo aso pero theo jurisprudenceoonobail.oTheogroundsourgedoinotheopresentopetitionoappearotoobeo theosameoasothoseowhichowereoavailableotootheopetitioneroatotheotimeowhenotheo earlieropetitionsowereowithdrawnoandodismissed.oInotheoabsenceoofoanyonewo fact,o developmento oro changeo ino circumstances,o entertainingo successiveo petitionsowouldoamountotoopermittingorepeatedoattemptsoforotheosameorelief,o whicho cannoto beo countenancedo ino law.o o Therefore,o notwithstandingo theo submissionoregardingotheolimitedoroleoattributedotootheopetitioner,othisoCourto findsothatotheopresentopetitionosuffersofromotheoviceoofomaintainability,oasonoo changeo ino circumstanceso haso beeno demonstratedo aftero theo withdrawalo oro dismissaloofotheoearlieroanticipatoryobailopetitions.oAccordingly,othisoCourtoiso notoinclinedotoograntotheoconcessionoofoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitioner.o Furthermore,oitoisoborneooutofromotheorecordothatodespiteotheoregistrationoofo theo FIRo ino theo November,o 2025,o theo petitionero haso failedo too joino theo investigationo ando haso remainedo abscondingo foro ao considerableo periodo ofoNAVEEN NAGPAL o o CRM-12859-2026oino/&oCRM-M-14896-2026o o o o 8o o moreo thano 4o months.o Thereo iso noo substantialo changeo nayo anyo changeo ino circumstancesowhichomayoweigh,oinofavouroofoentertainingotheoinstantosecondo petitionoforoanticipatoryobail.ooErgo,otheoinstantopetitionodeservesodismissalo onothisoscoreoalone.oo

8.1o o Ito iso evidento thato theo petitionero haso deliberatelyo evadedo theo processoofolawoforoovero4omonthsoafterotheoregistrationoofotheoFIR.ooTheo conducto ofo theo petitionero ino avoidingo arresto foro sucho ao prolongedo periodo withoutoanyoreasonableocauseomustobeoconsideredowhileoadjudicatingothiso secondopetition.oTheoprocessoofojusticeoisomeantotootreatoeveryoindividualoinoao mannerowhichoisoequitableoandofairly.ooHowever;oifotheopetitioner-accusedo choosesotooemployoirregularoandoconvolutedotactics,oincludingoundueodelay,o strategicallyo aimedo ato frustratingo lawfulo proceedings/investigation,o ito tantamountotooanoabuseoofotheoprocessoofojustice.oWhileolibertyoandodignityoofo ano individualo musto beo heldo high,o however,o noo oneo cano beo permittedo too subvertoandocauseodevolutionoinotheoprocessoofojustice.oProtractedoabsence,o eludingotheoprocessoofolawoandoabruptorepetitionoofopleasoforopre-arrestobail,o inoabsenceoofoconvincingoreason(s)oisocertainlyonotoanoact/behaviourowhicho callsoforosympathy/indulgenceoofotheoCourt.ooTherefore,otheoconductoofotheo petitionero wheno examinedo ino theo backdropo ofo theo nature/severityo ofo allegationso madeo againsto theo petitioner,o dis-entitleso himo foro granto ofo anticipatoryobail.oFromotheoentireofactualoconspectusobroughtoforwardoinotheo presentopetition,onoofreshogroundoorocircumstanceoisomadeooutosooasotooenableo theopetitionerotoofileoandomaintainotheosecondoanticipatoryobailopetition.oo

9.o o Thereoisoanotheroaspectonayovitaloaspectoofotheomatterowhicho o o CRM-12859-2026oino/&oCRM-M-14896-2026o o o o 9o o o o Theo sanctityo ofo theo judicialo processo iso predicatedo upono theo principleoofofinalityoofojudicialoorders.oWhileothereoisonooexpressostatutoryo embargooagainstotheofilingoofosuccessiveoapplicationsoforoanticipatoryobail,o suchoaorightoisonotoanoabsoluteocharteroforoproceduraloadventurism.oAolitiganto whooapproachesotheosameoCourtoforotheosameorelief,oabsentoanyomaterialo changeoinocircumstancesoengagesoinoaostratagemoofoattritionothatoisolessoao pursuitoofojusticeoandomoreoanoexerciseoofotestingotheowaters.oSuchoaopracticeo constitutesoaoclassicocaseoofoforumoshopping,owhereinotheolitigantotreatsotheo hallso ofo justiceo aso ao laboratoryo foro speculativeo litigation.o Byo repeatedlyo knockingoonotheosameodoorowithoutoaofreshocauseoofoaction,osuchoaolitiganto attemptotoocircumventotheohierarchyoofotheocourts,oignoringotheowell-settledo principleothatoaopartyoaggrievedobyoanoorderomustoascendotheojudicialoladdero ratherothanomoveohorizontallyoinohopesoofoaomoreofavourableowind.o

9.1o o Pertinently,othisohitoandotryomethodologyoisoaomaladyothatomusto beodetestedobyothisoCourt,oasoitostrikesoatotheoveryorootoofojudicialopropriety.o Too permito ao litiganto too treato theo dismissalo ofo ao prioro petitiono aso ao mereo interlocutoryosuggestion,oratherothanoanoauthoritativeopronouncement,oisotoo inviteojudicialoanarchy.oWhenoaoCourtoofoisoinvitedotoore-evaluateotheosameo factsoandotheosameolawopreviouslyoadjudicatedoupon,oitocreatesoaoperilousorisko ofoconflictingoorders,otherebyoerodingotheopublicofaithoinotheoconsistencyoando majestyoofotheolaw.oTheojudicialotimeoisoaopreciousopublicoresource,oandoitso diversionointootheoredundantochannelsooforepetitiveopleasoisoaovexatiousoabuseo ofo process.o Thereo iso noo gainsayingo thato ifo thereo iso materialo changeo ino circumstancesotheosecond/subsequentopleaooughtotoobeoconsideredoonomeritso thereof,o however,o ifo sucho ao second/subsequento pleao iso basedo ono similaro factualomilieu,otheosameooughtotoobeonippedoinotheobudowithoanoironohand.o o o CRM-12859-2026oino/&oCRM-M-14896-2026o o o o 10o o Pertinently,o sucho vexatiouso ando virulento attempt(s)o byo unscrupulouso elements,oaimedoatomisusingotheoprocessoofolawoandoCourts,ooughtotoobeo detested.oTheosanctityoofotheojudicialoprocessowillobeoseriouslyoerodedoifosucho attempt(s)o iso noto respondedo witho firmness.o Ao litiganto whoo misuseso theo processoofolawoorotakeolibertiesowithotheoproceduraloconcessionoshouldobeolefto inonoodoubtoaboutotheoconsequencesotoofollow.oOthersoshouldobeodiscouragedo nototooventureoalongotheosameopathoinotheohopeooroonoaomisplacedoexpectationo ofojudicialoleniencyooroindulgence.oExemplaryocosts,oinosuchoaosituationoareo inevitableoandonecessary,osooasotooensureothatoinolitigation,oasoinotheolawo whichoisoratheropracticedoinoouroCountry,othereoisonoopremiumoonosuchoao misplacedoadventurism.oAccordingly,ocosts,owhichooughtotoobeoveritableoando realotimeoinonature,otoobeoimposedouponotheopetitioner.o

10.o o Inoviewoofotheoprevenientoratiocination,oitoisoordainedothus:o

(i)o o Theo petitiono ino hando iso devoido ofo meritso ando iso herebyo dismissedowithocostsoofo₹50,000/-,owhichoshallobeodepositedobyotheopetitionero withoChiefoJudicialoMagistrateo(CJM),oPatialaowithinofouroweeksofromotoday.oo Inocaseosuchocostsoareodeposited;oCJM,oPatialaoshallohaveotheosameoremittedo tooPunjaboStateoLegaloServicesoAuthority,oMohali.ooInocase,otheosaidocostsoareo notodepositedobyotheopetitioneroasodirectedofor;otheoCJM,oPatialaoisodirectedo toointimateotheoDeputyoCommissioner,oPatialaowhooshallohaveosuchocostso recoveredofromotheopetitioneroasoarrearsoofolandorevenueoandouponorealizationo thereof,otheoDeputyoCommissioner,oPatialaoshallohaveotheosameosubmittedotoo CJM,oPatiala,oforofurtheroremittanceothereofotooPunjaboStateoLegaloServiceso Authority,oMohali.oAocomplianceoreportobeosentobyoCJM,oPatialaoasoalsoo DeputyoCommissioner,oPatialaotoothisoCourtoaccordingly.oo o o CRM-12859-2026oino/&oCRM-M-14896-2026o o o o 11o o

(iii)o o RegistryoisodirectedotootransmitoaocopyoofothisojudgmentotooCJM,o PatialaoasoalsooDeputyoCommissioner,oPatialaofororequisiteocompliance.o

(iv)o o Anyoobservationsomadeoand/orosubmissionsonotedohereinaboveo shallonotohaveoanyoeffectoonomeritsoofotheocaseoandotheoinvestigatingoagencyo asoalsootheotrialoCourtoshalloproceedofurther,oinoaccordanceowitholaw,owithouto beingoinfluencedowithothisoorder.oo

(v)oo o Pendingoapplication(s),oifoany,oshalloalsoostandodisposedoof.o o o o o o o o o o o oooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o oooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooo ooo oooJUDGEo o Aprilo01,o2026o Naveeno o o o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o Yes/Noo o