Pallvi v. State of Punjab

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1o o o 111o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoAToCHANDIGARHo o o Pallvioo ….Petitionero versuso StateoofoPunjaboo ….Respondento o DateoofoDecision:oAprilo08,o2026o DateoofoUploading:oAprilo08,o2026o o CORAM:o HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELoCORAM: HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOEL o Present:-o Mr.oNaveenoBatra,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.ooo o o Mr.oHemantoAggarwal,oDAGoPunjab.ooo o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(ORAL)oo o o o PresentopetitionoisotheosecondoattemptounderoSectiono482oofotheo Bharatiyao Nagariko Surakshao Sanhita,o 2023o (foro shorto 'BNSS')o foro granto ofo anticipatoryobailotootheopetitioner,oinocaseobearingoFIRoNo.83odatedo24.06.2025,o registeredoforotheooffencesopunishableounderoSectionso318(4),o61(2)oofotheoBNS,o 2023o (Sectionso 420,o 120-Bo ofo IPC)o ando Sectiono 13o ofo theo Punjabo Travelo Professionalo(Regulation)oAct,o2014,oatoPoliceoStationoKathuoNangal,oAmritsaro Rural,oDistrictoAmritsar.oo

2.oo o Theopetitionerohadoearlieroappliedoforograntoofoanticipatoryobailoino theo FIRo ino question,o beforeo thiso Court,o whicho cameo too beo dismissedo aso withdrawnoono08.10.2025.oo

3.o o Theogravamenoofotheoallegationsoagainstotheopetitioneroisothatotheo complainant,oInderpaloSingh,ostatedothatoheowasointroducedotootheopetitionero

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2o o throughohisoson-in-law,onamely,oVikas,owhooinformedohimothatohisofriendo–o Pargato hado alsoo appliedo foro travelo too Dubaio througho theo petitioner.o Theo petitioner,owhooisostatedotoobeoworkingoatoanoimmigrationoofficeolocatedoatoBittuo TradeoCentre,oBehrampur,onearoDodwa,ointroducedotheocomplainant,ohisosono–o JitoPal,oandohisoson-ino–olawoVikasotooaotraveloagent,onamely,oRanjitoSingh.oAto theoinstanceoofotheopetitioner,otheyometoRanjitoSinghoatohisoclothoshowroomoino Mukerian.oo o o Ito waso agreedo thato ao sumo ofo ₹44o lakhso wouldo beo paido foro facilitatingoJitoPal'sotravelotooAmerica,ooutoofowhicho₹15olakhsowasotoobeopaido upfrontoandotheoremainingo₹29olakhsoafterocrossingotheoMexicooborder.oItoiso furthero allegedo that,o aso pero theo directionso ofo co-accusedo Ranjito Singh,o theo complainantoinitiallyotransferredo₹1,00,000/-oonlineointootheobankoaccountoofotheo petitioner'sobrother,onamely,oSouravoSahota.oThereafter,otheocomplainantopaido variousoamountsotooco-accusedoRanjitoSinghoonodifferentodates.oSubsequently,o Jito Palo Singho waso sento too Gohana.o However,o Ranjito Singho latero begano demandingoadditionalomoneyofromotheocomplainantoonotheopretextothatofurthero paymentowasorequiredobyoagentso("donkers")otoofacilitateoJitoPal'soentryointoo AmericaobyocrossingotheoMexicanoborder.oAlthoughotheocomplainantocontinuedo too makeo paymentso aso demanded,o hiso sono waso noto sento too America.o Theo complainantolastospokeotoohisosonoono21.12.2024,oandosinceothen,oheohasoneithero receivedo anyo communicationo fromo himo noro haso anyo knowledgeo ofo hiso whereabouts.oo

4.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoarguedothatotheopetitionero haso beeno falselyo implicatedo intoo theo FIRo ino question.o Learnedo counselo haso arguedothatotheocomplainantoandotheopetitioneroareoknownotooeachoother,oandotheo

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3o o allegedopaymentoofoRs.1olakhohadobeenotransferredoonotheosameodayointootheo accountoofoco-accusedoRanjitoSingh.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroarguedothato excepto theo aforesaido transaction,o thereo iso noo othero allegationo againsto theo petitionero and,o thus,o theo petitionero haso nothingo too doo witho theo offenceo ino question.o Learnedo counselo haso arguedo thato theo petitionero waso merelyo ano employeeoworkingoinotheoImmigrationoofficeoinoquestion.oLearnedocounselohaso furtherosubmittedothatothereonotoevenoanyoagreementobetweenotheocomplainanto andotheopetitionerotoosendosonoofotheocomplaintoabroad.oLearnedocounselohaso submittedothatonowotheochallanohasobeenopresentedoquaoco-accused,onamely,o JoginderoLal.oo

4.1.o o Learnedocounselohasoarguedothatonothingoisotoobeorecoveredofromo theopetitioner.oLearnedocounselohasofurtheroiteratedothatotheopetitioneroisoreadyo andowillingotoojoinoinvestigation,oandonoopurposeowouldobeoservedobyokeepingo theopetitionerobehindobars.oOnotheobasisoofotheoaforementionedosubmissions,o grantoofotheoinstantopetitionoisoprayedofor.oo

5.o o Onotheootherohand,olearnedoStateocounselohasoopposedotheograntoofo anticipatoryobailotootheopetitionerobyoarguingothatoallegationsoraisedoagainstotheo petitionero areo seriouso ino nature.o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso statedo thato theo petitioneroandoheroco-accusedohaveodefraudedotheocomplainantotooaosubstantialo amountoonotheopretextoofosendingohisosonoabroad,obutotheoneedfulowasonotodone.o LearnedoStateocounselohasofurtherosubmittedothatoonotheoaskingoofotheopetitioner,o theocomplainantohadotransferredoanoamountoofoRs.1,00,000/-oinotheoaccountoofo brothero ofo theo petitioner.o Learnedo Stateo counselo haso furthero submittedo that,o investigation,oinotheopresentocase,oisostillounderowayoandotheopetitioneroisoyetotoo beoarrested.oInocase,otheopetitioneroisoreleasedoonoanticipatoryobail,othereoisoallo

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4o o likelihoodo thato sheo mayo interfereo witho theo prosecutiono evidence/o witnesses.o LearnedoStateocounselohasosubmittedothatochallan,oinotheopresentocase,ohasobeeno presentedo ino respecto ofo co-accused,o namely,o Jogindero Lal.o Giveno theseo circumstances,ocustodialointerrogationoofotheopetitioneroisoindispensable.oItoiso therefore,osubmittedothatotheopresentopetitionoisodevoidoofomeritoandoisoliableotoo beodismissed.oo

6.o o Iohaveoheardotheolearnedocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveo goneothroughotheoavailableorecordoofotheocase.oo

7.o o Itowouldobeoappositeotooreferohereinotooaojudgmentopassedobyothiso Courto ino ao titledo aso Bhishamo Singho vs.o Stateo ofo Haryana,o 2024(3)o RCR(Criminal)o65,orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:oo "11.o Asoanoepilogueotootheoaboveorumination,otheofollowingoprincipleso emerge:oo Io Second/successiveoanticipatoryobailopetition(s)ofiledoundero Sectiono438oofoCr.P.C.,o1973oisomaintainableoinolawo&ohenceosucho petitiono oughto noto too beo rejectedo solelyo ono theo groundo ofo maintainabilityothereof.o IIo oSucho second/successiveo anticipatoryo bailo petition(s)o iso maintainableo whethero earliero petitiono waso dismissedo aso withdrawn/dismissedoasonotopressed/dismissedoforonon-prosecutiono oroearlieropetitionowasodismissedoonomerits.o IIIo oForotheosecond/successiveoanticipatoryobailopetition(s)otoo succeed,o theo petitioner/applicanto shallo beo essentially/pertinentlyo requiredotooshowosubstantialochangeoinocircumstancesoandoshowingo ofoaomereosuperficialooroostensibleochangeowouldonotosuffice.o IVo oNooexhaustiveoguidelinesocanopossiblyobeolaidodownoasotoo whatowouldoconstituteosubstantialochangeoinocircumstancesoasoeveryo caseohasoitsoownouniqueofacts/circumstance.oAccordingly,othisoissueo iso besto lefto too theo judicialo wisdomo ando discretiono ofo theo Courto dealingowithosuchosecond/successiveoanticipatoryobailopetition(s).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,otheo causeo foro ao Courto havingo successfullyo countenanced/entertainedo suchosecond/successiveopetition(s)ooughtotoobeoreadilyoandoclearlyo decipherableofromotheosaidoorderopassed.oo VIo Onceo ao pleao foro anticipatoryo bailo haso beeno dismissedo aso withdrawn/dismissedoasonotopressed/dismissedoforonon-prosecutiono orodismissedoonomeritsobyotheoHighoCourt,onoosecond/successiveo

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5o o anticipatoryo bailo petition(s)o shallo beo entertainedo byo ao Sessionso Court."o o

8.o o Apartofromoitobeingosecondoanticipatoryobail,oasoperotheocaseoputo forthoinotheoFIRoinoquestion,oindubitably,oseriousoallegationsohaveobeenoleveledo againsto theo petitioner.o Aso pero prosecutiono caseo ando upono perusalo ofo theo impugnedo order,o ito iso borneo outo thato seriouso allegationso haveo beeno levelledo againstotheopetitioner.oTheopetitioneroactivelyoplayedoaopivotaloroleoinoinducingo theocomplainantotoopartowithosubstantialoamountsoofomoneyoonotheofalseopromiseo ofosendingohisosonoabroad.oTheoinvolvementoofotheopetitioneroisoprimaofacieo evidentofromotheotransferoofomoneyointootheoaccountoofoheroownobrother,othatotooo uponoheroaskingoonly,oandoherocontinuousoassociationowithotheoco-accusedoinotheo allegedooffence.oFurther,oco-accusedoofotheopetitionerodemandedomoreomoneyotoo dootheoneedful.oo

8.1.o o Theochallanohasobeenopresentedoquaoco-accusedoofotheopetitioner,o namely,oJoginderoLal.oo

8.2.o o Furthermore,o theo investigationo iso stillo ato ao crucialo stage,o ando custodialointerrogationoofotheopetitioneroisoconsideredonecessaryotoounearthotheo completeofactsoandotooascertainoinvolvementoofoanyootheropersonsoconnectedo withotheocase.oTheopetitioneroisoyetotoobeoarrestedoandograntoofoanticipatoryobail,o ato thiso stage,o mayo prejudiceo theo ongoingo investigation.o Theo apprehensiono expressedo byo theo prosecutiono thato theo petitioner,o ifo releasedo ono bail,o mayo abscondooroattemptotooinfluenceowitnessesoalsooappearsotoobeonotowithoutobasis.o Givenotheoseriousnessoofotheooffence,otheostageoofoinvestigationoandopossibilityo ofotamperingowithoevidenceooroobstructingojustice,othisoCourtoisoofotheoviewothato theopetitionerodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofobailoatothisojuncture.oo

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9.o o Itoisobefittingotoomentionohereothatowhileoconsideringopleaoforogranto ofo anticipatoryo bail,o theo Courto haso too equilibrateo betweeno safeguardingo individualorightsoandoprotectingosocietalointerest(s).oTheoCourtooughtotooreckono withotheomagnitudeoandonatureoofotheooffence;otheoroleoattributedotootheoaccused;o theoneedoforofairoandofreeoinvestigationoasoalsootheodeeperoandowideoimpactoofo suchoallegedoiniquitiesoonotheosociety.oAoprofitableoreferenceoinothisoregardoiso beingomadeotootheodictaopassedobyotheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtotitledoasoStateov.o AniloSharma,o(1997)o7oSCCo187o:o1997oSCCo(Cri)o1039,otheoSupremeoCourto heldoasounder,orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:oo "6.oo WeofindoforceoinotheosubmissionoofoCBIothatocustodialointerrogationo isoqualitativelyomoreoelicitation-orientedothanoquestioningoaosuspectowhooiso well-ensconcedowithoaofavourableoorderounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode.oInoao caseolikeothis,oeffectiveointerrogationoofoaosuspectedopersonoisoofotremendouso advantageoinodisinterringomanyousefuloinformationsoandoalsoomaterialsowhicho wouldohaveobeenoconcealed.oSuccessoinosuchointerrogationowouldoeludeoifotheo suspectedopersonoknowsothatoheoisowelloprotectedoandoinsulatedobyoaopre-arresto bailoorderoduringotheotimeoheoisointerrogated.oVeryooftenointerrogationoinosucho aoconditionowouldoreduceotooaomereoritual.oTheoargumentothatotheocustodialo interrogationoisofraughtowithotheodangeroofotheopersonobeingosubjectedotoothird-degreeo methodso needo noto beo countenanced,o for,o sucho ano argumento cano beo advancedobyoalloaccusedoinoallocriminalocases.oTheoCourtohasotoopresumeothato responsibleopoliceoofficersowouldoconductothemselvesoinoaoresponsibleomannero ando thato thoseo entrustedo witho theo tasko ofo disinterringo offenceso wouldo noto conductothemselvesoasooffenders."o o o Atothisostage,othereoisonoomaterialoonorecordotooholdothatoprimao facieocaseoisonotomadeooutoagainstotheopetitioner.oTheomaterialowhichohasocomeo onorecordoandopreliminaryoinvestigation,oappearotooestablishoaoreasonableobasiso foroaccusationoofotheopetitioner.oThus,oitoisonotoappropriateotoograntoanticipatoryo bailotootheopetitioner,oasoitowouldonecessarilyocauseoimpedimentoinoeffectiveo investigation.oo

10.o o Thatoapart,oindubitably,otheofirstopetitiono(forograntoofoanticipatoryo bail)opreferredobyotheopetitionerowasodismissedoasowithdrawnobyothisoCourtoono

08.10.2025.oItoisowellosettledothatoaosecondoanticipatoryobailopetitionoseekingo

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7o o identicalo reliefo iso noto maintainableo unlesso thereo iso ao substantialo changeo ino circumstancesoafterotheodisposaloorowithdrawaloasoperotheojurisprudenceoonobail.o Theogroundsourgedoinotheopresentopetitionoappearotoobeotheosameoasothoseowhicho wereo availableo too theo petitionero ato theo timeo wheno theo earliero petitiono waso withdrawn.o Ino theo absenceo ofo anyo newo fact,o developmento oro changeo ino circumstances,o entertainingo successiveopetitionsowouldo amounto too permittingo repeatedoattemptsoforotheosameorelief,owhichocannotobeocountenancedoinolaw.o Therefore,onotwithstandingotheosubmissionoregardingotheoroleoattributedotootheo petitioner,othisoCourtofindsothatotheopresentopetitionosuffersofromotheoviceoofo maintainability,oasonoochangeoinocircumstancesohasobeenodemonstratedoafterotheo withdrawaloofotheoearlieroanticipatoryobailopetition.oAccordingly,othisoCourtoiso noto inclinedo too granto theo concessiono ofo anticipatoryo bailo too theo petitioner.o Furthermore,othereoisonoosubstantialochangeonayoanyochangeoinocircumstanceso whicho mayo weigh,o ino favouro ofo entertainingo theo instanto secondo petitiono foro anticipatoryo bail.o Ergo,o theo instanto petitiono deserveso dismissalo ono thiso scoreo alone.oo

11.o o Itoisoevidentothatotheolastopleaoforograntoofoanticipatoryobailotootheo petitionerowasodismissedoasowithdrawnoono08.10.2025,oandotheopetitionoinohando haso beeno filedo ono oro aroundo 12.04.2026.o Theo conducto ofo theo petitionero ino avoidingoarrestoforosuchoaoprolongedoperiodowithoutoanyoreasonableocauseomusto beoconsideredowhileoadjudicatingothisosecondopetition.oTheoprocessoofojusticeoiso meanto too treato everyo individualo ino ao mannero whicho iso equitableo ando fairly.oo However;oifotheopetitioner-accusedochoosesotooemployoirregularoandoconvolutedo tactics,o includingo undueo delay,o strategicallyo aimedo ato frustratingo lawfulo proceedings/investigation,oitotantamountotooanoabuseoofotheoprocessoofojustice.o

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8o o Whileolibertyoandodignityoofoanoindividualomustobeoheldohigh,ohowever,onoooneo cano beopermittedo too subverto ando causeo devolutiono ino theoprocesso ofo justice.o Protractedoabsence,oeludingotheoprocessoofolawoandoabruptorepetitionoofopleasoforo pre-arresto bail,o ino absenceo ofo convincingo reason(s)o iso certainlyo noto ano act/behaviourowhichocallsoforosympathy/indulgenceoofotheoCourt.ooTherefore,otheo conductoofotheopetitionerowhenoexaminedoinotheobackdropoofotheonature/severityo ofoallegationsomadeoagainstotheopetitioner,odis-entitlesotheopetitioneroforograntoofo anticipatoryobail.oFromotheoentireofactualoconspectusobroughtoforwardoinotheo presentopetition,onoofreshogroundoorocircumstanceoisomadeooutosooasotooenableo theopetitionerotoofileoandomaintainotheosecondoanticipatoryobailopetition.oo

12.o o Thereo iso anothero aspecto nayo vitalo aspecto ofo theo mattero whicho deservesotoobeoaddressedobyothisoCourt.oo o o Theo sanctityo ofo theo judicialo processo iso predicatedo upono theo principleo ofo finalityo ofo judicialo orders.o Whileo thereo iso noo expresso statutoryo embargooagainstotheofilingoofosuccessiveoapplicationsoforoanticipatoryobail,osucho aorightoisonotoanoabsoluteocharteroforoproceduraloadventurism.oAolitigantowhoo approachesotheosameoCourtoforotheosameorelief,oabsentoanyomaterialochangeoino circumstancesoengagesoinoaostratagemoofoattritionothatoisolessoaopursuitoofojusticeo andomoreoanoexerciseoofotestingotheowaters.oSuchoaopracticeoconstitutesoaoclassico caseoofoforumoshopping,owhereinotheolitigantotreatsotheohallsoofojusticeoasoao laboratoryoforospeculativeolitigation.oByorepeatedlyoknockingoonotheosameodooro withouto ao fresho causeo ofo action,o sucho ao litiganto attempto too circumvento theo hierarchyoofotheocourtsoignoringotheowell-settledoprincipleothatoaopartyoaggrievedo byoanoorderomustoascendotheojudicialoladderoratherothanomoveohorizontallyoino hopesoofoaomoreofavourableowind.oo

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12.1o o Pertinently,othisohitoandotryomethodologyoisoaomaladyothatomustobeo detestedobyothisoCourt,oasoitostrikesoatotheoveryorootoofojudicialopropriety.oToo permitoaolitigantotootreatotheodismissaloofoaoprioropetitionoasoaomereointerlocutoryo suggestion,o rathero thano ano authoritativeo pronouncement,o iso too inviteo judicialo anarchy.oWhenoaoCourtoisoinvitedotoore-evaluateotheosameofactsoandotheosameo lawopreviouslyoadjudicatedoupon,oitocreatesoaoperilousoriskoofoconflictingoorders,o therebyoerodingotheopublicofaithoinotheoconsistencyoandomajestyoofotheolaw.oTheo judicialotimeoisoaopreciousopublicoresource,oandoitsodiversionointootheoredundanto channelso ofo repetitiveo pleaso iso ao vexatiouso abuseo ofo process.o Thereo iso noo gainsayingo thato ifo thereo iso materialo changeo ino circumstanceso theo second/subsequentopleaooughtotoobeoconsideredoonomeritsothereof,ohowever,oifo sucho ao second/subsequento pleao iso basedo ono similaro factualo milieu,o theo sameo oughtotoobeonippedoinotheobudowithoanoironohand.oPertinently,osuchovexatiousoando virulentoattempt(s)obyounscrupulousoelements,oaimedoatomisusingotheoprocessoofo lawoandoCourts,ooughtotoobeodetested.oTheosanctityoofotheojudicialoprocessowillo beoseriouslyoerodedoifosuchoattempt(s)oisonotorespondedowithofirmness.oAolitiganto whoomisusesotheoprocessoofolawoorotakeolibertiesowithotheoproceduraloconcessiono shouldobeoleftoinonoodoubtoaboutotheoconsequencesotoofollow.oOthersoshouldobeo discouragedonototooventureoalongotheosameopathoinotheohopeooroonoaomisplacedo expectationo ofo judicialo leniencyo oro indulgence.o Exemplaryo costs,o ino sucho ao situationoareoinevitableoandonecessary,osooasotooensureothatoinolitigation,oasoinotheo lawowhichoisoratheropracticedoinoouroCountry,othereoisonoopremiumoonosuchoao misplacedo adventurism.o Accordingly,o costs,o whicho oughto too beoveritableoando realotimeoinonature,otoobeoimposedouponotheopetitioner.oo

13.o o Inoviewoofotheoprevenientoratiocination,oitoisoordainedothus:o

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(i)o Theopetitionoinohandoisodevoidoofomeritsoandoisoherebyodismissedo withocostsoofo₹20,000/-,owhichoshallobeodepositedobyotheopetitionero witho Chiefo Judicialo Magistrateo (CJM),o Gurdaspuro withino fouro weekso fromo today.o o Ino caseo sucho costso areo deposited;o CJM,o Gurdaspuro shallo haveo theo sameo remittedo too theo Districto Legalo ServicesoAuthority,oGurdaspur.o o Ino case,o theo saido costsoareonoto depositedobyotheopetitioneroasodirectedofor;otheoCJM,oGurdaspuroiso directedo too intimateo theo Deputyo Commissioner,o Gurdaspuro whoo shallohaveosuchocostsorecoveredofromotheopetitioneroasoarrearsoofo lando revenueo ando upono realizationo thereof,o theo Deputyo Commissioner,oGurdaspuroshallohaveotheosameosubmittedotooCJM,o Gurdaspur,o foro furthero remittanceo thereofo too Theo Districto Legalo ServicesoAuthority,oGurdaspur.oAocomplianceoreportobeosentobyo CJM,oGurdaspuroasoalsooDeputyoCommissioner,oGurdaspurotoothiso Court,oaccordingly.oo o

(ii)o RegistryoisodirectedotootransmitoaocopyoofothisojudgmentotooCJM,o GurdaspuroasoalsooDeputyoCommissioner,oGurdaspurofororequisiteo compliance.o o

(iii)o Anyo observationso madeo and/oro submissionso notedo hereinaboveo shallo noto haveo anyo effecto ono meritso ofo theo caseo ando theo investigatingoagencyoasoalsootheotrialoCourtoshalloproceedofurther,o inoaccordanceowitholaw,owithoutobeingoinfluencedowithothisoorder.oo

(iv)o Pendingoapplication(s),oifoany,oshalloalsoostandodisposedooff.o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o (SUMEEToGOEL)o o o o o o JUDGEo Aprilo08,o2026oo mahaviro o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo

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