Jaspreet Kaur v. State of Punjab

INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o

(104)oo o o o o o ooooooCRM-M-38956-2025o Dateoofodecision:o23.07.2025o JaspreetoKauro o o o o o o o o o o o ....Petitionerooo V/so StateoofoPunjaboo o o o o o o o o o ....Respondento o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo Present:oo Ms.oNehaoJain,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o Mr.oGurpartapoS.oBhullar,oAAGoPunjab.ooo *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.oo

1.o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono482oofoBharatiyao NagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(hereinafterotoobeoreferredoaso'theoBNSS')o seekingo granto ofo anticipatoryo bailo too theo petitionero ino caseo bearingo FIRo No.008o datedo 02.04.2024,o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableo undero Sectionsoo420,o120-BoofoIPCoandoSectiono24oofotheoEmigrationoAct,oatoPoliceo StationoNRIoMoga,oDistrictoMoga.ooo

2.o o Theo gravameno ofo theo FIRo ino questiono pertainso too defraudingo ManjitoKaurowifeoofocomplainantoGurpreetoSinghosonoofoBaloroSinghoresidento ofo villageo Khosao Kotla,o Districto Moga,o whoo waso workingo ato Harsimrano Boutique,oownedobyoKeharoSinghowhootoldotheocomplainant'sowifeoManjito KaurothatoheoandohisorelativesowhooareoresidingoatoJagraonoareotraveloagentso andoarrangingovisaotoosendoAmericaoandotheyohadoalreadyosentoaonumberoofo personsofromoPunjabotooAmerica.oManjitoKaurotoldoaboutotheosameotoohero husbando complainanto (herein)o namelyo Gurpreeto Singho ando theiro relative,o namelyoLovepreetoSingh,oresidingoatoRaniyeoandotheyofurtheroinformedoabouto NAVEEN NAGPAL theosameotootheironeighbouroNaiboSingh,oresidentoofoVillageoKhosaoKotla,o CRM-M-38956-2025o o P a g e o?o2o o whoohadobeenoearlieroworkingoatoDubaiowithocomplainantoGurpreetoSingho andoheowasowillingotoosettleoatoAmericaoandotheosaidoNaiboSinghofurthero informedoaboutotheosameotoohisofriendoSandeepoSingh.ooThereafter,oLovepreeto Singh,oNaiboSinghoandoSandeepoSinghometoKeharoSinghoatohisoboutiqueoino Moga.oKeharoSinghomadeothemointeractowithotheopetitionero(herein)oandoothero co-accused,o whoowereo statedo byo Keharo Singho too beohiso relativeso ando theo matterowasosettledoforoanoamountoofoRs.o40olakhoperopersonoforosendingothemo tooAmericaowithodirectoflightofromoDelhioandotheopaymentowasoagreedotoobeo madeouponoreachingoAmerica.oOno06.03.2022,oKeharoSinghotookoLovepreeto Singh,oNaiboSinghoandoSandeepoSinghotootheopetitioner-JaspreetoKaur,ohero husbandoandohisosisteroandotheyoresidedotheiroforoabouto10-12odaysoatoDelhi.o Thereafter,o theo petitionero ando othero co-accusedo arrangedo ao flighto foro theo complainanto ando hero relativeso whileo statingo thato theyo wereo headingo too Americaoandobeforeoboardingotheoflight,oaocallowasoarrangedobyoSonu,ofromo NaiboSinghotoohisowife,onamelyoSarabjitoKaur,oforopaymentoofoanoamountoofo Rs.o20olakhotootheopetitionero(herein)oandoherohusbandoandoothers,oasotheyo wereo boardingo theo flight.o o Theo complainanto furthero narrateso thato ono

18.03.2022,o theo petitionero alongwitho hero husbando ando anothero woman,o reachedoatovillageoKhosaoKotlaoinoaowhiteocolouredocaroandocollectedotheo amountoofoRs.o20olakhofromoNaiboSingh'sowifeoandoKeharoSinghoalongowithoao persono whoo collectedo ano amounto ofo Rs.o 10o lakho fromo Lovepreeto Singh'so family.oSarabjitoKauroandoLovepreetoSingh'sowifeoinformedoaboutotheosaido paymentsotootheocomplainantoonotheonextoday.oThereafter,oitoalsoocameoouto thatoNaiboSingh,oSandeepoSinghoandoLovepreetoSinghowereobeingosentotoo Americaothroughodifferentocountriesoinoillegalomanner.oWhenoNaiboSingho informedo theo complainanto Gurpreeto Singho ino thiso regard,o heo approachedo KeharoSinghoandothereafter,ocomplainantoGurpreetoSinghoreceivedoaophoneo CRM-M-38956-2025o o P a g e o?o3o o callofromotheopetitioner'sohusband,owhoogaveohimotheoconfirmationothatotheyo wereosentothroughoillegalochannel.oTheyoarrangedophoneocallowithoNaiboSingho andoothersoforo5-6odays,obutothereafter,ocomplainantoGurpreetoSinghoreceivedo ao callo fromo themo thato allo theo threeo travellerso wereo trappedo ando heo madeo demando foro USo Dollarso ando thus,o undero compulsion,o ?15,354o ando then,o ?6500oAmericanoDollarsowereopaidotootheoaccusedoAmandeepoSingho@oSonuo throughoaccountoofoManpreetoSingh.ooThenoono19.05.2022,oanotheroamountoofo Rs.o3,50,000/-owasotransferredoinotheoaccountooneoSarabjitoKaur.oThereafter,o neitheroNaiboSingh,oLovepreetoSinghoandoSandeepoSinghoreachedoAmericao norotheirowhereaboutsowereoknownoand,oinothisoway,otheyowereodefraudedoforo theo amounto ofo Rs.50,00,000/-.o Ono theo basiso ofo theo aforesaido complaint,o instanto FIRo haso beeno registeredo againsto theo petitionero alongwitho othero accusedoandoinvestigationoensued.ooo

3.o o oLearnedo counselo foro theo petitionero haso iteratedo thato theo petitioneroisoinnocentoandohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedoinotheopresentocase.oo Learnedocounseloassertsothatotheoallegationsolevelledoagainstotheopetitioneroino theoimpugnedoFIRoareoentirelyobaselessoandodevoidoofoanyocredibleoorocogento material.ooFurthermore,otheopetitionerohasonooconnectionowhatsoeverowithotheo allegedo offence.o o Ito haso beeno furthero iteratedo thato theo primaryo allegationo againstotheopetitioneroisothatoheoactedoasoaomediatorobetweenotheocomplainanto andoco-accusedoinoconnectionowithotheoarrangementoforosendingotheowifeoando hisorelativesoabroad.ooItohasobeenofurtheroiteratedothatotheopetitioneroandoco-accusedoareocloselyorelatedotootheopetitioneroandobeingopersonallyoacquaintedo witho botho theo parties,o theo petitionero merelyo facilitatedo theiro introduction.oo Accordingotoolearnedocounsel,otheopetitioneroisoneitheroaotraveloagentonoro engagedoinoanyobusinessoofofacilitatingooverseasoemploymentoandohenceotheo allegationsolevelledoagainstoheroareoentirelyofalse,ovagueoandobaseless.ooItohaso CRM-M-38956-2025o o P a g e o?o4o o beenofurtherosubmittedobyotheolearnedocounselothatotheopetitionerohasobeeno falselyoimplicatedoinotheopresentocaseoandotheocomplaintoappearsotoobeoaoresulto ofoaoconcoctedonarrative,opossiblyomotivatedobyopersonaloenmityotoosettleo personaloscores.oMoreover,otheopetitionerohasoneveroactedowithoanyocriminalo intento noro committedo anyo offenceo aso alleged.o Lastly,o ito haso beeno furthero arguedothatothereoisonooneedoforocustodialointerrogationoofotheopetitioner,oaso nothingoincriminatingoremainsotoobeorecoveredofromohim.oMoreover,othereoiso noolikelihoodoofotheopetitioneroabscondingofromotheoprocessoofojusticeooro tamperingowithotheoprosecutionoevidenceoinocaseoheoisoenlargedoonopre-arresto bail.o o Ono strengtho ofo theseo submissions,o theo granto ofo anticipatoryo bailo iso entreatedofor.o

4.o o Conversely,olearnedoStateocounselo(onotheostrengthoofoadvanceo notice)ohasoopposedotheograntoofoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitionerobyoarguingo thatotheooffenceocommittedobyotheopetitioneroisoseriousoinonature.oAccordingo toolearnedoStateocounsel,oallegationsolevelledoagainstotheopetitioneroareoofoao graveoandoseriousonature,oinvolvingoaowell-orchestratedofraudoamountingotoo moreothanoRs.50.00olakhsowhereinotheocomplainantoandohisorelativesowereo deceivedounderotheofalseopretextoofosecuringolegalomigrationotootheoAmerica.o Itowasofurtherocontendedothatotheomagnitudeoofotheooffenceoreflectsonotoonlyoao blatantoabuseoofotrustobutoalsooaocalculatedoexploitationoofotheovulnerabilityo andoaspirationsoofotheocomplainant.ooAccordingotoolearnedoStateocounsel,otheo offenceo committedo byo theo petitionero causedo substantialo financialo ando emotionalo distresso too theo complainanto ando hiso family.o o Consideringo theo seriousnessoofotheoallegations,otheocustodialointerrogationoofotheopetitionero mayo beo necessaryo too uneartho theo broadero conspiracyo ando recovero theo ill-gottenomoney.ooGrantingobailoatothisostageomayosetoaowrongoprecedentoinocaseso involvingohumanotraffickingoandoimmigrationofraud.ooFurthermore,oinocaseo CRM-M-38956-2025o o P a g e o?o5o o theopetitioneroisograntedotheoconcessionoofopre-arrestobail,oatothisostage,oitomayo impedeotheoongoingoinvestigationoandoobstructotheorecoveryoandopotentiallyo leadotootamperingowithoevidenceooroinfluencingoofowitnesses.oAccordingly,oao prayerohasobeenomadeoforotheodismissaloofotheoinstantopetitionoinoorderotoo facilitateoeffectiveoinvestigationointootheoallegedooffence.o

5.o o Iohaveoheardotheolearnedocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveo goneothroughotheoavailableorecordoofotheocase.o

6.o o AsoperotheocaseoputoforthoinotheoFIRoinoquestion,oindubitably,o seriousoallegationsohaveobeenolevelledoagainstotheopetitioner.oTheoFIRoibido wasolodgedoonotheobasisoofoaocomplaintofiledobyotheocomplainanto–Gurpreeto Singho whoo allegedo thato heo waso approachedo byo theo petitionero (herein)o regardingo theo possibilityo ofo sendingo hiso sono too America.o o Ito waso furthero allegedo thato theo petitionero claimedo too beo involvedo ino theo businesso ofo facilitatingo overseaso employmento ando introducedo hiso associateso namelyo KeharoSingh,oAmandeepoSingho@oSonuoandosisteroSukhwinderoKaur,owhoo accordingotootheopetitioner,owereoalsooengagedoinotheotraveloagencyobusiness.oo Ino furtheranceo ofo theiro connivanceo ando conspiracyo witho Vinayo Pandey,o KomaloPandeyoandoGurpreetoSinghoresidentoofoSangruroonotheofalseopretextoofo sendingothemotooAmericaodefraudedotheoNaiboSingh,oLovepreetoSinghoando Sandeepo Singh.o o Theo petitionero ando othero accusedo personso hado receivedo Rs.20olakhsofromoNaiboSingh'sowifeoandotheocashoamountoofoRs.10olakhso fromoLovepreet'sowifeoand,oRs.3.50,000/-,o?15,354oandoanothero?6500ofromo theo complainant.o Theo complainanto allegedo thato heo waso defraudedo byo theo petitioneroandoco-accusedounderotheofalseopretextoofoarrangingolegalotravelotoo America.ooo

6.1.o o Theooffenceoinoquestionodoesonotomerelyoinvolveofinancialodeceito butostrikesoatotheoveryofabricoofosocialotrust,oinvolvingoelementsoofohumano CRM-M-38956-2025o o P a g e o?o6o o traffickingoandocross-borderoimmigrationofraud,owhichoareonotoonlyograveoino natureobutoalsoohaveofar-reachingoconsequencesoonopublicoorder.ooCasesoofo thisonature,owhereovulnerableoindividualsoareoluredowithofalseopromisesoofo lawfulomigrationoandoareosubsequentlyosubjectedotooexploitation,ofallowithino theoambitoofoorganizedohumanotraffickingoandomeritostrictojudicialoscrutinyo ando deterrence.o o Humano traffickingo undero theo garbo ofo immigrationo consultancyo iso ao growingo menaceo whicho preyso upono theo desperationo ando dreamso ofo unsuspectingo citizens.o o Theo Courtso musto remaino vigilanto ando ensureo thato sucho racketso areo noto emboldenedo byo leniencyo ato theo pre-trialo stage.o 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.ooTheoCourtocannotooverlookotheobroadero publicointerestoinvolvedoinocasesoofoimmigrationofraud,oespeciallyowhenotheyo bordero ono transnationalo humano trafficking.o o Sucho offenceso necessitateso ao strongoandoprincipledojudicialoresponseotoopreventotheirorecurrence.o

6.2.o o Ao perusaloofo theo FIRo revealso thato theo allegationso againsto theo petitioneroareograveoandoseriousoinonatureowhoodefraudedotheocomplainantoofo aosubstantialoamountounderotheofalseopretextoofofacilitatingotheolegalomigrationo ofohisorelativesotooAmericaothroughoagents.oSuchooffencesostrikeoatotheocoreoofo publicotrustoandoreflectoaodisturbingotrendoprevalentoinothisoregion,owhereo unscrupulousoindividualsoposingoasotravelofacilitatorsoexploitotheoaspirationso ofoinnocentocitizensoseekingoopportunitiesoabroad.oTheseofraudulentoactivitieso notoonlyocauseosevereofinancialoandoemotionalodistressobutoalsooundermineo theointegrityoofolawfuloimmigrationosystems.oTherefore,oindividualsoinvolvedo inosuchoorganizedodeceitomustobeodealtowithofirmlyoandoinoaccordanceowitho theolaw,oleavingonooroomoforoleniency.o CRM-M-38956-2025o o P a g e o?o7o o

7.o o Furthermore,otheoinvestigatingoagencyohasosoughtotheocustodialo interrogationoofotheopetitioneroforoeffectiveorecovery,overificationoofofacts,o andotooestablishotheobroaderoconspiracy,oifoany,obehindotheooccurrence.oNoo causeonayoplausibleocauseohasobeenoshown,oatothisostage,ofromowhichoitocanobeo decipheredothatotheopetitionerohasobeenofalselyoimplicatedointootheopresento FIR.oItogoesowithoutosayingothatoinotheoinstantocase,otheocomplainantohaso categoricallyostatedothatotheopetitioneroalongowithoco-accusedohadodefraudedo theo complainanto ofo ao substantialo amounto undero theo falseo pretextoofofacilitatingotheolegalomigrationoofohisorelativesotooAmericaothrougho agentsowhichocausedosevereofinancialoandoemotionalodistress.o

8.o o Itoisobefittingotoomentionohereothatowhileoconsideringoaopleaoforo grantoofoanticipatoryobail,otheoCourtohasotooequilibrateobetweenosafeguardingo individualo rightso ando protectingo societalo interests).o Theo Courto oughto too reckonowithotheomagnitudeoandonatureoofotheooffence;otheoroleoattributedotoo theoaccused;otheoneedoforofairoandofreeoinvestigationoasoalsootheodeeperoando wideoimpactoofosuchoallegedoiniquitiesoonotheosociety.oItoisoimperativeothato everyopersonoinotheoSocietyocanoexpectoanoatmosphereofreeofromoforebodingo &ofearoofoanyotransgression.oAtothisostage,othereoisonoomaterialoonorecordotoo holdothatoprimaofacieocaseoisonotomadeooutoagainstotheopetitioner.oTheomaterialo whicho haso comeo ono recordo ando preliminaryo investigation,o appearo too beo establishedoaoreasonableobasisoforotheoaccusations.oThus,oitoisonotoappropriateo too granto anticipatoryo bailo too theo petitioner,o aso ito wouldo necessarilyo causeo impedimentoinoeffectiveoinvestigation.oInoStateov.oAniloSharma,o(1997)o7o SCCo187o:o1997oSCCo(Cri)o1039,otheoHon'bleoSupremeoCourtoheldoasoundero:o (SCCop.o189,oparao6)o o "6.oWeofindoforceoinotheosubmissionoofoCBIothatocustodialointerrogationoiso qualitativelyomoreoelicitation-orientedothanoquestioningoaosuspectowhooiso well-ensconcedowithoaofavourableoorderounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode.oInoNAVEEN NAGPAL authenticity of this order/judgment ao caseo likeo this,o effectiveo interrogationo ofo ao suspectedo persono iso ofo CRM-M-38956-2025o o P a g e o?o8o o tremendousoadvantageoinodisinterringomanyousefuloinformationsoandoalsoo materialsowhichowouldohaveobeenoconcealed.oSuccessoinosuchointerrogationo wouldoeludeoifotheosuspectedopersonoknowsothatoheoisowelloprotectedoando insulatedobyoaopre-arrestobailoorderoduringotheotimeoheoisointerrogated.o Veryooftenointerrogationoinosuchoaoconditionowouldoreduceotooaomereoritual.o Theoargumentothatotheocustodialointerrogationoisofraughtowithotheodangeroofo theo persono beingo subjectedo too third-degreeo methodso needo noto beo countenanced,ofor,osuchoanoargumentocanobeoadvancedobyoalloaccusedoino allo criminalo cases.o Theo Courto haso too presumeo thato responsibleo policeo officersowouldoconductothemselvesoinoaoresponsibleomanneroandothatothoseo entrustedo witho theo tasko ofo disinterringo offenceso wouldo noto conducto themselvesoasooffenders."o

9.o o Ato thiso juncture,o ito wouldo beo appositeo too refero hereino too ao judgmentopassedobyothisoCourtoinoCRM-M-38399-2025o'Sunnyo@oSandeepo KumaroVs.oStateoofoPunjab',orelevantowhereoforeadsoasounder:-o o "9.oThereoisoyetoanotheronayoseminaloaspectoofotheomatterowhicho cravesoattentionoofothisoCourt.o

9.1.oThisoCourtofindsoitoincumbentotooaddressoaofacetoofoprofoundo jurisprudentialo significanceo concerningo applicationso foro anticipatoryobailounderoSectiono482oofoBNSSo(erstwhileoSectiono 438o ofo Cr.P.C.,o 1973).o o Anticipatoryo bail,o fundamentallyo ano extraordinaryodiscretionaryoremedy,ostandsoasoaoConstitutionalo safeguardo ofo personalo liberty,o principallyo designedo too shieldo ao law-abidingoindividualofromotheoignominyoofopre-trialoarrest.ooItoiso ao beneficialo provisiono ––o intendedo too preserveo freedomo fromo genuineoapprehensionoofounwarrantedorestrainto––onototoooffero sanctuaryotoothoseowhoodemonstrateoaocavalierodisregardoforotheo investigativeo processo oro judicialo fiat.o o Whileo theo legislativeo frameworko remainso silento ono ao rigido timelineo foro invokingo theo extraordinaryo discretionaryo jurisdiction—ano inordinateo ando inexplicatedo delayo ino invokingo theo same—inevitablyo inviteso meticulouso scrutiny.o o Sucho ao hiatus,o berefto ofo compellingo justification,o frequentlyo transmuteso intoo ano impliedo acknowledgmentoofoaccused-applicant'sodeliberateoevasionoofotheo law'soembrace,oborderingoonoanoactoofoabscondence.ooTooextendo theoprotectiveoumbrellaoofothisoequitableoreliefotooanoaccusedowho,o byo hiso owno volition,o haso electedo too protracto hiso submissiono too legalomachinery,owouldonotoonlyopervertotheosalutaryoobjectoofo Sectiono482oofotheoBNSSobutowouldoalso,oinoessence,ocondoneoandoNAVEEN NAGPAL authenticity of this order/judgment tacitlyolegitimateoaobrazenodefianceoofotheoprocessoofolaw.oSucho CRM-M-38956-2025o o P a g e o?o9o o inexplicableo tardiness,o shroudedo ino ambiguity,o willo inevitablyo compelotheoCourtotooexerciseoitsodiscretionojudiciouslyoand,oinoallo likelihood,o declineo too extendo theo extraordinaryo indulgenceo ofo Anticipatoryo Bailo too ano individualo whoseo conducto reflectso ao discernibleowantoofodiligenceoorostrategicorecalcitranceoinofacingo theoinvestigativeoprocess.oTheoportalsoofojusticeoareoopenotooall,o butotheyoareonotoaorefugeoforothoseowhooseekotoomanipulateoitso timelinesoforoulterioromotives.oAsotheovenerableolegalomaximogoeso Juso Exo Injuriao Nono Oritur—ao righto oro theo protectiono ofo lawo cannotoariseofromoaowrong.o

9.2.o Whileo thiso Courto remainso cognizanto ofo peculiaro circumstances,owhere,oforoinstance,oanoindividual'soimplicationo mightosurfaceobelatedlyoorodueotooanoinnocentooversight,otherebyo occasioningoaobonaofideodelayoinoseekingojudicialoreprieve,osucho instancesoconstituteotheoexception,onototheonorm.ooHowever,oino caseso whereo ano accused-applicanto haso consciouslyo subjectedo himselfotootheoSessionsoCourtojurisdiction,oandothereafteroexhibitso aoprotractedoandoun-elucidatedodelayoinoapproachingothisoCourt,o afterotheorefusalooforeliefobyotheoSessionsoCourt,otheoevidentialo burdeno axiomaticallyo shiftso towardso theo accused-applicanto too furnisho ao lucid,o credibleo ando compellingo explanationo foro sucho tardinesso ––o failingo whicho mayo disentitleso sucho ano accused-applicantoforotheorelief.ooo

9.1.o o TheofactualomilieuoofotheocaseoinohandoreflectsothatotheoFIRoino questionowasoregisteredoono02.04.2024,otheopetitionero(herein)ohadofiledotheo anticipatoryobailopleaobeforeotheoSessionsoCourtoinoNovember,o2024owhicho cameo too beo dismissedo byo theo saido Sessionso Courto ono 03.12.2024.o o Theo petitionoinohandohasobeenofiledobeforeothisoCourtoono21.07.2025.ooThereoisonoo explanationomucholessocogentoandoconvincingoexplanationoputoforthobyotheo petitioneroregardingothisohiatusoofoabouto08omonths.ooErgo;otheopetitionoino hando deserveso too beo dismissedo ono thiso scoreo aso well,o aparto fromo meritso thereof.ooo

10.o o Ino viewo ofo theo gravityo ofo theo allegations,o theo specifico roleo attributedotootheopetitioneroandotheonecessityoofocustodialointerrogationoforoao fairoandothoroughoinvestigation,othisoCourtoisoofotheoconsideredoopinionothato CRM-M-38956-2025o o P a g e o?o10o o theopetitionerodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofoanticipatoryobailoinotheo factualo matrixo ofo theo caseo ino hand.o Moreover,o custodialo interrogationo ofo theopetitioneroisonecessaryoforoanoeffectiveoinvestigationo&otoounravelotheo truth.o Theo petitiono is,o thus,o devoido ofo meritso ando iso herebyo dismissed.o

11.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeodeemedotoobeoanoexpressiono ofoopinionouponomeritsoofotheocase/investigation.o

12.o o Pendingoapplication(s),oifoany,oshalloalsoostandodisposedooff.o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oooooo(SUMEEToGOEL)o o ooooooooooooooooo o o ooooooooooooooooooooo ooo o o oooJUDGEo o Julyo23,o2025o Naveeno o o o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo