Boota Singh Alias Baljeet Singh and Another v. State of Punjab

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 o o o o o o o o 107o o o o o o o ooooooCRM-M-56934-2025o Dateoofodecision:o28.10.2025o o BootaoSingho@oBaljeetoSinghoandoanotheroo o o ....Petitionersoo o o V/so StateoofoPunjaboo o o o o o o ....Respondento o o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:oo Mr.oNeerajoJain,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioner.oo o o Mr.oAmitoKumaroGoyal,oAddl.oAG,oPunjab.o oo o o o o o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(Oral)oo

1.o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono482oofoBharatiyao NagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(hereinafterotoobeoreferredoaso'theoBNSS')o forograntoofopre-arrest/anticipatoryobailotootheopetitionersoinocaseobearingoFIRo No.087o datedo 10.07.2025,o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableo undero Sectiono118(1),o115(2),o191(3),o190oofoBNSo2023o(Sectiono118(2),o117(2)o addedolateroon)oatoPoliceoStationoGidderbaha,oDistrictoSrioMuktsaroSahib.o

2.oo o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoinoquestionoreflectsothatotheoFIRowaso registeredo byo theo investigatingo officer,o upono theo statemento ofo theo complainant-AmandeepoSinghothatoono09.07.2025oatoabouto10:00oa.m.,oheo alongo witho Amanpreeto Singh,o Gobindo Singh,o ando Lovepreeto Singho wereo goingotootheoPoliceoStationotoolodgeoaocomplaintoagainstotheopresentopetitionero NAVEEN NAGPAL no.2-Lakhviro Singho regardingo threatso previouslyo extendedo byo him.o Wheno CRM-M-56934-2025o o P a g e o?o2o o o o theyo reachedo Bharuo Chowk,o Gidderbaha,o nearo theo bridge,o theyo wereo allegedlyoconfrontedobyosaidoLakhveeroSingho(armedowithoaosword),oBootao Singho(armedowithoanoaxe),oRajveeroSingho(armedowithoaodang),oGurpindero Singho(armedowithoaobaseballobat),oRajpreetoSingho(armedowithoaokirpan),o alongowitho5–6ounidentifiedopersons.ooAtothatotime,oLakhveeroSinghoraisedoao lalkaraoexhortingothatotheyoshouldonotobeospared.oThereafter,oLakhveeroSingho inflictedoaoswordoblowowhichostruckotheocomplainantoAmandeepoSinghoono theoleftosideoofohisoforeheadonearotheoeye.oRajveeroSinghogaveoaodangoblowoono hiso backo ando nose.o Bootao Singho attackedo Amanpreeto Singho witho ano axe,o causingoinjuriesoonohisoleftowristoandoelbow,oandofurtherostruckohimowithotheo reverseosideoofotheoaxeoonohisoleftoknee.oGurpinderoSinghoassaultedoGobindo Singho witho ao baseballo bato ono hiso backo ando head.o Rajpreeto Singho strucko Lovepreeto Singho witho ao swordo ono theo backsideo ofo hiso righto thumb,o ando GurpinderoSinghoagainohitoLovepreetoSinghowithoaobaseballobatoonohisojaw.o Theo unidentifiedo personso accompanyingo themo alsoo causedo injurieso too theo complainantoparty.ooThereafter,otheoaccusedopersonsoforciblyotookoLovepreeto SinghoandoAmanpreetoSinghoinoaoScorpioovehicleotowardsotheosideoofoMalout,o fromowhereotheyowereolaterorescuedobyooneoLovepreetoSingh,owithotheohelpoofo hisofriends.oSubsequently,oIqbaloSinghoadmittedotheoinjuredotooCiviloHospital,o Gidderbaha,o ando dueo too theo seriousnesso ofo theo injurieso sustainedo byo LovepreetoSingh,oheowasoreferredotooBathindaoforofurtherotreatment.ooOnotheo basiso ofo theo aforesaido statemento ofo Amandeepo Singh,o ao caseo haso beeno registeredounderoSectionso118(1),o115(2),o191(3),o190oofoBNSo2023o(Sectiono 118(2),o117(2)oaddedolateroon)owasoregisteredoagainstotheopetitioner.o

3.o o Learnedo counselo foro theo petitionerso haso submittedo thato theo petitionerso areo innocento personso ando haveo beeno falselyo implicatedo ino theo CRM-M-56934-2025o o P a g e o?o3o o o o presento case.o o Heo haso furthero submittedo that,o ino fact,o theo injurieso wereo sustainedobyotheopetitioner-LakhveeroSinghoatotheohandsoofotheocomplainanto party.oItoisofurtherosubmittedothatotheoinjuriesoallegedotoohaveobeenocausedotoo theocomplainantoandoothersowereoactuallyoinflictedobyocertainoNihangoSinghs,o andothereoexistsoaovideoorecordingosubstantiatingothisofact.oTheocomplainanto hasofalselyoimplicatedotheopetitionersobyoregisteringotheopresentocaseowithoao malaofideointention.oLearnedocounseloalsoosubmitsothatothereoisonothingotoobeo recoveredo fromo theo possessiono ofo theo petitionerso and,o thus,o theyo areo noto requiredoforoanyocustodialointerrogation.ooLearnedocounseloassertsothatotheoino theoinstantocase,otheoFIRofailsotooincludeomaterialofacts,owhichofurtheroraisedo questionso abouto itso credibilityo ando fairness.o o Moreover,o theo custodialo interrogationoshouldonotobeousedoasoaopunitiveomeasureoandoisojustifiedoonlyo wheno absolutelyo necessaryo foro theo recoveryo ofo materialo evidence.oo Furthermore,otheopetitionersoareoreadyotoojoinotheoinvestigationoandohenceonoo usefulopurposeowouldobeoservedobyosendingohimobehindotheobars.oItoisolastlyo submittedobyotheolearnedocounselothatotheopresentopetitionobeoallowedoandotheo petitionerobeograntedotheoconcessionoofotheoanticipatoryobail.ooo

4.o o Pero contra,o theo learnedo Stateo Counselo opposedo theo granto ofo anticipatoryobailotootheopetitionerobyoarguingothatotheooffenceoisoofoaoseriouso nature.oLearnedoStateocounselohasoiteratedothatotheocustodialointerrogationoofo theo petitionerso iso imperativeo foro theo purposeo ofo effectiveo ando fairo investigation.oAccordingotoolearnedoStateocounsel,oinocaseotheopetitionersoareo grantedotheoconcessionoofopre-arrest,oatothisostage,oitomayoimpedeotheoongoingo investigation.ooHeohasoalsoofiledostatusoreportobyowayoofoaffidavitoofoDeputyo Superintendento ofo Police,o Sub-Division,o Gidderbaha,o Districto Srio Muktsaro Sahib,orelevantowhereoforeadsothus:o CRM-M-56934-2025o o P a g e o?o4o o o o o o "7.oThatotheopresentopetitionersoBootaoSinghoandoLakhveero Singhoalongwithoco-accusedoinflictedoinjuriesotootheocomplainantooandohiso friends.ooTheoinjuryochartoisochartedoinoaotabulatedomanner:-o o o o Sr.oNo.o Victimoo Nameo ofo theo WeaponoUsedo InjuryoDetailo Accusedo

1.o Amandeepo LakhveeroSingho Swordo Onotheoleftosideo Singhos/oo ofotheoforehead,o CharatoSingho nearoeyeo(Sharpo Injury)o

2.o Amandeepo RajviroSingho Sticko Onotheobacko Singhos/oo andotheoonotheo CharatoSingho nose.ooInjuryo No.2oando3o (blunt)o

3.o Amanpreeto Bootao Axeo Onoleftowristo Singhos/oo andoonoelbowo Bhupindero (sharp)oando Singho injuryono.3oono leftokneeowitho theobackosideoofo axeo(blunt)o

4.o GobindoSingho Gurpindero Baseballo Onobackoandoono s/ooInderjeeto Singho theoheado(blunt)o Singho

5.o Lovepreeto RajpreetoSingho Swordo Onotheobacko Singhos/oo sideoofothumboofo InjderjeetoSingho rightohand,o injuryoNo.1,o (sharp)o

6.o Lovepreeto Gurpindero Baseballo Onotheorighto Singhos/oo Singho sideoofotheojaw,o InjderjeetoSingho injuryono.2,o blunto o o 8.oThatotheopetitioneroBootaoSinghowasoarmedowithoaxeoandoheogaveo fouroinjuriesowithohisoaxeotooAmanpreetoSinghosonoofoBhupinderoSingh.oo ThatopetitioneroLakhveeroSinghowasoarmedowithoSwordoandoheogaveooneo injuryotooAmandeepoSinghosonoofoCharatoSingh."o

5.o o Iohaveoheardotheolearnedocounseloforotheorivalopartiesoandohaveo goneothroughotheoavailableorecordoofotheocase.o

6.o o Ito wouldo beo appositeo too refero hereino too ao judgmento ofo theo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto titledo aso Kishoro Vishwasraoo Patilo vs.o Deepako YashwantoPatiloandoanotheropassedoinoSLP(Crl)oNo.1125-2022,orelevanto whereoforeadsoasounder:o o "74.o Ordinarily,o arresto iso ao parto ofo theo processo ofo theo investigationo I attest to the accuracy and intendedotoosecureoseveralopurposes.oThereomayobeocircumstancesoinowhicho CRM-M-56934-2025o o P a g e o?o5o o o o theo accusedo mayo provideo informationo leadingo too discoveryo ofo materialo factsoandorelevantoinformation.oGrantoofoanticipatoryobailomayohamperotheo investigation.o Pre-arresto bailo iso too strikeo ao balanceo betweeno theo individual'sorightotoopersonalofreedomoandotheorightoofotheoinvestigatingo agencyotoointerrogateotheoaccusedoasotootheomaterialosoofarocollectedoandotoo collecto moreo informationo whicho mayo leado too recoveryo ofo relevanto information.oo o xxxo o o xxxo o o xxxo o o xxxo o xxxo o o xxxo o o xxxo o o xxxo o o 75.oObservingothatotheoarrestoisoaopartoofotheoinvestigationointendedotoo secureo severalo purposes,o ino Adrio Dharano Daso v.o Stateo ofo W.B.o [Adrio DharanoDasov.oStateoofoW.B.,o(2005)o4oSCCo303o:o2005oSCCo(Cri)o933]o,o itowasoheldoasoundero:o(SCCop.o313,oparao19)oo o "19.oOrdinarily,oarrestoisoaopartoofotheoprocessoofoinvestigationointendedotoo secureoseveralopurposes.oTheoaccusedomayohaveotoobeoquestionedoinodetailo regardingo variouso facetso ofo motive,o preparation,o commissiono ando aftermathoofotheocrimeoandotheoconnectionoofootheropersons,oifoany,oinotheo crime.oThereo mayobeocircumstancesoinowhichotheoaccusedomayoprovideo informationoleadingotoodiscoveryoofomaterialofacts.oItomayobeonecessaryotoo curtailohisofreedomoinoorderotooenableotheoinvestigationotooproceedowithouto hindranceoandotooprotectowitnessesoandopersonsoconnectedowithotheovictimo ofotheocrime,otoopreventohisodisappearance,otoomaintainolawoandoorderoino theolocality.oForotheseoorootheroreasons,oarrestomayobecomeoanoinevitableo partoofotheoprocessoofoinvestigation.oTheolegalityoofotheoproposedoarresto cannotobeogoneointooinoanoapplicationounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode.oTheo roleo ofo theo investigatoro iso wello definedo ando theo jurisdictionalo scopeo ofo interferenceobyotheocourtoinotheoprocessoofoinvestigationoisolimited.oTheo courtoordinarilyowillonotointerfereowithotheoinvestigationoofoaocrimeoorowitho theo arresto ofo theo accusedo ino ao cognizableo offence.o Ano interimo ordero restrainingo arrest,o ifo passedo whileo dealingo witho ano applicationo underoSectiono 438oofo theo Codeo willo amounto too interferenceo ino theo investigation,owhichocannot,oatoanyorate,obeodoneounderoSectiono438oofotheo Code."o o 76.o Ino Siddharamo Satlingappao Mhetreo v.o Stateo ofo Maharashtrao [SiddharamoSatlingappaoMhetreov.oStateoofoMaharashtra,o(2011)o1oSCCo 694o:o(2011)o1oSCCo(Cri)o514],otheoSupremeoCourtolaidodownotheofactorso andoparametersotoobeoconsideredowhileodealingowithoanticipatoryobail.oIto wasoheldothatotheonatureoandotheogravityoofotheoaccusationoandotheoexacto roleoofotheoaccusedomustobeoproperlyocomprehendedobeforeoarrestoisomadeo ando thato theo courto musto evaluateo theo availableo materialo againsto theo 2025.10.28 17:26 accusedoveryocarefully.oItowasoalsooheldothatotheocourtoshouldoalsooconsidero CRM-M-56934-2025o o P a g e o?o6o o o o whetherotheoaccusationsohaveobeenomadeoonlyowithotheoobjectoofoinjuringo orohumiliatingotheoapplicantobyoarrestingohimooroher.o o 77.o Aftero referringo tooSiddharamo Satlingappao Mhetreo [Siddharamo Satlingappao Mhetreo v.o Stateo ofo Maharashtra,o (2011)o 1o SCCo 694o :o

(2011)o 1o SCCo (Cri)o 514]o ando othero judgmentso ando observingo thato anticipatoryobailocanobeograntedoonlyoinoexceptionalocircumstances,oinoJaio PrakashoSinghov.oStateoofoBiharo[JaioPrakashoSinghov.oStateoofoBihar,o

(2012)o4oSCCo379o:o(2012)o2oSCCo(Cri)o468]o,otheoSupremeoCourtoheldoaso undero:o(SCCop.o386,oparao19)oo o "19.oParametersoforograntoofoanticipatoryobailoinoaoseriousooffenceoareo requiredotoobeosatisfiedoandofurtherowhileograntingosuchorelief,otheocourto mustorecordotheoreasonsotherefor.oAnticipatoryobailocanobeograntedoonlyoino exceptionalocircumstancesowhereotheocourtoisoprimaofacieoofotheoviewothato theoapplicantohasofalselyobeenoenropedoinotheocrimeoandowouldonotomisuseo hisoliberty.o(SeeoD.K.oGaneshoBabuov.oP.T.oManokarano[D.K.oGanesho Babuov.oP.T.oManokaran,o(2007)o4oSCCo434o:(2007)o2oSCCo(Cri)o345]o,o StateoofoMaharashtraov.oMohd.oSajidoHusainoMohd.oS.oHusaino[Stateoofo Maharashtraov.oMohd.oSajidoHusainoMohd.oS.oHusain,o(2008)o1oSCCo 213o:o(2008)o1oSCCo(Cri)o176]oandoUnionoofoIndiaov.oPadamoNaraino Aggarwalo[UnionoofoIndiaov.oPadamoNarainoAggarwal,o(2008)o13oSCCo 305o:o(2009)o1oSCCo(Cri)o1]o.)"o o Economicooffenceso o 78.oPowerounderoSectiono438oCrPCobeingoanoextraordinaryoremedy,ohasotoo beoexercisedosparingly;omoreoso,oinocasesoofoeconomicooffences.oEconomico offencesostandoasoaodifferentoclassoasotheyoaffectotheoeconomicofabricoofotheo society.oInoDirectorateo ofo Enforcemento v.o Ashoko Kumaro Jaino [DirectorateoofoEnforcementov.oAshokoKumaroJain,o(1998)o2oSCCo105o:o 1998oSCCo(Cri)o510],oitowasoheldothatoinoeconomicooffences,otheoaccusedoiso notoentitledotooanticipatoryobail."o o 15.oInoSushilao Agrawalo ando otherso v.o Stateo (NCTo ofo Delhi)o ando Anotheroreportedoino(2020)o5oSCCo1,oConstitutionoBenchoofothisoCourto heldothatowhileoconsideringoanoapplicationoforograntoofopre-arrestobailotheo Courtohasotooconsiderotheonatureoofotheooffence,otheoroleoofotheoperson,otheo likelihoodoofohisoinfluencingotheocourseoofoinvestigation,oorotamperingowitho evidenceoorolikelihoodoofofleeingojustice.oTheoCourtoheld:-o o "92.4.oCourtsooughtotoobeogenerallyoguidedobyoconsiderationsosucho asotheonatureoandogravityoofotheooffences,otheoroleoattributedotootheo applicant,oandotheofactsoofotheocase,owhileoconsideringowhetherotoo grantoanticipatoryobail,oororefuseoit.oWhetherotoograntooronotoisoao mattero ofo discretion;o equallyo whethero ando ifo so,o whato kindo ofo 2025.10.28 17:26 specialo conditionso areo too beo imposedo (oro noto imposed)o areo CRM-M-56934-2025o o P a g e o?o7o o o o dependentoonofactsoofotheocase,oandosubjectotootheodiscretionoofotheo court."o

7.o o AsoperotheoallegationsosetoforthoinotheoFIR,oseriousochargesohaveo undeniablyo beeno madeo againsto theo presento petitioners,o aso theyo wereo specificallyo namedo ino theo FIRo registered,o byo theo complainant.o o Aso pero submissionsomadeobyolearnedoStateocounsel,otheoinvestigationoisostilloatoao preliminaryostage,oandocustodialointerrogationoofotheopresentopetitionersoiso necessary,o especiallyo ino lighto ofo theofacto thatotheyo haveo beeno specificallyo namedo ino theo FIR.o Thereo existso ao strongo primao facieo caseo againsto theo petitioners,o whoo haveo beeno specificallyo namedo ino theo FIR.o Theo learnedo counseloforotheopetitionerohasofailedotoodemonstrateothatotheocaseoregisteredo againstohimoisofalse.ooMoreover,oasoperotheostatusoreportofiledobyoonobehalfoofo theoState,otheoinjuriesosufferedobyotheocomplainantosideoareobluntoandoseriouso inonature.o o o Noocauseonayoplausibleocauseohasobeenoshown,oatothisostage,o fromo whicho ito cano beo decipheredo thato theo petitionerso haveo beeno falselyo implicatedointootheopresentoFIR.ooItogoesowithoutosayingothatoinotheoinstanto case,oitowasospecificallyoallegedoinotheoFIRothatotheopetitionersoalongowitho otheroco-accusedowasoaopartoofoanounlawfuloassemblyoandoinvolvedoinotheo incidentoinoquestion.oo

8.o o Itoisobefittingotoomentionohereothatowhileoconsideringoaopleaoforo grantoofoanticipatoryobail,otheoCourtohasotooequilibrateobetweenosafeguardingo individualo rightso ando protectingo societalo interest(s).o Theo Courto oughto too reckonowithotheomagnitudeoandonatureoofotheooffence;otheoroleoattributedotoo theoaccused;otheoneedoforofairoandofreeoinvestigationoasoalsootheodeeperoando wideoimpactoofosuchoallegedoiniquitiesoonotheosociety.oItoisoimperativeothato I attest to the accuracy andeveryopersonoinotheoSocietyocanoexpectoanoatmosphereofreeofromoforebodingo CRM-M-56934-2025o o P a g e o?o8o o o o &ofearoofoanyotransgression.ooAtothisostage,othereoisonoomaterialoonorecordotoo holdo thato primao facieo caseo iso noto madeo outo againsto theo petitioner.o Theo materialowhichohasocomeoonorecordoandopreliminaryoinvestigation,oappearotoo beo establishedo ao reasonableo basiso foro theo accusations.o Thus,o ito iso noto appropriateotoograntoanticipatoryobailotootheopetitioner,oasoitowouldonecessarilyo causeo impedimento ino effectiveo investigation.o o InoStateo v.o Anilo Sharmao [Stateov.o Anilo Sharma,o (1997)o 7o SCCo 187o :o 1997o SCCo (Cri)o 1039],o theo SupremeoCourtoheldoasoundero:o(SCCop.o189,oparao6)oo o "6.oWeofindoforceoinotheosubmissionoofoCBIothatocustodialointerrogationoiso qualitativelyomoreoelicitation-orientedothanoquestioningoaosuspectowhooisowell-ensconcedowithoaofavourableoorderounderoSectiono438oofotheoCode.oInoaocaseo likeo this,o effectiveo interrogationo ofo ao suspectedo persono iso ofo tremendouso advantageoinodisinterringomanyousefuloinformationsoandoalsoomaterialsowhicho wouldohaveobeenoconcealed.oSuccessoinosuchointerrogationowouldoeludeoifotheo suspectedopersonoknowsothatoheoisowelloprotectedoandoinsulatedobyoaopre-arrestobailoorderoduringotheotimeoheoisointerrogated.oVeryooftenointerrogationo inosuchoaoconditionowouldoreduceotooaomereoritual.oTheoargumentothatotheo custodialo interrogationo iso fraughto witho theo dangero ofo theo persono beingo subjectedotoothird-degreeomethodsoneedonotobeocountenanced,ofor,osuchoano argumentocanobeoadvancedobyoalloaccusedoinoallocriminalocases.oTheoCourto hasotoopresumeothatoresponsibleopoliceoofficersowouldoconductothemselvesoinoao responsibleo mannero ando thato thoseo entrustedo witho theo tasko ofo disinterringo offencesowouldonotoconductothemselvesoasooffenders."o

9.o o Inoviewoofotheogravityoofotheoallegations,osinceotheopetitionerso wereo memberso ofo ano unlawfulo assembly,o theo necessityo ofo custodialo interrogationowouldoariseoforoaofairoandothoroughoinvestigation,othisoCourtoiso ofotheoconsideredoopinionothatotheopetitionersodoonotodeserveotheoconcessiono ofo anticipatoryo bailo ino theo factualo matrixo ofo theo caseo ino hand.o Moreover,o custodialo interrogationo ofo theo petitionerso iso necessaryo foro ano effectiveo investigationo&otoounravelotheotruth.oTheopetitionois,othus,odevoidoofomeritso CRM-M-56934-2025o o P a g e o?o9o o o o

10.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeodeemedotoobeoanoexpressiono ofoopinionouponomeritsoofotheocase/investigation.oo

11.o o Pendingoapplication(s),oifoany,oshalloalsoostandodisposedooff.o o o 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 Octobero28,o2025o Naveeno o o o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo o