Resham Singh v. State of Haryana

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 108o o o o o o o ooooooCRM-M-69448-2025o Dateoofodecision:o09.12.2025o o o o o o o o Dateoofouploading:o11.12.2025o ReshamoSingho o o o o oo o o ....Petitionerooo o V/so StateoofoHaryanaooo o o o o o o ....Respondento o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMEEToGOELo o Present:oo Mr.oRandeepoSinghoDhakla,oAdvocateoforotheopetitioners.oo o o Mr.oTarunoAggarwal,oAddl.AG,oHaryana.o o o Mr.oShivoKumar,oAdvocateoforotheocomplainant.oo o o oo o o o o o *****o SUMEEToGOEL,oJ.o(Oral)oo

1.o o PresentopetitionohasobeenofiledounderoSectiono482oofoBharatiyao NagarikoSurakshaoSanhita,o2023o(hereinafterotoobeoreferredoaso'theoBNSS')o forograntoofopre-arrest/anticipatoryobailotootheopetitioneroinocaseobearingoFIRo No.404o datedo 28.11.2025,o registeredo foro theo offenceso punishableo undero Sectiono 308(4),o 61(2)o ofo BNS,o 2023,o ato Policeo Stationo Nissing,o Districto Karnal.o

2.oo o TheogravamenoofotheoFIRoisothatoonotheocomplainantoSubhasho Chander,owhooclaimsotoobeoworkingoasoaoPriest/Astrologeroforotheopastonearlyo 50oyears,owasoapproachedobyooneoGuddioDevi,owifeoofotheopresentopetitioner.o Ato theo relevanto time,o theo complainanto waso presento ato theo residenceo ofo Mahinder,osonoofoBaloSingh,oalongowithoVedoParkash,oalsoosonoofoBaloSingh,o forotheopurposeoofoperformingoaopooja.oTheocomplainantoallegesothatoaccusedo I attest to the accuracy andGuddioDeviocalledohimoonotheopretextoofoshowingoherohoroscope,owhereupono CRM-M-69448-2025o o P a g e o?o2o o o heo reachedo hero residence,o whereo theo petitionero (herein)o alongwitho oneo Priyankao (wifeo ofo Sandeep)o wereo alreadyo present.o o Theo complainanto haso furtherostatedothatoSandeepowasoheavilyointoxicatedoandoexpressedohisodesireo foro horoscopeo consultation,o too whicho theo complainanto respondedo thato heo wouldoundertakeo theo sameo onceo Sandeepo waso outo ofo influenceo ofo liquor.oo Thereafter,oatoaroundo10:00–11:00oAM,oaccusedoGuddioallegedlyoaskedotheo complainantotoostepointootheocourtyardotoodiscussomattersorelatingotooVastuoofo herohouse.oAtothatostage,otheopetitionero(herein)oandoSandeepoareosaidotoohaveo leftotheoplace,oleavingobehindoPriyanka,owhoowasooccupiedowithoheromobileo phoneowhileoseatedoonoaochair,oandotheocomplainant,owhoosatouponoaobed.oItoiso furthero allegedothatoaccusedo Guddio thenotouchedo himo inappropriatelyo ando solicitedosexualointercourse,otoowhichoheoexpressedohisoinabilityoonoaccounto ofobeingodiabetic.oWhenotheocomplainantoattemptedotooleave,oGuddioallegedlyo misbehavedowithohimoandoaoscuffleoensued.oPriyankaoisostatedotoohave,oinotheo meantime,orecordedocertainovideooclipsowithoutohisoconsent.oTheocomplainanto thereaftero returnedo too hiso home.o o Thereafter,o ato abouto 01:00o PM,o theo complainantoreceivedoaophoneocallofromoaccusedoGeeta,owhooinformedohimo thatotheyohadorecordedoaovideooclipoandodemandedomoney,othreateningotoo defameohimobyocirculatingotheovideooonoWhatsAppoifoheofailedotoocomply.oIto isofurtheroallegedothatotheocomplainantounderofearoyieldedotootheoabvoesaido illegalo monetaryo demands.o Ono 27.11.2025,o ato abouto 05:00o PM,o heo againo receivedoaodemandoforomoney.oActingouponohisoapplication,otheoSDM,oKarnalo wasoappointedoasoDutyoMagistrateoandojoinedotheopoliceoteam.oAotrapowaso laidoandowhenotheocomplainantohandedoovero₹10,000/-oinotheodenominationoofo ₹500/-ocurrencyonotes,oaccusedoGuddioDeviowasoapprehendedoatotheospotowitho theosaidomoneyoinoheropossession.ooOnotheobasisoofotheoaforesaidoallegations,o NAVEEN NAGPAL theoinstantoFIRocameotoobeoregisteredoagainstotheoaccusedopersons.o CRM-M-69448-2025o o P a g e o?o3o o o

3.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerocontendsothatotheopetitioneroiso innocento ando haso beeno falselyo implicated,o aso noo specifico roleo haso beeno attributedotoohimoinotheoallegedooffence.oLearnedocounseloappearingoforotheo petitionerohasourgedothatotheopetitionerohasoneverodemandedoanyomoneyofromo theocomplainant,onoroareothereoanyodirectoorospecificoallegationsoagainstohim.o Itoisofurtherosubmittedothatotheoonlyospecificoroleoisoattributedotooco-accusedo GuddioDevi,owhoostandsoarrestedoandorecoveryohasoalsoobeenoeffectedofromo her.ooItoisotheocaseoofotheopetitionerothatobeingomerelyotheohusbandoofoaccusedo GuddioDevi,oheohasobeenounnecessarilyoropedoin,odespiteothereobeingonooacto onohisoparto inotheo commissionoofo theooffenceoino question.oMoreover,o theo custodialo interrogationo shouldo noto beo usedo aso ao punitiveo measureo ando iso justifiedo onlyo wheno absolutelyo necessaryo foro theo recoveryo ofo materialo evidence.ooFurthermore,onothingoisotoobeorecoveredofromotheopetitioneroandoheo iso readyotoojoinotheoinvestigationo andohenceonoousefulopurposeowouldobeo servedobyosendingohimobehindotheobars.oItoisolastlyosubmittedobyotheolearnedo counselothatotheopresentopetitionobeoallowedoandotheopetitionerobeograntedotheo concessionoofotheoanticipatoryobail.ooo

4.o o Pero contra,o theo learnedo Stateo Counselo assistedo byo Mr.o Shivo Kumar,ocounseloforotheocomplainantoopposedotheograntoofoanticipatoryobailotoo theopetitionerobyo arguingo thato theooffenceo isoofo aoseriouso nature.o o Itowaso furtherocontendedothatotheoallegationsocontainedoinotheoFIRorevealoaowell-plannedocriminaloconspiracyohatchedobyotheoaccusedopersonsotooexploitoando extortomoneyofromotheocomplainantobyorecordingohisovideoowithoutoconsento andothereafterothreateningotoodefameohim.oHeohasofurtherosubmittedothatotheo sequenceoofo events,o aso narratedoinotheo complaintobyo complainant,o clearlyo indicateso thato heo waso firsto luredo too theo spoto ono theo pretexto ofo horoscopeo authenticity of this order/judcgmoenntsultation,o ando thereafter,o theo accusedo persons,o ino furtheranceo ofo theiro CRM-M-69448-2025o o P a g e o?o4o o o commonointention,oallegedlyoactedoinoconcert,oculminatingoinotheosubsequento demandoforomoney.ooHeohasofurtheroarguedothatotheoroleoofoeachoaccused,o includingotheopresentopetitioner,oisosubjectomatteroofoinvestigationoandocannoto beo brushedo asideo ato thiso nascento stage.o o o Ito iso furthero submittedo thato investigationoisoatoaonascentostageoand,otherefore,ocustodialointerrogationoofo theo petitionero mayo beo necessaryo too ascertaino involvemento ofo othero co-accused,oifoany.ooLearnedoStateocounselohasofurtheroiteratedothatotheocustodialo interrogationoofotheopetitioneroisoimperativeoforotheopurposeoofoeffectiveoando fairoinvestigationoandotoounearthotheocaseoofotheoprosecution.oAccordingotoo learnedoStateocounsel,oinocaseotheopetitioneroisograntedotheoconcessionoofopre-arrest,oatothisostage,oitomayoimpedeotheoongoingoinvestigation.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 intendedotoosecureoseveralopurposes.oThereomayobeocircumstancesoinowhicho 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 2025.12.11 10:00 itowasoheldoasoundero:o(SCCop.o313,oparao19)oo CRM-M-69448-2025o o P a g e o?o5o o o 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 accusedoveryocarefully.oItowasoalsooheldothatotheocourtoshouldoalsooconsidero whethero theo accuo haveo beeno madeo onlyo witho theo objecto ofo injuringo oro humiliatingotheoapplicantobyoarrestingohimooroher.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 I attest to the accuracy and theoapplicantohasofalselyobeenoenropedoinotheocrimeoandowouldonotomisuseo CRM-M-69448-2025o o P a g e o?o6o o o 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 specialo conditionso areo too beo imposedo (oro noto imposed)o areo dependentoonofactsoofotheocase,oandosubjectotootheodiscretionoofotheo court."o

7.o o AsoperotheocaseoputoforthoinotheoFIRoinoquestion,oindubitably,o seriouso allegationso haveo beeno levelledo ino theo FIR.o o Theo allegations,o aso detailedoinotheoFIR,oprimaofacieodiscloseoaosequenceoofoeventsoindicatingoao concertedoattemptotooextortomoneyofromotheocomplainant.oTheocomplainanto waso allegedlyo enticedo ono theo pretexto ofo horoscopeo consultation,o ao videoo recordingowasomadeowithoutoconsentoandothereafteromoneyowasoallegedlyo demandedounderothreatoofoviraloofotheosaidorecording.oTheoinvestigationoisoino 2025.12.11 10:00 progresso ando theo possibilityo ofo recoveryo ofo theo extortedo moneyo ando CRM-M-69448-2025o o P a g e o?o7o o o identificationo ofo othero offenderso cannoto beo ruledo outo withouto custodialo interrogation.oo o o Noocauseonayoplausibleocauseohasobeenoshown,oatothisostage,o fromo whicho ito cano beo decipheredo thato theo petitionero haso beeno falselyo implicatedointootheopresentoFIR.ooo

8.o o Furthermore,o theo investigationo iso stillo ato ao crucialo stage,o ando custodialointerrogationoofotheopetitioneroisoconsideredonecessaryotoouneartho theo completeo factso ando too ascertaino involvemento ofo anyo othero personso connectedowithotheocase.oTheopetitioneroisoyetotoobeoarrestedoandograntoofo anticipatoryobail,oatothisostage,omayoprejudiceotheoongoingoinvestigation.oTheo apprehensionoexpressedobyotheoprosecutionothatotheopetitioner,oiforeleasedoono bail,omayoabscondooroattemptotooinfluenceowitnessesoalsooappearsotoobeonoto withoutobasis.oGivenotheoseriousnessoofotheooffence,otheostageoofoinvestigationo andopossibilityoofotamperingowithoevidenceooroobstructingojustice,othisoCourto isoofotheoviewothatotheopetitionerodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofobailoato thiso juncture.o Moreover,o ino viewo ofo theo seriouso allegations,o theo custodialo interrogationoofotheopetitioneroisoindispensableoandocrucialoforounearthingotheo broaderoconspiracyoandoidentifyingotheootheroaccomplicesothatomayobeowithino theo exclusiveo knowledgeo ofo theo petitioner.o Moreover,o theo granto ofo anticipatoryobailoatothisoprematureostageomayoseriouslyoprejudiceotheoongoingo investigationo ando potentiallyo resulto ino tamperingo witho evidenceo oro influencingomaterialowitnesses.o

9.o o Itoisobefittingotoomentionohereothatowhileoconsideringoaopleaoforo grantoofoanticipatoryobail,otheoCourtohasotooequilibrateobetweenosafeguardingo individualo rightso ando protectingo societalo interest(s).o Theo Courto oughto too reckonowithotheomagnitudeoandonatureoofotheooffence;otheoroleoattributedotoo 2025.12.11 10:00 theoaccused;otheoneedoforofairoandofreeoinvestigationoasoalsootheodeeperoando CRM-M-69448-2025o o P a g e o?o8o o o wideoimpactoofosuchoallegedoiniquitiesoonotheosociety.oItoisoimperativeothato everyopersonoinotheoSocietyocanoexpectoanoatmosphereofreeofromoforebodingo &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

10.o o Inoviewoofotheogravityoofotheoallegationsoandonatureoofooffence,o sinceo theo necessityo ofo custodialo interrogationo wouldo ariseo foro ao fairo ando thorougho investigation,o thiso Courto iso ofo theo consideredo opiniono thato theo petitionerodoesonotodeserveotheoconcessionoofoanticipatoryobailoinotheofactualo matrixo ofo theo caseo ino hand.o Moreover,o custodialo interrogationo ofo theo petitioneroisonecessaryoforoanoeffectiveoinvestigationo&otoounravelotheotruth.o NAVEEN NAGPAL Theopetitionois,othus,odevoidoofomeritsoandoisoherebyodismissed.oo CRM-M-69448-2025o o P a g e o?o9o o o

11.o o Nothingosaidohereinaboveoshallobeodeemedotoobeoanoexpressiono ofoopinionouponomeritsoofotheocase/investigation.oo

12.o o Pendingoapplication(s),oifoany,oshalloalsoostandodisposedooff.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 Decembero09,o2025o Naveeno o o o o Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo o o Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/Noo o