JUDGMENT

Anoop Chitkara, J.

1. The petitioner apprehending arrest in the FIR captioned above has come up before this Court under Section 438 CrPC seeking anticipatory bail.

2. In paragraph 16 of the petition, it is declared that the accused has no criminal history.

3. Ld. Counsel for the petitioner contends that the custodial investigation would serve no purpose whatsoever, and the pre-trial incarceration would cause an irreversible injustice to the petitioner and family.

4. Ld. counsel appearing for the State contends that the petitioner has indulged in cheating and thugee is raising its ugly head, and it's the time to nip the evil in the bud.

REASONING:

5. The petitioner is a first offender, and one of the relevant factors would be to provide an opportunity to course-correct. Even a primafacie perusal of paragraph 3 to 5 of the bail petition needs consideration for bail.

6. In the present case, the maximum sentence imposable for the offences men