JUDGMENT :

RUPINDERJIT CHAHAL, J.

1. Prayer in the present petition filed under Section 482 of the BNSS, 2023 is for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner in case FIR No.10 dated 29.11.2025 registered under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 24 of the Immigration Act, at Police Station NRI, District Moga.

2. Brief facts as per the prosecution case are that the petitioner allegedly duped the complainant for a sum of Rs.5 lakhs by providing forged work visa of Singapore to her daughter-Soma Rani. Hence, the present FIR.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the petitioner has been falsely implicated in the present case. He submits that the petitioner is carrying on the business of Visa Consultancy in the name of “M/s Aman Immigration” at Kotkapura, District Faridkot. He further argued that the complainant approached to the petitioner for obtaining an Open Domestic Work Permit Visa of Singapore for her daughter-Soma Rani. Thereafter, on persual of the documents and educational qualifications, petitioner made it clear that Soma Rani can get Open Domestic Work Permit only for one year initially and she will be able to do some petty jobs only. The said position was also made clear to her brother-Manga Singh, who is already settled in Singapore. He argued that on 30.03.2025, work permit application of Soma Rani was approved by the Ministry of Manpower, Singapore, vide letter dated 30.03.2025 (Annexure P-3) and she was issued a work permit and visit pass, which was valid upto 06.04.2026 (Annexure P-4). Ultimately Soma Rani reached Singapore on 25.04.2025 on a valid visa. He further argued that the petitioner has neither concealed anything nor has provided any forged document to the complainant. He further argued that Soma Rani had got a nursing job illegally in Singapore, as the said job was not permissible on the Open Domestic Work Permit Visa. Thus, false allegations have been levelled against the petitioner and Soma Rani is still in Singapore. He further submits that the offences are triable by Magistrate only. No recovery is to be effected from the petitioner. Moreover, the petitioner has clean antecedents as she is not involved in any other case. Learned counsel for the petitioner further submits that the petitioner is ready and willing to join the investigation as and when called upon to do so by the investigating agency.

4. After registration of the FIR, investigation has been initiated and is under way. Apprehending her arrest, the petitioner had moved an application for grant of anticipatory bail which has been dismissed by the Court of learned Additional Sessions Judge, Moga, vide order dated 16.12.2025.

5. On the other hand, learned State counsel has already filed the status report in the matter and while referring to the same, has opposed the prayer of the petitioner for grant of anticipatory bail on the ground that the allegations levelled against the petitioner are serious in nature. She argued that the petitioner is specifically named in the FIR and has cheated and defrauded the complainant for a sum of Rs.5 lakhs by providing forged work permit visa of Singapore to her daughter-Soma Rani. She further argued that an amount of Rs.3,50,000/- was directly transferred into the account of the petitioner. She further submits that the custodial interrogation of the petitioner is required for a fair and proper investigation in the matter as well as to unearth the modus operandi of accused and to effect recovery of the amount involved in the alleged fraud. Hence, she prays for dismissal of the petition.

6. Heard.

7. In the present case, the petitioner is specifically named in the FIR and the allegations against her are serious in nature. She is alleged to have cheated and defrauded the complainant for a sum of Rs.5,00,000/- by providing forged work permit visa for Singapore to her daughter-Soma Rani. The events in entirety indicate towards the existence of a bigger syndicate indulging in