IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision: 20.02.2026 Ranjit Singh @ Jaggi ...Petitioner Versus State of Punjab ...Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE MANISHA BATRA Present: Mr. Kanwaljeet Singh, Advocate for the petitioner.

Ms. Ruchika Sabherwal, Senior DAG, Punjab.

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MANISHA BATRA, J. (Oral)

1. The instant one is the third petition as filed by the petitioner for seeking grant of regular bail in case arising out of FIR No. 14 dated 25.01.2023 registered under Sections 302, 201, 404 and 34 of IPC (Section 120-B of IPC was added later on) at Police Station City Sunam, District Sangrur. His first petition bearing CRM-M-48487-2024 had been dismissed by this Court on 13.12.2024 and the second petition bearing CRM-M-19073-2025 had been dismissed as withdrawn on 22.04.2025.

2. The aforementioned FIR was registered on the basis of the statement recorded by the complainant, Ranjeet Kumar, on 25.01.2023, alleging that he was engaged in the business of recycling used Mobil oil and that his brother, Manjeet Singh, used to procure the same from various workshops and then sell it to him. He kept bolero vehicle for this purpose. The present petitioner and co-accused Talwinder Singh were working as labourers with him. On 20.01.2023, Manjit Singh i.e. victim along with petitioner and said co-accused had gone in his vehicle to collect Mobil oil from different cities. He had carried cash amount of Rs. 60,000/-. He did not return on that night. His dead body was found lying at civil hospital, Sunam. After making search, he raised suspicion that the victim had been murdered by the present petitioner and co-accused Talwinder Singh. After registration of FIR, investigation proceedings were initiated. The petitioner and co-accused Talwinder Singh were arrested on 26.01.2023. The petitioner suffered disclosure statement admitting his involvement in the crime and by attributing a motive to the effect that the victim had not been making payment of work done by them and hence, by hatching a plan, they had killed him by extending severe beatings to him. The co-accused also suffered similar disclosure statement. The petitioner and co-accused suffered another disclosure statement on 28.01.2023 to the effect that Kala Singh @ Punjab and Mandeep Singh @ Laadi had concealed the dead body of the victim on their asking in lieu of some money. Both of them were also nominated as additional accused and were arrested on 29.01.2023. Investigation now stands completed and the petitioner along with the co-accused is facing trial for commission of aforementioned offences.

3. It is argued by learned counsel for the petitioner that he has been falsely implicated in this case on the basis of suspicion. There is no eye- witness to the murder of the victim. The case is based on circumstantial evidence. A false recovery has been planted upon him. PW-1 Pali Singh who was a witness to alleged suffering of extra judicial confession by the petitioner and co-accused has turned hostile. PW-2 Taran Kumar who had allegedly seen the petitioner and co-accused while having a quarrel with the victim at Grewal Petrol Pump has also not supported the prosecution version. He is in custody for a period of over three years. He has clean antecedents. Trial is likely to take considerable time to conclude. Similarly situated co-accused Talwinder Singh @ Tarwinder Singh @ Kali has already been granted concession of regular bail by this Court. Co-accused Mandeep Singh and Kala Singh have also been extended benefit of bail. On parity, he too deserves to be extended the same benefit. His further detention would not serve any useful purpose. There was no motive for him to commit the murder of the victim. With these broad submissions, it is urged that he deserves to be extended benefit of bail. 4. Per contra, learned State counsel has argued that there are serious allegations against the petitioner, who in connivance with the co-accused had committed the murder of the victi