240 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH COCP-6136-2025 (O&M)

Date of Decision: 17.02.2026 Manpreet Kaur ......Petitioner Vs.

Dr. Ankur Gupta and others ......Respondents CORAM: HON’BLE MRS. JUSTICE SUDEEPTI SHARMA Present : Mr. Kiranpreet Singh Sidhu, Advocate, (through VC)

for the petitioner.

Mr. Ravneet S. Joshi, DAG, Punjab, for the respondents.

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SUDEEPTI SHARMA J. (ORAL)

1. The present contempt petition has been filed for deliberate and intentional disobedience of order dated 30.07.2024 passed by the Division Bench of this Court in CWP-2066-2018, whereby the following directions were issued by this Court:-

8. In view of the above, it would be appropriate to dispose of the present petition with the following directions:-

i) State of Punjab is directed to ensure that whenever a complaint is made which reflects commission of cognizable offence, an FIR ought to be registered in terms of the law laid down by the Apex Court in Lalita Kumari’s case (supra).

ii) The provisions of the Pre-Conception and Pre- Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 be followed in its letter and spirit.”

2. In compliance of the order dated 30.07.2024 passed by the Division Bench of this Court in CWP-2066-2018, compliance affidavit dated 22.01.2026 of Ankur Gupta, IPS, Senior Superintendent of Police, District Ludhiana (Rural) has been filed on behalf of respondent No.1 before the Registry. The same is taken on record.

3. The relevant extract of the compliance affidavit dated

22.01.2026 is reproduced as under:-

“4. That on the perusal of the record, the following points have come on record, which are stated herein below for the kind perusal of this Hon’ble Court:-

I. That at the very outset, one Nirmal Singh @ Sembey submitted a representation before the office of the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana (Rural), which was endorsed with No. 628150 (PGD No. 628962) dated 28.07.2025. In the said representation, it was alleged that fraud had been committed by Manpreet Kaur (present petitioner), who is an employee of AXIS Bank. It was alleged that Nirmal Singh @ Sehmbey opened a bank account in AXIS Bank bearing Account No.922010064882853 through Manpreet Kaur, and that she fraudulently updated her own mobile number i.e. 97796-73528 and her Gmail account in the said bank account. By using her mobile number linked with the account, ATM cards, and cheque book by forging her sianatures, she withdrew a total amount of Rs. 51,29,280/-.

That an inquiry was conducted on the said representation and, during the course of inquiry, the present petitioner Manpreet Kaur joined the inquiry on 29.07.2025. During the inquiry, she herself admitted that she had used the funds of Nirmal Singh @Sehmbey lying in his bank account without his consent. She further admitted that she had linked her own mobile number with the aforesaid bank account. That later on, on 12.08.2025, Nirmal Singh @ Sehmbey recorded his statement, wherein he stated that the present petitioner Manpreet Kaur had undertaken to return the amount withdrawn by her without his consent. On the basis of the said statement, Nirmal Singh @ Sehmbey, has withdrawn the aforesaid representation.

II. That the present petitioner Manpreet Kaur submitted a representation before the Senior Superintendent of Police, District Ludhiana (Rural), which was endorsed with No. UID 642041 dated 15.08.2025. The said representation was marked to the Station House Officer, Police Station Women, Ludhiana (Rural), for conducting an inquiry.

That during the course of inquiry, on

18.08.2025, the statement of the present petitioner was recorded, wherein she alleged that Nirmal Singh @ Sehmbey came to India on 18.06.2025 and that on 17.06.2024, the present petitioner, along with the driver of Nirmal Singh @ Sehmbey, went to Amritsar to receive him from the airport. She further alleged that she had booked a hotel room for them. She further stated that Nirmal Singh @ Sehmbey, the present petitioner, and the driver stayed in one room, and alleged