##PAGE1##

CRM-M-71697-2025 - 1 -

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

139-2 CRM-M-71697-2025

Decided on : 24.03.2026

Karanpreet Singh @ Kittu . . . Petitioner(s)

Versus State of Punjab . . . Respondent(s)

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY VASHISTH

PRESENT: Mr. Navjot Singh, Advocate for the petitioner(s).

Mr. Manjinder S. Bhullar, DAG, Punjab.

****

SANJAY VASHISTH, J. (Oral)

1. The instant petition has been filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 (earlier Section 439 Cr.P.C.), for grant of regular bail to the petitioner, during the pendency of trial, who has been booked in a criminal case arising

out of First Information Report, as detailed here-under:-

Name of FIR Date Section(s) Police District Petitioner(s) No. Station

Karanpreet 137 07.08.2021 307, 324, 341, 148, 149, 109 of IPC, Shahkot Jalandhar Singh @ 1860 Rural Kittu [S. 302 of IPC was added

subsequently vide DDR No.3, dated

08.08.2021]

2. Incident in question took place on 06.08.2021 at about 5:00 PM and the FIR was registered on 07.08.2021 at the instance of Goldy, mother

of the deceased Rohit Singh.

As per the allegations in the FIR, six accused were named and

their roles are detailed as under:-

Sr. Name Role No.

i. Rahul Kalyan @ Armed with datar. Hit on front side of JAWALA RAM

2026.03.25 21:08 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this document

CRM-M-71697-2025 - 2 -

After completion of investigation, accused Rahul Kalyan @

Kalu, Suraj Haldi, Manga Mattu, Balwinder Singh @ Rinku Mattu and the present petitioner – Karanpreet Singh @ Kittu were declared innocent. However, by adding two other accused, namely Sanju @ Dhol and Inderpal Singh @ Raja, three accused were challaned, namely Rahul @ Gopi, Sanju

@ Dhol and Inderpal Singh @ Raja.

3. By referring to Annexures P-3 to P-5 appended with the present petition, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that co-accused Sanju @ Dhol, Manga Mattu and others, as well as Inderpal Singh @ Raja, have already been granted concession of regular bail by Coordinate Benches of this Court vide orders dated 08.11.2023, 27.07.2023 and 09.10.2023

respectively.

4. It is further submitted that even co-accused Rahul Kalyan @ Kalu, who as per the FIR had allegedly inflicted a datar blow on the head of the deceased, has also been granted regular bail by this Court along with other co-accused. Thus, it is contended that all the co-accused, except the

present petitioner, have already been granted bail.

5. On the strength of the aforesaid submissions, it is argued that the petitioner, who has been summoned by the trial Court by invoking

JAWALA RAM

2026.03.25 21:08 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this document

CRM-M-71697-2025 - 3 -

powers under Section 319 Cr.P.C., also deserves the concession of regular

bail on the ground of parity.

6. Heard.

7. Vide order dated 21.03.2023, the petitioner was summoned under Section 319 Cr.P.C. and thereafter, he is inside the jail since May, 2023. It is an admitted position that co-accused, namely (i) Suraj Haldi, (ii) Manga Mattu, (iii) Balwinder Singh @ Rinku Mattu and (iv) Rahul Kalyan @ Kalu, have already been granted bail by this Court vide order dated

27.07.2023 passed in CRM-M-22109-2023.

Qua present petitioner, it is also an admitted position that

though he was named in the FIR with a specific role, however, during investigation no evidence was found against him and he was accordingly

declared innocent by the Investigating Agency.

8. At present, the petitioner is inside the jail for more than a period of 02 years and 08 months. It is further noticed that out of a total of 26 prosecution witnesses, only 04 witnesses have been examined so far, which

shows that the trial is progressing at a slow pace.

In the entirety of the facts and circumstances, as noticed here-

above, particularly considering the principle of parity, the fact that the petitioner was declared innocent during investigation, the period of incarceration already undergone, and the stage of trial, this Court does not find a