IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH (346)

Date of decision: 24.03.2026 Vijay @ Vijay Yadav …... Petitioner V/s State of Haryana ...Respondent CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE JASJIT SINGH BEDI Present: Mr. Kuldeep Attri, Advocate, for the petitioner.

Mr. Viney Phogat, DAG, Haryana.

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JASJIT SINGH BEDI , J. (Oral)

The prayer in the present petition under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023 is for the grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner in case FIR No.40 dated 20.11.2025 under Sections 7, 7A, 13(1)(B) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 registered at Police Station ACB, Gurugram.

2. The present FIR came to be registered at the instance of Amandeep and reads as under:-

It is submitted that I, Amandeep S/o Vimal, resident of Village Rambas, Tehsil Kanina, District Mahendergarh, am a student of B.A. IIIrd Year. My father has been ill for many days. For household needs in the year 2024, my father had taken a loan on our house from India Shelter Bank, Nimrana (Rajasthan).

Now due to further financial needs, my father has taken a higher loan on our house from UTKARSH Bank. The previous loan was entered in the bank record, which was required to be removed. For this purpose, after taking NOC from India Shelter Bank, I met our Halka Patwari Vikram. He harassed me for several days and then said that money would be required for this work. I told him that when I come in one or two days to get entry of the new bank loan done, I will give it at that time. On 18/11/2025, I met Patwari Vikram with the loan papers of UTKARSH Bank. He wrote Rs.20,000 and Rs.2,500 on a paper and indicated by placing his finger on Rs.20,000 saying this is for today, and by placing his finger on Rs.2,500 said this is for previous days. He then said to give this paper to Vijay who will make the entry, and give him Rs.1,000 or if he does not agree, then Rs.1,500. After that I went to Vijay, who demanded Rs.2,000 as bribe from me, which I transferred from my mobile number 9485635253 to his mobile scanner. I also recorded this incident on my mobile phone. On 19/11/2025, when I again met the Patwari to verify the bank papers, I requested to reduce the bribe amount earlier demanded. He said that whatever work he had done till now, the entire amount comes to Rs.10,000 out of the bribe demanded by Patwari Vikram, which is to be paid today.

But I do not want to give bribe to the corrupt Patwari. I have no personal enmity with Vikram Patwari and Vijay Clerk, nor any personal dealings. It is requested that action be taken against these two corrupt employees. The recording of the bribe will be produced later.

Sd/-Amandeep S/o Vimal Village Rambas, Tehsil Kanina, District Mahendergarh Date: 20.11.2025 Mobile No.: 9485635253

3. During the course of the investigation, Vikram Patwari was apprehended red handed while accepting illegal gratification of Rs.10,000/-. The petitioner who was posted as a Computer Operator in the Revenue Record Office of Tehsil Kanina was found to have demanded a sum of Rs.2,000/- which was transferred to the petitioner by the complainant through OnLine mode in consideration for clearing his old loan or facilitating the registration of a new loan in the Revenue Record.

4. The learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the petitioner has been falsely implicated in the present case. A sum of Rs.2,000/- has been paid to him as the complainant and the petitioner were friends. The phone recording does not inculpate the petitioner in any manner. As the petitioner is ready and willing to join investigation, he be granted the concession of anticipatory bail.

5. The learned counsel for the State, on the other hand, has filed a reply dated 10.03.2026 which is taken on record. While referring to the said reply, he contends that Vikram Patwari was apprehended while accepting a bribe of Rs.10,000/-. The petitioner who was posted as a Computer Operator demanded and accepted Rs.2,000/- from the complainant through OnLine mode. This i