IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision: 24.03.2026 Surinder Singh alias Chinda ....Petitioner Versus State of Punjab ...Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AMAN CHAUDHARY *****

Present : Ms. Gaganpreet Kaur, Advocate for Mr. Karandeep Singh, Advocate for the petitioner Mr. Manipal Singh Atwal, DAG Punjab *****

AMAN CHAUDHARY, J. (ORAL)

1. The present petition has been filed under Section 482 BNSS for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner in case FIR No.0087 dated 23.08.2025, registered under Section 61 of Punjab Excise Act, at Police Station Sadar Abohar, District Fazilka, Punjab.

2. On 25.09.2025, this Court had passed the following order:-

“

482 BNSS ANTICIPATORY BAIL UNDER SECTION FIR No. Date Police Station Sections

87 23.8.2025 Sadar Abohar, 61 Punjab Excise District Fazilka Act Notice served upon the official respondent through the State’s counsel.

The Senior Most Investigator conducting the investigation in the FIR captioned above is to file/hand over the status report/instructions positively before the next date, failing which the concerned Superintendent of Police or an equivalent or higher Police Officer shall file/hand over their date, and if it is still not filed, the concerned Inspector General of police shall have to file it.

also mention the following details under headings:

arraigned as an accused.

C. The role of the petitioner.

D. In case of dismissal of this petition, would the police arrest the petitioner in this FIR, and do they need the accused’s police custody?

E. Petitioner’s criminal antecedents, except the FIRs in which petitioner was absolved, discharged, or acquitted. The petitioner’s counsel, on instructions, states that, without conceding or admitting the offence, the petitioner be given another chance, and the petitioner undertakes to reform and not to repeat the offence.

The petitioner’s counsel further submits that the arrest be stayed, and they would have no objection whatsoever to any stringent conditions that this Court may impose.

Given the above, in the facts and circumstances peculiar to this case, in the meantime, the petitioner's arrest in the FIR captioned above shall remain stayed until further orders.

It is clarified that this order of stay of arrest shall not be considered as a blanket bail order in any other matter and is only limited to granting bail in the FIR mentioned above.

It is clarified that the order of stay of arrest shall not be construed as an order of interim bail. This interim order is subject to the condition that the petitioner shall join investigation on 01.10.2025 or on any other date when the Investigator wants the petitioner to join the investigation.

List on 15.10.2025. ”

3. Learned counsel submits that in pursuance of the afore-mentioned order, the petitioner has not only joined investigation but also fully cooperated with the investigating agency. He further submits that in case the investigating agency requires the petitioner to appear, he shall make himself available without demur.

4. Learned State counsel on instructions from ASI Kuldeep Singh affirms the factum of joining the investigation by the petitioner and cooperating with the investigating agency. He also submits that at this stage, the petitioner is not required for further custodial interrogation.

5. In view of the above and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, anticipatory bail petition filed by the petitioner is allowed and the order dated 25.09.2025 granting interim bail to him, is hereby made absolute, subject to compliance of conditions as specified under Section 482(2) BNSS.

6. However, it is made clear that if the petitioner fails to join and cooperate with the investigating agency as and when required, the State would be at liberty to move an application for cancellation of the present anticipatory bail granted to him.

(AMAN CHAUDHARY)

JUDGE

24.03.2026 M.Kamra