IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

209 Date of decision: 03.09.2025 JAGPREET SINGH ….Petitioner Versus STATE OF PUNJAB AND ANOTHER ....Respondents CORAM:- HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE RUPINDERJIT CHAHAL Present:- Mr. Shashikant Gupta, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Amit Shukla, DAG, Punjab.

Mr. Lakshay Bector, Advocate for respondent No.2.

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RUPINDERJIT CHAHAL, J. (ORAL)

Through the instant petition filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (For short “BNSS”), the petitioner seeks anticipatory bail in case FIR No.22 dated 20.02.2025 under Sections 316, 318(4) of BNS, 2023, registered at Police Station City Khanna, District Ludhiana, Punjab (Annexure P-1).

2. On 26.05.2025, following order had been passed: -

“Prayer in this petition is for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner in case FIR No.22 dated 20.02.2025 under Sections 316, 318(4) of BNS, 2023, registered at Police Station City Khanna, District Ludhiana.

Mr. Lakshay Bector, Advocate has entered appearance on behalf of respondent No.2 and he undertakes to file his power of attorney in the Registry of this Court.

Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that as per the allegations levelled in the FIR itself it came to the notice and knowledge of the complainant way back in the year 2023 that the petitioner who was his employee had been misappropriating money of the complainant firm leading to misappropriation of Rs.47 lakhs, however, strangely the complainant chose to keep quiet for the next one and a half years; the FIR in question was registered on 20.02.2025. Learned counsel submits that it is, therefore, evident that there was no grain of truth in the allegations levelled against the petitioner.

Learned counsel appearing for respondent No.2 has opposed the prayer and submissions made by the opposite, by submitting that some of the “expired articles” which had been returned by the venders of the complainant firm to the petitioner, had been retained by him. Hence, the involvement of the petitioner in the crime in question was writ large.

Adjourned to 03.09.2025.

Meanwhile, the petitioner is directed to join the investigation and appear before the investigating agency as and when called upon to do so. In the event of his arrest, he shall be admitted to interim bail on his furnishing bail bonds to the satisfaction of the Arresting/Investigating Officer. The petitioner shall abide by the terms and conditions as envisaged under Section 482(2) of the BNSS.”

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that in compliance of the order dated 26.05.2025 passed by this Court, the petitioner has joined the investigation.

3. Learned counsel for the State, on instructions from ASI Mohinder Singh, has submitted that the petitioner has joined the investigation and is no longer required for further investigation.

4. In view of the statement made by learned State counsel, the interim order dated 26.05.2025 is made absolute. The petitioner shall continue to join investigation, as and when called by the Investigating Officer and shall also abide by the conditions as provided under Section

482(2) of the BNSS.

(RUPINDERJIT CHAHAL)

03.09.2025 JUDGE Mohit Bishnoi