IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision: 10.09.2025 Sachin ....Petitioner V/s State of Haryana ....Respondent CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL Present: Mr. Keshav Pratap Singh, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Gurmeet Singh, AAG, Haryana.

Mr. KDS Hooda, Advocate for the complainant.

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SUMEET GOEL, J. (Oral)

1. Present petition has been filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (hereinafter to be referred as ‘the BNSS’) for grant of pre-arrest/anticipatory bail to the petitioner in case bearing FIR No.123 dated 28.03.2025, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 109(1), 115, 190, 191(3), 351(3), 61 of BNS, 2023 and Section 25 of the Arms Act, at Police Station City Palwal, District Palwal.

2. The gravamen of the FIR in question reflects that on 28.03.2025, ASI Subhash, while present at the police post, received an information from the Palwal control room regarding a violent altercation in the village Patli Khurd arising from a land dispute. Responding promptly, ASI Subhash, accompanied by other police personnel, proceeded to the location in a government vehicle. Upon arrival, both the parties were initially counselled and directed to appear at the police post with their land ownership documents. Later that day, further information was received with regard to further clash at the same location. As the police arrived on the spot but found no one present. However, the weapons including sticks, axes, and hammers allegedly used in the conflict were recovered and taken into custody vide a recovery memo and the process was video-graphed for the evidentiary purposes. Subsequently, the injured persons were located at General Hospital, Palwal, where the police collected the ruqa and Medico Legal Reports (MLRs). On account of the injuries sustained during the occurrence, the attending physician referred the injured Vipin, Rahul, and Vinod to a higher medical facility. The police then returned to the City Police Station, where the complainant namely Lakhanpal submitted a written complaint against 18 named individuals and 30/40 unidentified persons, all residents or affiliates of village Patli Khurd (including the petitioner). According to the complainant, the villagers had been peacefully protesting on the Shamlat Deh land (common village) over the wrongful registration of ownership by one R.C. Agarwal, as reflected in the revenue records. On 26.03.2025, accused Ashok s/o Raghuveer allegedly tried to plough the disputed land on behalf of the aforesaid R.C. Agarwal but was stopped by the protestors. On 28.03.2025, at around 11:30 AM, the said Ashok allegedly returned, accompanied by his family members and other hired persons who were armed with country made pistols, axes, hammers, sticks and iron rods. Thereafter, accused Ashok fired a bullet on the brother of the complainant namely Vipin which crossed very close to his right ear. Accused Rahul fired a shot at Vinod but he had a narrow escape. Accused Sachin (petitioner herein), with the country made pistol, fired a shot at Rahul but that shot narrowly missed him. Thereafter, all the accused attacked the protestors with the intention to kill and fired multiple rounds. Several protestors, including Manoj, Vipin, Vinod and Rahul sustained grievous injuries and some managed to escape by climbing over the walls. The assailants allegedly issued threats to end the protest and claimed that the aforesaid R.C. Agarwal had promised them a portion of the land. The situation escalated to a violent and premeditated attack despite earlier instructions given by the SHO. The complainant further alleged that after a villager dialed emergency number 112, the police arrived at the scene of occurrence on which all the accused fled. The injured were initially treated at GH Palwal, while some referred to advanced medical centers due to the severity of their injuries. The incident was corroborated by multiple eyewitnesses, including Kris