IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

212 Date of decision: 17.09.2025 Mandeep Kaur and others .....Petitioners Versus State of Punjab .....Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE MANJARI NEHRU KAUL Present : Petition qua petitioner No.1 stands dismissed vide order dated 30.04.2025. Mr. Mohit Shukla, Advocate for respondent No.2.

Mr. Amardeep Singh Mann, Advocate for respondent No.3.

Mr. Amit Rana, Sr. DAG, Punjab. Mr. Ishan Mundeja, Advocate for Mr. Amitabh Tewari, Advocate for the complainant.

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MANJARI NEHRU KAUL, J. (ORAL)

1. The petitioners are seeking the concession of anticipatory bail under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short, 'BNSS') in case FIR No.182 dated 24.08.2024 under Sections 406, 420 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, registered at Police Station Kotwali Patiala.

submit that in compliance of the following order passed by a Coordinate Bench of this Court on 23.07.2025, petitioners No.2 and 3 have jointed investigation and cooperated with the investigating agency, and therefore, the order dated 23.07.2025 be made absolute:-

“It has been submitted by the learned counsel for the complainant that the complainant had been duped by the petitioners for an amount of Rs.17 lakhs. He fairly submits that the matter was referred to the mediation but the same remained unsuccessful as no sincere efforts were made out by the petitioners. He further submits that the present petition has already been dismissed qua petitioner No.1 (Mandeep Kaur) on 30.04.2025. He submits that petitioner Nos.2 and 3 were the guarantors.

Learned counsel for petitioner Nos.2 and 3 jointly submit that petitioner Nos.2 and 3 had repaid the amount paid to them, which has been denied by the learned counsel for the complainant.

This Court refrains from commenting anything on the disputed question of fact. However, in view of the facts and circumstances, the interim order dated 22.10.2024 is modified to the extent that in the event of arrest, the petitioners shall be released on interim bail subject to the satisfaction of the Arresting/Investigating Officer. The petitioners shall join investigation before the Investigating Agency/Officer. They shall abide by the following conditions as envisaged under Section 482(2) of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023:-

(i) That the petitioners shall make themselves available for interrogation by a police officer as and when required to do so.

(ii) That the petitioners shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the acts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the court or to any police officer.

(iii) That the petitioners shall not leave India without prior permission of the Court.

Adjourned to 03.09.2025”

reiterated the allegations levelled in the FIR in question, which has been annexed as Annexure P-1.

4. Learned State counsel, on instructions from ASI Sukha Singh, does not dispute the factum of petitioners No.2 and 3 having joined investigation and cooperated with the investigating agency. He, on further instructions, submits that petitioners No.2 and 3 are not required for further investigation much less for their custodial interrogation.

5. On further query as to whether petitioners No.2 and 3 have any criminal antecedents, learned State counsel, on instructions, has replied in the negative.

6. In view of the above, interim order dated 23.07.2025, is made absolute subject to the conditions laid down in Section 482(2) of the BNSS.

7. Needless to add, in case petitioners No.2 and 3 misuse the concession of bail granted to them, the State would be at liberty to seek cancellation of the same.

8. The petition stands allowed qua petitioners No.2 and 3 only.

17.09.2025 (MANJARI NEHRU KAUL JUDGE

Vinay