IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision: 08.10.2025 Satnam Singh @ Goldy ....Petitioner V/s State of Punjab ....Respondent CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL Present: Mr. Simranjeet Singh Sarwara, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Gurpartap S. Bhullar, AAG Punjab.

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SUMEET GOEL, J. (Oral)

1. The present petition is the second attempt 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.327 dated 26.07.2024, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 112(2), 115(2), 117(2) (offence added later on vide GD No.53 dated 08.10.2024), 126(2), 190, 191(3), 304(2), 351(3) of BNS, 2023 at Police Station Zirakpur, District Mohali.

2. The gravamen of the FIR in question reflects that the criminal proceedings were initiated based on a complaint filed by one Manish Madhwa, son of Subhash Chand, resident of House No. 09, Parwati Enclave, Baltana, Police Station Zirakpur, District S.A.S. Nagar, who alleged that he works as a taxi driver. He further alleged that Parminder Singh and Manjeet Singh earlier ran a joint taxi business under the name ‘VIP Cab s’, situated on VIP Road, Zirakpur, opposite Penta Homez. Later on, due to certain disputes, they separated and started their respective independent cab businesses. According to the complainant, there arose a dispute between both of them on account of the business, due to which Parminder Singh and his friend requested the complainant to mediate and settle the matter with Manjeet Singh. On 21.07.2024, around 6:00 PM, the complainant went to the office of Manjeet Singh, where the driver of Manjeet Singh informed him that Manjeet Singh was not available. Following this, the complainant told the said driver that he would come back later that night and asked him to inform Manjeet Singh about the same. Later, around 11:00 PM, the complainant went back to the office of Manjeet Singh along with his driver, namely Ankit. When the complainant got down from the car in the parking area outside the office of Manjeet Singh, suddenly, Manjeet Singh, along with his brother Lakhwinder Singh alias Lucky, Satnam Singh alias Goldy (petitioner herein), Harwinder Singh alias Baba, their drivers Roop, Iqbal, and Prince, and 10–12 unknown persons came out, all armed with sticks, swords, iron rods, and other weapons. All the aforesaid accused allegedly attacked the complainant with their respective weapons. It was alleged that accused Harwinder Singh alias Baba hit the complainant with a stick on his left arm; accused Prince struck the right arm of the complainant with an iron rod; accused Satnam Singh alias Goldy (petitioner herein) hit the complainant on the head with a sword; accused Manjeet Singh and Lakhwinder Singh alias Lucky also inflicted blows on the head of the complainant with swords; and accused Roop, Iqbal, and Prince (drivers) gave blows on the legs and other parts of the body of the complainant with sticks (dandas) carried by them. During the assault, accused Prince allegedly took Rs. 30,000/- from the pocket of the complainant and handed it over to accused Manjeet Singh. Accused Manjeet Singh also allegedly snatched the complainant’s gold chain and mobile phone. After issuing threats to the complainant, they all fled from the scene with their respective weapons. Thereafter, the complainant was admitted to GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh, for treatment. On the basis of the aforesaid allegations, the instant FIR was registered against the accused persons.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner has iterated that there has been a material change in the circumstances since the dismissal of the earlier bail petition on 27.03.2025 by this Court. According to him, the investigation has substantially progressed, co-accused have been interrogated and released on bail and no recovery remains pending against the petitioner. Learned counsel has