IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

213 CRM-M-49237-2025(O&M)

Date of decision: 29.10.2025 VISHAL ...PETITIONER VERSUS STATE OF PUNJAB ...RESPONDENT

227 CRM-M-56654-2025 KARANDEEP SINGH @ UP ...PETITIONER VERSUS STATE OF PUNJAB ...RESPONDENT C ORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUBHAS MEHLA Present: Mr. Mikhail Kad, Advocate for Mr. Ashdeep Singh, Advocate for the applicant/petitioner in CRM-M-49237-2025.

Mr. Vikas Gupta, Advocate for the petitioner in CRM-M-56654-2025.

Mr. Subhash Godara, Addl. AG, Punjab.

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S UBHAS MEHLA, J . (ORAL)

CRM-42732-2025 in CRM-M-49237-2025 The present application has been filed by the applicant/petitioner under Section 528 of BNSS for placing on record the orders of trial Court as Annexure A-4.

For the reasons mentioned in the application, the same is allowed and Annexure A-4 is taken on record, subject to all just exceptions.

Main cases

1. In the above mentioned petitions common question of law and facts are involved, so both the petitions are being disposed of by a common judgment. For brevity, facts are being taken from CRM-M-49237-2025 titled as “Vishal Versus State of Punjab”

2. By way of the present petitions, the petitioners are seeking regular bail in FIR No.076 dated 01.05.2025 under Section 61(2), 29 of BNS, 2023 and Sections 25, 54, 59 of Arms Act and Section Section 181 of BNS added later on, registered at Police Station Lopoke, District Amritsar-Rural.

3. As per the allegations, the petitioner(s) along with co-accused were apprehended on the basis of secret information and fake currency notes have been recovered from their possession.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner(s) submit that the petitioner(s) have been falsely implicated in the present case. He further submits that no alleged recoveries have been effected from the petitioner(s) and the entire alleged recovery has been planted upon them. There is no evidence with the prosecution to connect the petitioner(s) with the alleged offence. He further submits that there is no apprehension that after their release, they will tamper with the prosecution evidence as the witnesses are the police officials.

5. Notice of motion.

6. Mr. Subhash Godara, Addl. AG, Punjab, accepts notice on behalf of the respondent-State and has opposed the bail application on the ground that recovery of such staggering fake currencies from the possession of the petitioner(s) is a grave offence, therefore, they are not entitled to the relief of regular bail. He fairly admits that petitioner-Vishal is not involved in any other case except the present one and petitioner-Karandeep Singh @ UP is involved in two more cases. The investigation of the present case has been completed and the case is fixed for framing of charges on 31.10.2025.

7. Heard.

8. Keeping in view the contentions of both the parties, the investigation of the case has been completed and charges are yet to be framed and trial will take sufficient time to conclude and no fruitful purpose would be served by keeping them in custody for any further period, as concession of bail cannot be denied just as measure of punishment and it is trite principle of criminal jurisprudence that bail is a rule, jail is an exception, this Court deems it a fit case to grant the concession of regular bail to the petitioner(s).

9. Therefore, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the instant petition is allowed. The petitioner(s) are ordered to be released on regular bail on their furnishing requisite bonds to the satisfaction of the trial Court/Duty Magistrate/Chief Judicial Magistrate concerned.

8. Nothing observed hereinabove shall be construed to be an expression of an opinion by this Court on merits of the case. The learned Court below is directed to proceed with the matter on its own merits, lest it may prejudice the trial.

9. Photocopy of this order be placed on the file of other connected case.

29.10.2025 (SUBHAS MEHLA)

renubala JUDGE