IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

236-1 CRA-S-2265-2025 (O&M)

Ravinder Kumar Jain . . . Appellant Versus State of Punjab and another . . . Respondents

236-2 CRA-S-2272-2025 Rishabh Jain . . . Appellant Versus State of Punjab and another . . . Respondents Decided on :05.12.2025 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY VASHISTH Present: Mr. Rakesh Nehra, Senior Advocate, with Mr. Hitesh Malik, Advocate for the appellant(s)

(in both the appeals).

Mr. Neeraj Madaan, Sr. DAG, Punjab.

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SANJAY VASHISTH , J. (Oral)

1. By this common order, both of the above-mentioned appeals are disposed of together, as they have arisen from the same occurrence and stem from the registration of same First Information Report (FIR).

2. Appellants have filed the present appeals by challenging the orders passed by learned Additional Sessions Judge, Amritsar, whereby applications filed under Section 483 of BNSS for grant of bail to the appellants were dismissed, vide impugned order dated 06.06.2025, in case, FIR No.42 dated 13.05.2025 registered under sections 105, 103, 109/1(2) of BNS, Sections 61/1/14 of Punjab Excise Act, sections 3, 4 of SC/ST Act, and Section 6 of Poison Act at Police Station Majitha, District Amritsar Rural.

3. Earlier, ten persons lost their lives after consuming spurious liquor. Consequently, FIR in question was registered against the appellants.

4. As per the FIR, police received information that Prabhjit Singh @ Babbu and Kulbir Singh @ Jaggu, sons of Amrik Singh, were engaged in preparing large quantities of alcohol and intoxicants and supplying them to various villages. It was further reported that they had already sold the alcohol prepared by them to (1) Sahab Singh @ Rai, (2) Gurjant Singh @ Janta, (3) Sikander Singh @ Pappu, (4) Ninder Kaur, (5) Paramjit Singh @ Pamma, and (6) Raja, who in turn distributed it to different individuals in their respective villages. As a result of consuming this alcohol, several persons died, namely:- (1) Major Singh @ Modu, (2) Paramjit Singh @ Panna, (3) Sarabjit Singh @ Sabba, (4) Tasveer Singh @ Sikdar, (5) Joginder Singh @ Manna, (6) Karnail Singh @ Mahant, (7) Jeeta @ Siti, (8) Balbir Singh, (9) Ramandeep Singh, and (10) Romanjit Singh @ Romi. Some other persons were also reported to have fallen ill after consuming the said poisonous liquor.

During the course of investigation, Investigating Officer gathered evidence relating to the purchase of materials used for preparing the spurious liquor. One such instance revealed that the chemical methanol was in the process of being procured from the present appellant(s).

5. Paragraph Nos.9, 10 and 11 of the status report dated 16.09.2025, filed by learned State counsel, explain how the appellant(s)

came to be implicated as accused in the present case.

For reference, paragraph Nos.9, 10 and 11 are reproduced here under:-

“9. That during the investigation, the co- accused Sahib Singh alias Saaba suffered a disclosure statement dated 14.05.2025, disclosing therein that he was in touch with Rishabh Jain and his father Ravinder Kumar Jain (petitioner) and he used to contact the co- accused Rishabh Jain on his mobile No. 99587- 76266 and order was placed with the co- accused Rishabh Jain, son of the petitioner for delivery of 600 liters of Alcohal (Methanol).

10. That during the investigation, the co- accused Rishab Jain son of the petitioner suffered a disclosure statement dated 23.05.2025, disclosing therein that he is having a registered firm namely Bharat Heavy Chemical (Delhi) and he received a call from Ravi Kumar from mobile No. 80546-16158 through India Mart and he sent all the items, in which he deals, to Ravi Kumar on 11.05.2025, he received a message from Ravi Kumar, who asked for 500 liters of Methanol daily. He further disclosed that when he asked Ravi Kumar that for what purpose he was demanding Methanol. Ravi Kumar told him that he will prepare sanitizer from Methanol, but on re- enquiry, the co- accused Ravi Kumar disclosed that he will