IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

207 Date of decision: 05.02.2026 Jaspal Singh ... Petitioner Vs.

State of Punjab and another ... Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE MANISHA BATRA Present:- Mr. Amit Dhawan, Advocate, for the petitioner.

Mr. Roshandeep Singh, AAG, Punjab, for the respondent-State.

Mr. Barjinder Singh, Advocate, for the complainant.

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MANISHA BATRA, J. (Oral)

1. The present petition has been filed by the petitioner under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNSS’) seeking anticipatory bail in the FIR mentioned below:-

FIR No. Dated Police Station Sections

244 08.10.2025 Lopoke, District318(4) and 61(2) of the Amritsar Rural Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (For short “BNS”)

2. Brief facts relevant for the purpose of disposal of this petition are that the aforementioned FIR was registered on the basis of statement recorded by the complainant Surajpal Singh alleging that his marraige was solemnized with Ramandeep Kaur, daughter of the present petitioner on 07.01.2022. Ramandeep Kaur who had done IELTS had applied for issuance of visa to go to Canada. Though the complainant was also desirous to settle abroad and asked his wife to let him apply for visa as well but the present petitioner and other family members of his wife convinced him to let her apply for visa firstly by saying that she would sponsor him after reaching abroad. In November 2022, the petitioner along with his family members came to the complainant and pressed him to part with money by projecting that the same was to be immediately paid to the immigration agent. On their asking, the complainant got transferred an amount of Rs.7,25,000/- from the bank account of his father in favour of the petitioner. He was made to part with another amount of Rs.2,00,000/- by his wife’s family members. His wife was called at her parent’s home subsequently by the petitioner and his family members on some excuse and she went abroad from there only without even informing the complainant and thereafter she never called him. The complainant asked for return of his money. The petitioner executed a writing by way of compromise in favour of complainant thereby undertaking to return amount of Rs.10 lakhs but did not do so. By alleging that the petitioner and his family members by hatching a well planned conspiracy, had extracted money from him and had caused wrongful loss of the same by cheating him, he prayed for taking action in the matter. After registration of FIR, investigation proceedings have been initiated and are underway. Apprehending his arrest, the petitioner moved an application for grant of anticipatory bail which has been dismissed by the Court of learned Additional Sessions Judge, Amritsar vide order dated 06.11.2025.

3. It is argued by learned counsel for the petitioner that he has been falsely implicated in this case. Infact, his daughter and the complainant were in relationship for a long time before their marriage which was performed against the wishes of the petitioner and his family members. After their marriage, the complainant and Ramandeep Kaur made several attempts to go abroad at their own. The complainant had himself spent about Rs.10 lakhs in these attempts but failed to get visa issued in his favour. It was on the insistence of the complainant that Ramandeep Kaur applied for student visa for United Kingdom. The complainant himself had promised to bear expenses for her visa and processing, so that he could join her after her settling abroad and had transferred an amount of Rs.7,75,000/- for that purpose. It was he who interacted with the agent and was fully aware of all the dealings and proceedings that took at the office of immigration agent. It was on account of refusal of UK visa that the complainant himself had encouraged his wife to apply for student visa for Canada. He had completely withdrawn from the process subsequently thereby compelling the petitioner to arrange for an amount of Rs.30 la