206 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision: 10.02.2026 Sagar Sinha .....Petitioner versus State of Punjab and another ..... Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH BHARDWAJ ***

Present :- Mr. Sachin Kalia, Advocate for the petitioner (through VC).

Mr. Gorav Kathuria, DAG, Punjab.

Mr. K.S. Dadwal, Advocate for respondent No.2.

***

RAJESH BHARDWAJ , J .

1. Prayer in the present petition is for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner in case FIR No.109 dated 12.08.2025, under Sections 316(2), 318(4) of BNS, 2023, Section 13 of Punjab Travel Professionals (Regulation)

Act, 2014, registered at Police Station Bhogpur, District Jalandhar Rural.

2. Succinctly, facts of the case are that FIR has been lodged on the statement of complainant namely, Iqbaljit Singh wherein, he alleged that he was retired from the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Department as District Development and Panchayat Officer. Due to death of his brother-in-law namely, S.Resham Singh, his nephew namely, Ajaypal Singh was living with the complainant. Since his childhood, his nephew- Ajaypal Singh was desirous to go to America as many of their family members resides there. Therefore, the complainant talked to his mama's son namely, Karamjit Singh regarding the same. He told him that he knew a travel agent namely, Amandeep Singh Kalsi and his wife Nidhi Kalsi, who have sent many people to America. Thereafter, a deal was struck with Amandeep Singh Kalsi and Nidhi Kalsi for sending Ajaypal Singh (nephew of Iqbaljit Singh) abroad for a consideration amount of Rs.45.00 lacs. Eventually, on the false assurance of Amandeep Singh Kalsi, the passport of his nephew along with a sum of Rs.7,00,000/- were handed over to him. His nephew was called to Delhi where Amandeep Singh Kalsi took a sum of Rs.80,000/- on 28.08.2024 and 2000 American Dollars on 29.08.2024. Thereafter a sum of 2000 American Dollars was also taken from the complainant in the account of one Pankaj Kumar Badhan on the same day. Thereafter, flight from Delhi to Ethopia was booked for 30.08.2024 and further flight from Ethopia to Morocco was booked for 15.09.2024. Further amount of Rs.1,00,000/- in the account of Sagar Sinha (petitioner) on 14.09.2024, Rs.2,00,000/- on 16.09.2024, Rs.4,00,000/- on 19.09.2024, Rs.2,00,000/- on 15.10.2024 was taken in the account of Pankaj Kumar Badhan, Rs.1,00,000/- in the account of Kamlesh Rani and on 17.10.2024 Rs.4,00,000/- in the account of Pankaj Kumar were got transferred by the complainant and his family members on the asking of travel agents. Eventually, Ajaypal Singh was sent from Morrocco to Tashkent through flight on 02.10.2024 and from Tashkent to Cuba on 12.10.2024. Thereafter, the travel agents told Ajaypal Singh that he would be sent to America through 'dunky' route to which Ajaypal Singh told them to send him to America in a legal manner as they have demanded a heavy amount from them. The travel agents assaulted Ajaypal Singh and did not send him to America. Thereafter, with the intervention of the police and respectables, a compromise was arrived at whereby Amandeep Singh Kalsi, Nidhi Kalsi and Sagar Sinha (petitioner) admitted their mistake and agreed to return a sum of Rs.26.00 lacs to the complainant. Pursuant to the said compromise only Rs.9,00,000/- has been returned to the complainant. Finding no other option, FIR was registered against them. On registration of the FIR, apprehending the arrest, petitioner approached the Court of learned Additional Sessions Judge, Jalandhar praying for grant of anticipatory bail. However, after hearing counsel for the parties, finding no merit in the same, learned Additional Sessions Judge, Fatehgarh Sahib, declined the same vide order dated 28.08.2025. Hence, being aggrieved, the petitioner is before this Court by way of filing the present petition.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner has vehemently contended that petitioner has been falsely implicated in this case. He su