IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision:12.02.2026 Amit Kumar Mehta ......Petitioner Versus State of Haryana .....Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE AARADHNA SAWHNEY Present: Mr. Hiamsnhu Garg, Advocate for the petitioner.

Ms. Shweta Nahata, DAG, Haryana.

AARADHNA SAWHNEY , J (ORAL)

1. Petitioner, who is an accused in case FIR No.293 dated 11.07.2025 registered against him, for commission of offences punishable under Sections 3(5),318(4),336(3),338,340 of BNS at Police Station Civil Lines, Sirsa has filed the instant petition, praying for grant of pre-arrest bail.

2. Relevant facts as emerging from the documents on record be noticed hereinbelow:

Jaspal Singh, son of Kashmir Singh, resident of Vishal Nagar, Ward No.2, Sirsa set the criminal law in motion by filing a complaint pointing therein that sometimes ago, he had met Amit Mehta (petitioner) of Dabwali, who had posed a question to him (c) as to whether he wants a Government job. As expected, he (complainant) replied in the affirmative. Amit then added that he knows influential persons in Government set up and demanded Rs.2.50 lacs for the said purpose. Somehow, he got taken in, in these false assurances and agreed to go ahead. Rs.50,000/- was given to Amit (petitioner) at Sirsa. Later, both of them went to Chandigarh, where he was made to sit at some place. When after several hours, Amit returned back, he disclosed that the work had been done. Amit also sent his (complainant) joining letter on his ‘whatsapp’. A telephone number was provided by Amit with the direction that Rs.1.50 lacs be immediately deposited through ‘Google Pay’ on aforesaid number. When he (complainant) requested Amit that the remaining amount would be paid by him after he joins, he

2026.02.16( 2c2):2 0was assured not to worry. Amit also repeatedly convinced that he would be

responsible for the entire deal. At the asking of Amit, Rs.1 lac was again paid on the aforesaid number and Rs.50,000/- was transferred in the account of Amit through ‘Google Pay’. After securing the appointment letter, when he went to join, he was not allowed to. He (complainant) repeatedly questioned Amit, who initially assured that needful would be done but later flatly refused, rather threats were issued. Along with the complaint, complainant enclosed copy of ‘Google Pay’ transaction and joining letter. With this backdrop, request was made to the police Authorities to initiate appropriate criminal proceedings against petitioner. On the basis of said complaint and accompanying documents, aforesaid FIR was registered.

Apprehending his arrest, the petitioner moved an application for grant of pre-arrest bail. Same came to be dismissed vide order dated 19.08.2025.

Aggrieved of which the present petition has been filed.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the petitioner an innocent young man has been falsely implicated in the present case. Investigations have been conducted in total partisan manner. Learned counsel next contends that in fact the petitioner is not the offender but is a victim of the same fraud. In fact, one Krishan @ Krishan Kumar representing himself to be well connected with the senior officials of Railways and Kaushal Rojgar Recruitment Cell assured him (petitioner) that government job would be arranged for him. Acting on his assurance, present petitioner along with another victim Sagar paid Rs.7,84,000/- to aforesaid Krishan Kumar. All the time, petitioner was under the impression that Krishan is a genuine person, who can help him in securing government job. As soon as he came to know that joining letter so sent to him by aforesaid Krishan is forged, he approached the police Authorities and lodged a written complaint dated 21.10.2023 against Krishan. The said complaint having been lodged prior to the registration of FIR thus demolishes the case of the complainant that the petitioner played a fraud on him.

Next leg of submission raised by learned counsel for the petitioner is th