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CRM-M-20168-2026 1

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA

AT CHANDIGARH

Sr. No.217

CRM-M-20168-2026

Date of Decision: 14.05.2026

TALJINDER SINGH @ CASHIER TALJINDER SINGH ...Petitioner

Versus

STATE OF PUNJAB ....Respondent

CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE MANDEEP PANNU

Present:- Mr. Jasmeet Singh Bhatia, Advocate

for the petitioner.

Mr. Hardeep Hans, AAG, Punjab.

*****

MANDEEP PANNU, J. (Oral)

1. Petition under Section 483 BNSS, 2023 (corresponding to

Section 439 Cr.P.C.) seeking grant of regular bail to the petitioner in case

FIR No. 106 dated 19.07.2025, registered at Police Station Qadian, District

Batala, for the offence punishable under Section 409 IPC (corresponding to

Section 316 BNS).

2. Briefly stated, the present FIR came to be registered on the

complaint of Gurmeet Singh, who alleged that he was maintaining a savings

bank account in Bank of Baroda and an amount of approximately Rs.30

lakhs was lying deposited therein. It has been alleged that during the year

2024, without the consent or knowledge of the complainant, the mobile

number linked with his bank account was changed/closed and different

amounts were fraudulently transferred from his account by the present

petitioner, who was working as Cashier in the said bank. As per the

allegations, an amount of Rs.4 lakhs was transferred to the account of the

ANU

2026.05.14 12:42

I attest to the accuracy and

integrity of this document

Chandigarh

CRM-M-20168-2026 2

father of the petitioner namely Baldev Singh on 06.11.2024, another amount

of Rs.11 lakhs was transferred on 11.11.2024 and further amounts were also

transferred to the accounts of co-accused/co-workers namely Deep Mattu,

Ashwani Kumar, Ankit Goyal and Mandeep Kaur. In this manner, an amount

to the tune of about Rs.30 lakhs is alleged to have been misappropriated

from the account of the complainant, whereupon the present FIR was

registered against the petitioner and other co-accused persons.

3. The learned counsel for the petitioner has contended that the

petitioner has been in custody since 03.08.2025 and has already suffered

incarceration for about eight months and six days. It is further submitted that

the trial is still at the initial stage, as out of 80 prosecution witnesses, none

has yet been examined, and the case is based mainly on documentary

evidence already forming part of the challan. It is, thus, argued that no useful

purpose would be served by keeping the petitioner behind bars for an

indefinite period. Learned counsel has also contended that the allegations

levelled against the petitioner are vague, false and fictitious, and that he has

been made a scapegoat in the present case. It has been further stated that the

petitioner is a young person, the sole breadwinner of the family, having

responsibility to maintain his aged parents and wife, and he is a permanent

resident of Gurdaspur with deep roots in society. It is also contended that no

other FIR is pending against him, he has not been declared a proclaimed

offender, no proclamation proceedings are pending, and he undertakes to

abide by any condition that may be imposed by this Hon’ble Court.

4. On the other hand, learned State counsel has opposed the

present petition and submitted that the petitioner is the main accused in a

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2026.05.14 12:42

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integrity of this document

Chandigarh

CRM-M-20168-2026 3

serious economic offence involving misappropriation of a huge amount from

the accounts of innocent bank customers. It has been argued that the

allegations against the petitioner are grave in nature and specifically attribute

to him the manipulation of banking records and unauthorized transfer of

amounts from the accounts of various account holders to the accounts of his

relatives and co-accused persons. Learned State counsel has further

submitted that the challan/final report already stands presented, charges have

been framed and as many as 80 prosecution witnesses are cited in the case,

out of whom material witnesses are yet to be examined. It is further

contended t