IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Sandeep Panjeta @ Sandeep Kumar ....Petitioner versus State of Haryana ....Respondent Date of Decision: May 13, 2026 Date of Uploading: May 13, 2026 CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL Present: Mr. Kiran Pal Singh, Advocate for the petitioner.

Ms. Mahima Yashpal Singla, Senior DAG Haryana.

Mr. Bijender Dhankhar, Advocate for the complainant.

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SUMEET GOEL, J. (Oral)

Present petition has been filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (hereinafter to be referred as ‘the BNSS’) (erstwhile Section 438 of the Cr. P.C.) for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner, in case bearing FIR No.129 dated 21.04.2026, registered for the offences punishable under Section 108 of the BNS, 2023 (Sections 333, 351(2), 61(2) and 318(4) of the BNS added later on), at Police Station Ladwa, District Kurukshetra.

2. The gravamen of the allegations against the petitioner is that on 10.04.2026, the complainant stated that one of his relatives, namely Sandeep Panjeta (petitioner herein), approached him with a request to enter into an agreement in order to evade income tax liabilities. Pursuant thereto, on ₹

03.10.2025, the petitioner transferred an amount of 45,00,000/- into the complainant’s bank account. Thereafter, an agreement to sell pertaining to 7 Kanal of land was executed between the parties, whereby the complainant ostensibly agreed to sell the said land to the petitioner. However, the complainant alleged that after withdrawing the entire amount of ₹

45,00,000/- from his account, he handed over the same in cash to the petitioner and that the agreement to sell was executed merely as a security document, without any intention to actually transfer the land. It is further alleged that subsequently the petitioner started threatening and pressurizing the complainant to execute the sale deed in his favour. Owing to the continuous pressure and harassment allegedly caused by the petitioner, the complainant consumed some poisonous substance on 06.04.2026. He was initially admitted to Verma Hospital, Ladwa, and was thereafter referred to PGI, Chandigarh for further treatment. The complainant alleged that he attempted to commit suicide due to the mental pressure created by the petitioner. The complainant died during treatment.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner has iterated that a bare perusal of the FIR itself shows that allegations leveled against the petitioner are concocted, improbable and devoid of any merit. Learned counsel has further iterated that the petitioner has been falsely implicated into the FIR. Learned counsel has further iterated that an agreement to sell was effected between the complainant (since deceased) and wife of the petitioner, namely, Raj Rani, whereby, the complainant agreed to sell his land in question to Raj Rani, and date for registry was fixed for 02.03.2026. Learned counsel has submitted that total amount of Rs.40,00,000/- was transferred into the account of the complainant on different occasions. Thereafter, an amount of Rs.5,00,000/- was also paid to the complainant on 09.01.2026 on the insistence of the complainant. Learned counsel has further submitted that on 02.03.2026, wife of the petitioner was present in the office of Tehsildar, but the complainant did not appear. Later, complainant requested for a short period to do the needful, but he unfortunately expired on 21.04.2026. Learned counsel has submitted that the FIR in question has been registered with an ulterior motive to grab the hard earned money of the petitioner. Learned counsel has asserted that no offence under Section 108 of the BNS has been made out against the petitioner. Learned counsel has further asserted that there is an unexplained delay of 11 days in lodging the FIR in question.

3.1. Learned counsel asserts that the police have not conducted a fair and impartial investigation and the inquiry conducted so far is not only incomplete, but also tainted with bias. Learn