IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision: 22.04.2026 Date of uploading: 22.04.2026 Shailender Kumar @ Lala ....Petitioner V/s State of Punjab ....Respondent CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL Present:- Mr. Angad Parmar, Advocate for the petitioner(s).

Mr. Baljinder Singh Sra, Addl. AG, Punjab.

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SUMEET GOEL, J. (ORAL)

1. Present petition has been filed under Section 483 of BNSS 2023 for grant of regular bail to the petitioner in case bearing FIR No.198 dated 16.10.2022, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 302 and 120-B of IPC, at Police Station Sadar Ludhiana, District Ludhiana. 2. The case set up in the FIR in question (as set out by the petitioner in the present petition) is as follows:-

“Statement of Sudha Devi wife of Mahesh, resident of Nai Bazar Khaga, Police Station Khaga, District Fatehpur, U.P., aged about 35 years, mobile No. 87951806825 + 9793237849, stated that she is a resident of the above-mentioned address. Her mother Shiv Kali and father Moti Lal Gupta have expired. They are four siblings. Her elder brother's name is Raju Gupta who resides at Patel Nagar, Kanpur, and her younger sister Roopa Gupta wife of Shri Chand Gupta resides at Raja Market, Kanpur, who is younger than her, and she herself is younger than them, and the youngest brother is Surinder Gupta whose age is about 32 years. He got married in the year 2013 with Guddiya Devi daughter of Parsotam. resident of village Baberu, District Banda, U.P., after which both of them started living in Ludhiana city on rent at different places. At present, her brother Surinder and his wife Guddiya Devi are living as tenants in the house of Vinod, Gali No. 1, village Phullawal, Ludhiana. Her brother used to often tell her on phone that his wife Guddiya Devi has relations with Shailender Kumar son of Ram Bali, resident of Jawaddi, Ludhiana. In the month of February 2022 also Guddiya Devi had gone away from home with Shailender Kumar, but later we talked to Guddiya and sent her back with Surinder. After that Surinder used to tell her on phone that Guddiya Devi is still in contact with Shailender Kumar, due to which there used to be quarrels between them and Guddiya Devi used to say to Surinder that if he stops her from talking to or meeting Shailender Kumar, she would get him killed. On a certain date, her brother Surinder called her on her above-mentioned phone number from his mobile number 7355438837 and told her that his wife is quarreling with him and threatening to kill him, upon which she told him that she would soon come to Ludhiana and make his wife understand. On 14.10.2022 she came to know that due to injury on the head of her brother SurinderGupta, her sister-in- law Guddiya got him admitted in Civil Hospital, and due to serious injuries the doctors of Civil Hospital referred him to Rajindra Hospital. Patiala, where yesterday her brother died due to head injuries. Her sister-in-law Guddiya had deliberately stated that Surinder had met with an accident, but now she has come to know that her sister-in-law Guddiya Devi along with her lover Shailender Kumar attacked her brother Surinder Gupta on the head with an iron rod (sabbal), due to which injuries he died. The reason for this enmity is that her sister-in-law Guddiya Devi had relations with Shailender Kumar and her brother used to stop them from meeting each other. Therefore, her sister-in-law Guddiya Devi and her lover Shailender Kumar attacked her brother on the head with an iron rod and committed his murder, and legal action be taken against them. She along with her brother Raju Gupta has appeared and informed accordingly, her statement has been recorded, read over and found correct. Signed/-Sudha (in Hindi). attested signed/- Raju Gupta (in Hindi), verified SD/- Major Singh ASI Police Station Sadar Ludhiana dated 16/10/2022.”

3. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner has argued that the petitioner is in custody since 16.10.2022. Learned counsel app