IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Sr.No.108+209 CRM-M-8194-2026 (O&M)

Decided on : 20.04.2026 Dharminder Singh ...... Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ...... Respondents CORAM : HON’BLE MS. JUSTICE RUPINDERJIT CHAHAL ***

Present : Mr. Ashwani Prashar, Advocate for the petitioner.

Ms. Ramta Chowdhary, DAG, Punjab.

None for respondents No.2 and 3.

***

RUPINDERJIT CHAHAL , J (ORAL)

1. Prayer in the present petition filed under Section 482 of the BNSS, 2023 is for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner in case FIR No.0262 dated 17.12.2025, registered under Section 316(5) of BNS, 2023, at Police Station Sadar Jagraon, District Ludhiana Rural and kept more than the amount authorized to him.

2. Brief facts, as per the prosecution case, are that the petitioner has embezzlement an amount of Rs.7.5 crores by fabricating record and inflating figures and kept more than the amount authorized to him.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. He further contends that the allegations levelled against the petitioner are false and he has no concern with the said offence. Learned counsel submits that the petitioner has not embezzled even a single penny but he has become prey at the hands of respondent No.2, who has obtained petitioner’s signatures in good faith. Learned counsel submits that the entire evidence in the present case is documentary in nature, hence no recovery is to be effected from the petitioner and his custodial interrogation is not required. Learned counsel also submits that the petitioner is ready and willing to join the investigation as and when called upon to do so by the Investigating Agency and shall fully cooperate with the investigation agency. On these grounds, it is prayed that the present petition be allowed.

4. On the other hand, learned State counsel while referring to the status report already filed, has opposed the prayer for grant of anticipatory bail by submitting that the allegations levelled against the petitioner are serious in nature. He contends that the petitioner being the Secretary of the Society had cash amount of Rs.2,04,63,258.13 on 31.03.2025 and cash amount of Rs.7,51,77,207.13 on 31.10.2025 belonging to the Society, despite the fact that the Secretary can keep cash in hand of Rs.20,00,000/- without season and cash amount of Rs.50,00,000/- during season as per resolution. Learned counsel further contends that the petitioner prepared forged documents; got issued cheque books in the name of members and after signing some of the cheques got issued the amounts and misappropriated the same. He himself has shown the return of amount by the members but he did not deposit this amount in the account of the society. In this way, he has misappropriated the funds of the society which is more than Rs.8,00,00,000/-. He also prepared forged cheques even on the names of the members who have already died and purchased property by using the amount of society. He further submits that the custodial interrogation of the petitioner is required for recovering the embezzled amount, cheque books of members, record of society as well as unearth the modus operandi of the accused. Thus, he does not deserve any concession from this Court.

6. Having heard learned counsel for the parties at length and after perusing the record, this Court finds that the allegations levelled against the petitioner are grave and pertain to large-scale misappropriation of funds of ₹

the Society, running into more than 8 crores. The material placed on record prima facie indicates that the petitioner was entrusted with fiduciary responsibilities and has allegedly abused the same by retaining excessive cash in hand far beyond the permissible limits, preparing forged documents, issuing cheques in the names of members (including deceased persons), and diverting funds for personal gain, including purchase of property. The nature and magnitud