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2018 DIGILAW 674 (PNJ)

Tarlok Singh @ Manohar Lal v. State of Punjab

2018-02-14

TEJINDER SINGH DHINDSA

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JUDGMENT : Tejinder Singh Dhindsa, J. Petitioner seeks benefit of regular bail pending trial in case FIR No. 244 dated 29.10.2013, under Sections 419/420/465/467/468/120-B IPC and Sections 7, 13 of Prevention of Corruption Act, registered at Police station Navi Baradari, Jalandhar, District Jalandhar. 2. Counsel for the parties have been heard. 3. Allegations in a nutshell against the petitioner are that a compensation amount awarded in favour of land owner Manohar Lal to the extent of Rs. 60 lacs approximately was withdrawn by way of opening a fraudulent bank account and in which the present petitioner had impersonated for Manohar Lal. 4. Petitioner was arrested on 04.09.2017. 5. Investigation in the present case is complete and the challan already stands presented. 6. Learned counsel representing the petitioner has adverted to the final investigation report and which would reflect that out of the amount of Rs. 60 lacs approximately involving the petitioner, Rs. 19.50 lacs was withdrawn by co-accused Jatinder Kumar Sharma. 22 lacs by one Ravi Kumar, 02 lacs by Manjeet Sharma and 01 lac by one Sanjeev Kumar. 7. Further more co-accused Manjeet Sharma was stated to be the guarantor of the bank account that had been opened fraudulently in the Indian Overseas Bank by impersonating Manohar Lal. 8. Learned State counsel upon instructions from ASI Varinder Kumar concedes that co-accused Jatinder Kumar Sharma, Manjeet Sharma as also Sukhdev Singh Patwari have been granted concession of bail. 9. Trial is at the initial stage and would take time to conclude. 10. Even Sandeep Sharma co-accused and against whom there were similar allegations has been granted benefit of bail by this Court in the light of order dated 08.01.2018 in CRM No. M- 42910 of 2017. 11. Without making any observations on merits and on the ground of parity with co-accused Sandeep Sharma, petitioner is held entitled to the concession of bail. 12. Petition is allowed. Petitioner be enlarged on bail subject to satisfaction of the trial Court/Duty Magistrate, Jalandhar.