Crl. Misc. No.M-11257 of 2011 [1] IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. Date of Decision: October 14, 2011 1. Crl. Misc. No. M-11257 of 2011 Partap Singh …..Petitioner Vs. State of Haryana …..Respondent 2. Crl. Misc. No. M-12227 of 2011 Raj Rishi Sharma …..Petitioner Vs. State of Haryana …..Respondent 3. Crl. Misc. No. M-12430 of 2011 Gulshan Kumar …..Petitioner Vs. State of Haryana …..Respondent Crl. Misc. No.M-11257 of 2011 [2] CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE M.M.S. BEDI. -.- Present:- Mr. A.S. Virk, Advocate for the petitioner in Crl. Misc. No. M-11257 of 2011. Mr.Devinder Singh, Advocate for the petitioner in Crl. Misc. No. M-12227 of 2011. Mr.Deepak Balyan, Advocate for the petitioner in Crl. Misc. No. M-12430 of 2011 Ms. Sushma Chopra, Addl.A.G., Haryana. -.- M.M.S. BEDI, J. (ORAL) This order will dispose of three petitions bearing Crl. Misc. Nos. M-11257, M-12227 and M-12430 of 2011, filed by Partap Singh, Executive Officer of Municipal Corporation, Rohtak, Raj Rishi Sharma, Municipal Engineer and Gulshan Kumar, Accountant of Municipal Corporation, Rohtak, respectively. The petitioners have allegedly committed irregularities in purchase of construction material which was required to be distributed amongst the eligible persons who were allotted material under Ambedkar Awas Yogna in the year 2003. Vigilance Bureau has been able to gather material against the officials of the Municipal Corporation. The circumstances do not warrant the grant of pre-arrest bail to the petitioners but in view of the fact that there is an inordinate delay of 8 years in launching of prosecution and registration of FIR. The petitioners Crl. Misc. No.M-11257 of 2011 [3] may be granted the relief of pre-arrest bail as it will be debatable after long span of time whether the petitioners are actually responsible for the embezzlement of the money entrusted under the abovesaid scheme. Besides this, the petitioners have joined investigation and it is not a case where recoveries are to be effected or custodial interrogation could serve any purpose at this belated stage. The petitions are allowed and it is ordered that in case of arrest of the petitioners, they will be ordered to be released on bail to the satisfaction of the arresting officer subject to the conditions that they will join investigation as and when required by the police and that they will not tamper with the evidence or hamper the investigation in any manner. The petitioners will not commit the similar offence of which they are accused of during the pendency of trial. This order will remain operative till presentation of challan. The petitioners will be required to furnish fresh bail bonds at the time of presentation of challan to the satisfaction of the Court concerned at that opportune time. October 14, 2011 (M.M.S.BEDI) sanjay JUDGE