IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Misc. No. M-34561 of 2011 (O&M) Date of Decision : 12.12.2011. Vijay Kumar ...... Petitioner Versus State of Punjab & others ...... Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NAWAB SINGH Present: Mr. Om Pal Sharma, Advocate, for the petitioner. Mr. Palwinder Singh, Sr. DAG, Punjab. NAWAB SINGH J.(ORAL) This petition has been filed under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure by Vijay Kumar-petitioner seeking quashing of First Information Report No. 364 dated May 31st, 2009 under Sections 420/120-B of Indian Penal Code registered in Police Station Kotwali, District Bathinda. 2. The aforesaid FIR was registered on the complaint filed by Manoj Navetia and Pardeep Navetia against Sanjay Kumar and Ravinder Kumar. It was alleged that they duped them for an amount of Rs.5,50,000/- as they were running a committee (an arrangement in which money is collected every month for being given to the highest bidder). They (complainants) contributed monthly an amount of Rs.50,000/- each. However, their (Sanjay Kumar's and Ravinder Kumar's) whereabouts were not known. It was also alleged in the FIR that the petitioner is brother of Ravinder Kumar and as such, he may be aware of Ravinder Kumar. Except this allegation, there is nothing against the petitioner that he cheated the complainants, a fact which could not be refuted by the counsel for the State. On the similar grounds, FIR registered against Lalit Mohan who was brother-in-law (sister's husband) of Ravinder Kumar was quashed by this Court vide judgment dated August 19th, 2011 (Annexure P-3) passed in Criminal Misc. No. M-14153 of 2010 titled Lalit Mohan vs. State of Punjab & others. Criminal Misc. No. M-34561 of 2011 (2) 3. A reading of the FIR would show that petitioner had never cheated the complainants and his indictment by the complainant is merely a pressure tactic. As such, the FIR against him is nothing but an abuse of process of law. 4. Hence, the petition is accepted and the FIR No.364 dated May 31st, 2009 under Sections 420/120-B IPC registered in Police Station Kotwali, District Bathijnda along with consequential proceedings arising therefrom are hereby quashed qua Vijay Kumar-petitioner. (NAWAB SINGH) JUDGE 12.12.2011. SN