Crl. Misc. No.M-29677 of 2009 1 IN THE PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT AT CHANDIGARH Crl. Misc. No.M-29677 of 2009 (O&M) Date of Decision: 14.07.2011 S.A. Khan ...Petitioner Versus State (UT, Chandigarh) ..Respondent CORAM: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Rajesh Bindal Present: Mr. R.S. Cheema, Senior Advocate with Mr. J.S. Mehndiratta, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. Rajiv Sharma, Standing Counsel for UT, Chandigarh. Mr. Kanwaljit Singh, Senior Advocate with Mr. Siddharth Gupta, Advocate for the complainant. ..... RAJESH BINDAL, J. Prayer in the present petition is for grant of pre-arrest bail to the petitioner, who is accused in FIR No.318 dated 9.10.2009 registered un- der Sections 380 and 420 of the IPC registered at Police Station, Sector-17, Chandigarh. The arrest of the petitioner was stayed on 23.10.2009. The alle- gations in the FIR are that the petitioner had stolen a pre-signed cheque be- longing to the complainant and presented before the Bank whereas the case of the petitioner is that the petitioner and the complainant were in regular business transactions and cheque had been issued to him in due course of business. The FIR was registered on 9.10.2009. The petitioner is on pre-ar- rest bail since 23.10.2009 and has joined investigation six times. Learned counsel for UT, Chandigarh submitted that though the petitioner had joined investigation but had not informed the name of the person who had filled the cheuqe. The cheque was otherwise found to have been signed by the right person. In spite of the fact that the FIR is one year and nine months old, the challan has not been presented till date. One com- Crl. Misc. No.M-29677 of 2009 2 plaint filed by the petitioner seeking prosecution of the complainant under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act is pending in the trial Court and quashing thereof has been sought by the complainant in the present case. Considering the fact that the petitioner was granted interim bail on 23.10.2009 and he joined investigation, I do not find that his custodial interrogation is required at this stage. Accordingly, interim bail granted to the petitioner by this Court on 23.10.2009 is made absolute. The petition stands disposed of. (RAJESH BINDAL) JUDGE 14.07.2011 sharmila