In the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh ...... (1) Criminal Misc. No.M-11538 of 2010 ..... Date of decision:21.7.2010 Mohinder Kaur .....Petitioner v. State of Punjab .....Respondent .... Present: Mr. Surinder Garg, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. T.S. Salana, Deputy Advocate General, Punjab for the respondent-State. Mr. Aman Dhir, Advocate for the complainant. ..... (2) Criminal Misc. No.M-12036 of 2010 ..... Manjit Singh .....Petitioner v. State of Punjab .....Respondent .... Present: Mr. K.S. Chahal, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. T.S. Salana, Deputy Advocate General, Punjab for the respondent-State. Mr. Aman Dhir, Advocate for the complainant. ..... (3) Criminal Misc. No.M-15821 of 2010 ..... Sher Singh .....Petitioner v. State of Punjab .....Respondent .... Cr. Misc. Nos.M-11538 of 2010 etc. [2] Present: Mr. Anshuman Chopra, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. T.S. Salana, Deputy Advocate General, Punjab for the respondent-State. Mr. Aman Dhir, Advocate for the complainant. ..... S.S. Saron, J. This order will dispose of Criminal Misc. No.M-11538 of 2010 filed by Mohinder Kaur, Criminal Misc. No.M-12036 of 2010 filed by Manjit Singh and Criminal Misc. No.M-15821 of 2010 filed by Sher Singh. The petitioners in the respective petitions pray for grant of pre- arrest bail in a case registered against them on 7.3.2010 for the offences under Sections 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B, 419 and 420 IPC at Police Station Jaitu, District Faridkot. Mohinder Kaur (petitioner in Criminal Misc. No.M-11538 of 2010) claimed that she is a bona fide purchaser of half share of land measuring 135 Kanals 12 Marlas in pursuance of an agreement to sell dated 26.4.1989 which was executed by its owner Balbir Singh father of the complainant Balraj Singh through his power of attorney Manjit Singh. Balbir Singh had executed the power of attorney in favour of Manjit Singh on 11.4.1989. The said Manjit Singh entered into an agreement to sell on behalf of Balbir Singh with Mohinder Kaur on 26.4.1989. Mohinder Kaur filed a suit for specific performance of agreement to sell which was decreed in her favour by the learned Civil Judge (Senior Division) vide judgment and decree dated 29.3.1996. The FIR has been registered after 20 years of the agreement to sell and after 14 years of the decree dated 29.3.1996. Manjit Singh (petitioner in Criminal Misc. No.M-12036 of 2010) is the power of attorney holder of Balbir Singh. Cr. Misc. Nos.M-11538 of 2010 etc. [3] It is submitted that the FIR has been lodged after a considerable delay. Sher Singh, Lambardar (petitioner in Criminal Misc. No.M-15821 of 2010) is the marginal witness to the power of attorney dated 11.4.1989. Learned counsel for the State, on instructions from ASI Gurmeet Singh, Police Station Jaitu, District Faridkot, has submitted that the respective petitioners have joined the investigation and their custody is not required for the purposes of investigation. Learned counsel for the complainant has, however, submitted that the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kotkapura in his investigation has observed that the signatures of Balbir Singh on the power of attorney dated 11.4.1989 were forged. Be that as it may, since the custody of the petitioners is not required for the purposes of investigation, the interim bails granted to the petitioners are liable to be made absolute. The prosecution is to establish its case by leading evidence during trial. The FIR has been lodged after a considerable delay. In the circumstances, the interim bails granted to Mohinder Kaur on 22.4.2010, to Manjit Singh on 30.4.2010 and to Sher Singh, Lambardar on 28.5.2010 are made absolute. The criminal miscellaneous petitions stand disposed of. July 21, 2010. (S.S. Saron) Judge *hsp*