IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CRM No. M 279 of 2009 (O&M) Date of decision: 28.1.2009 Om Parkash ...Petitioner Versus State of Punjab ...Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE HARBANS LAL Present: Mr.HS Gill, Sr.Advocate with Mr.Vivek Goel, Advocate for the petitioner Mr.Abhishek Chautala, AAG, Punjab *** Harbans Lal, J. This petition has been moved by Om Parkash under Section 439 of Cr.P.C. seeking regular bail in case FIR No.139 dated 22.7.2008 registered under Sections 218, 420, 465, 468, 471, 120-B of IPC and Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 at Police Station City Moga, District Moga. The facts in brief of the prosecution case are that on the basis of letter dated 24.3.2008 from Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh the case was registered. It was stated in such letter that one Gurpreet Singh son of Mohinder Singh, born at Ghumanwala on 12.6.1987 and shown as resident of Mudki Road, Street No.5, Baghapurana, District Moga, obtained passport from Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh on the basis of police verification, received from Senior Superintendent of Police, Moga in the year 2006, when he was residing in France. On questioning by the Indian Embassy in Paris, Gurpreet Singh disclosed that he got his passport made in CRM No. M 279 of 2009 (O&M) -2- India in the year 2006 by sending an affidavit to someone in India for the preparation of the passport in 2006, though, he was residing in France since 2003. During the course of investigation, it was found that the letter containing the passport was delivered by the petitioner being a Postman. I have heard the learned counsel for the parties. Baldev Singh Sub- Postmaster during investigation stated that the delivery slips were retained only for one year and that being so, previous delivery slips pertaining to the present case were not available. The only allegations against the petitioner is that he delivered the said letter containing the passport to a wrong person. The challan has not been put in the court as yet. The petitioner is in custody since 15.11.2008. There are no allegations of corruption against the petitioner. The presentation of challan and conclusion of trial is likely to take a considerable time. In these premises, but without meaning to an expression of opinion on merits of the case, it would be in the fitness of things to admit bail to the petitioner. Bail to the satisfaction of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Moga. January 28, 2009 (Harbans Lal) gsv Judge