IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Misc. No. M-34681 of 2011 Date of decision : December 08, 2011 Prabhjot Singh ....Petitioner versus State of Punjab ....Respondent Coram: Hon'ble Mr. Justice L.N. Mittal Present : Mr. APS Deol, Senior Advocate with Ms. Amandeep Kaur, Advocate, for the petitioner Mr. RS Rawat, Assistant Advocate General, Punjab L.N. Mittal, J. (Oral) Accused Prabhjot Singh has filed this petition for bail in case FIR No. 267 dated 11.10.2011, under sections 406, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120- B IPC, Police Station City Rajpura, District Patiala. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case file. According to prosecution version, bank account was opened in the name of the complainant's son through Manit Bindra co-accused. Hawala transactions were allegedly carried out through the said bank account. Amounts received from Australia were withdrawn by Manit Bindra who had obtained blank signed cheques from the complainant's son. The petitioner was Manager of the bank concerned at the relevant time Criminal Misc. No. M-34681 of 2011 -2- when account was opened in the name of complainant's son. It is alleged that the account was opened in connivance with the petitioner and the transactions were carried out in connivance with him. The petitioner is in custody since 13.10.2011 i.e. for almost two months. It is undisputed as conceded by learned State counsel, after seeking instructions from SI Amrik Singh, that the account was opened in the name of genuine person and not fictitious person nor there is any dispute regarding identity of the holder of the bank account. No specific role has been attributed to the petitioner regarding the alleged Hawala transactions through the said bank account. Being Manager of the bank, it was his duty to open the bank account when some body approached him for the same, if all necessary formalities for the same were completed. Investigation has not yet been completed. Investigation and trial is likely to take long time. Case is triable by Magistrate. No useful purpose would be served by detaining the petitioner indefinitely during investigation and trial. In view of aforesaid but without meaning to express any opinion on merits of the case, the instant bail petition is allowed. Bail to the satisfaction of learned Chief Judicial Magistrate/Duty Magistrate, Patiala. ( L.N. Mittal ) December 08, 2011 Judge 'dalbir'