CRM No. M-20424 of 2009 1 IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. CRM No. M-20424 of 2009 (O&M) Date of decision: 3.8.2009 Buta Singh Numberdar ...Petitioner Versus State of Punjab ...Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJAN GUPTA Present: Mr. G.S. Sandhu, Advocate, for the petitioner. Mr. Shailesh Gupta, DAG, Punjab. Rajan Gupta, J. This is a petition praying for grant of pre-arrest bail in a case registered against him under Sections 419, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B IPC at Police Station Division No.5, Ludhiana, vide FIR No.62 dated 16th March, 2009. Learned counsel for the petitioner has argued that the petitioner is not named in the FIR and he is not a beneficiary in the alleged transaction. According to the counsel, the petitioner was merely a witness to the deed, on the basis of which loan was sanctioned. Thus, the petitioner deserves the concession of anticipatory bail. Learned counsel for the State has, however, vehemently opposed the prayer for bail. He has submitted that the petitioner has actively participated in the crime, the investigating agency needs him for the purpose of custodial interrogation, the petitioner had witnessed the CRM No. M-20424 of 2009 2 documents submitted to the bank for the purpose of sanction of loan and as such, his custodial interrogation is necessary for the purpose of taking the investigation to its logical end. I have heard learned counsel for the petitioner and given careful thought to the facts of the case. It appears that the petitioner played an active role in conspiring to cheat the bank of a huge amount. His name figured during the course of investigation. There is nothing to show that the petitioner innocently witnessed the documents, on the basis of which the bank sanctioned the loan. It appears that custodial interrogation of the petitioner may be necessary for unravelling the entire modus operandi of the accused. I, thus, find no ground to extend the concession of anticipatory bail to the petitioner. The petition is hereby dismissed. (RAJAN GUPTA) JUDGE August 03, 2009 'rajpal'