CRM-M-15434-2011 (O&M) - 1 - ***** IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CRM-M-15434-2011 (O&M) Date of decision:12.07.2011. Amrik Singh ...Petitioner Versus State of Punjab ...Respondent CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RAKESH KUMAR JAIN Present: Mr. Ankur Mittal, Advocate, for the petitioner. Mr. Amandeep Singh Rai, DAG, Punjab. ***** RAKESH KUMAR JAIN, J. This is a petition for grant of regular bail to the petitioner in a case registered vide FIR No.47, dated 16.06.2003, under Sections 406/409 of IPC read with Section 13(1)(d) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 Police Station Vigilance Bureau, Ferozepur. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner was arrested on 23.07.2003 and was released on bail on 07.08.2003. He was also found innocent during the investigation. The challan was presented in his absence. He was declared Proclaimed Offender on 08.01.2007 as he was mentally upset and has gone Hazoor Sahib and now he is in judicial custody since 15.03.2011. He has argued vehemently and tried to impress upon the Court that no offence has been committed by the petitioner. However, after perusal of the record, I have found that the challan in this case was filed on 01.04.2005 but the petitioner never appeared although his co-accused appeared and were charge-sheeted on 31.05.2007. He was declared Proclaimed CRM-M-15434-2011 (O&M) - 2 - ***** Offender after which the prosecution led their evidence against the other co-accused. The defence took about 17 dates for leading their evidence and at that time, the petitioner had surrendered on 15.03.2011 and because of his absence the trial has been unnecessarily delayed. No reason has been given by him for his absence for 6 years from the Court and despite the fact that he was declared Proclaimed Offender on 08.01.2007, he did not appear for 4 years. After considering all this circumstances, I have found that the petitioner does not deserve concession of bail because there is chances of his absconding again leaving the trial in lurch. Hence, the present petition is hereby dismissed. July 13, 2011 (RAKESH KUMAR JAIN) vinod* JUDGE