Crl.M.No.M-23888 of 2010 (O&M) -1- IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. Crl.M.No.M-23888 of 2010 (O&M) Date of Decision: August 18, 2010 Prem Lata .....Petitioner v. State of Punjab .....Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE RAM CHAND GUPTA Present: Mrs.G.K.Mann, Advocate for the petitioner. ...... RAM CHAND GUPTA, J.(Oral) The present petition filed under Section 438 Cr.P.C. is for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner in case FIR No.38, dated 22.7.2010, under Sections 409, 420, 465, 466, 467, 472, 120-B IPC, registered at Police Station Kambo, District Amritsar. I have heard learned counsel for the petitioner and have gone through the whole record carefully. Allegations against the petitioner-accused are that when she was Sarpanch of Village Gram Panchayat, she, in connivance with co- accused, i.e., Kuldip Singh, Panchayat Secretary, and her husband, misappropriated the grants given by the State to the Panchayat under NREGA scheme. It came during investigation that she had prepared double Muster Roll Registers for single day and the amount had been shown to have been paid to Mukhtiar Singh and Dial Singh twice in a single day. It also came during investigation that she had withdrawn Rs.40,000/- and another Rs.30,000/- on 10.3.2008 and Rs.30,000/- and another Rs.20,000/- on 28.4.2008, whereas as per Rules, she can withdraw only Rs.10,000/-. Hence, there are allegations that she had embezzled the grant received by her as Sarpanch of village Gram Panchayat under NREGA scheme, meant for unemployed youths. Hence, in view of these facts, it is not such a case in which Crl.M.No.M-23888 of 2010 (O&M) -2- extraordinary relief of anticipatory bail should be granted to the petitioner- accused. Rather, her custodial interrogation is necessary. Anticipatory bail was granted to the husband of the petitioner, as he was not the Sarpanch during the said period. Hence, in view of these facts, and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the present petition filed by petitioner- Prem Lata for grant of anticipatory bail is, hereby, dismissed being devoid of any merit. 18.8.2010 (Ram Chand Gupta) meenu Judge