IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Crl. Misc No. M-20969 of 2009 Date of decision : 09.10.2009 Ravinder Singh ....Petitioner V/s State of Punjab ....Respondent BEFORE : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJAN GUPTA Present: Mr. A.S. Walia, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. Jaswinder Singh, DAG Punjab. RAJAN GUPTA J. (ORAL) This is a petition seeking regular bail in a case registered against the petitioner under Sections 420, 406, 120-B IPC at Police Station Sidhwan Bet, District Ludhiana Vide FIR No. 120 dated 28.07.2003. Learned counsel for the petitioner has argued that offences alleged to have been committed in the year 1996 while the FIR was lodged in the year 2003. Learned counsel submits that petitioner did not appear before the trial court in view of the compromise dated 28.08.2003 arrived at between the parties. According to the counsel, in view of the compromise, proceedings before the court remained stayed for two years. However, after the petition for quashing i.e. Crl. Misc. No. 40282-M of 2003 was dismissed, the petitioner was declared a proclaimed offender. Learned counsel further submits that the case is triable by the Magistrate and the petitioner shall not default in appearance before the trial court on any date in future during the pendency of the trial. Learned counsel for the State has opposed the prayer for bail on Crl. Misc No. M-20969 of 2009 -2- the ground that allegations against the petitioner are serious in nature. He submits that petitioner was declared a proclaimed offender and was arrested on the airport while coming back to India. Keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case particularly that the case is triable by the Magistrate and the fact that trial may take some time to conclude, I am of the considered view that petitioner deserves to be enlarged on bail especially when the co-accused of the petitioner have already been enlarged on bail. Accordingly, the petition is allowed and the petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail to the satisfaction of J.M.I.C Jagroan. This, however, will be subject to heavy surety and an undertaking to be furnished by the petitioner that he shall not default in appearance before the trial court on any date in future. The petitioner shall also surrender his passport before the trial court and shall not leave the country without prior permission of the court. 09.10.2009 (RAJAN GUPTA) Ajay JUDGE