In the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh Criminal Misc. No.M-6900 of 2009 (O&M) Date of decision: 10.3.2009 Gurpreet Singh ......Petitioner Versus State of Punjab .......Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE SABINA Present: Mr.Vijay Lath, Advocate with Mr.Naveen Sharma, Advocate, for the petitioner. **** SABINA, J. This petition has been filed by Gurpreet Singh under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedurefor grant of anticipatory bail in case FIR No. 147 dated 2.6.2004 under Sections 379 and 411 of the Indian Penal Code, registered at Police Station Division No.4, Jalandhar, District Jalandhar. The petitioner was granted regular bail in this case but later on during trial he absented on 11.1.2007. He was declared a proclaimed offender vide order dated 29.11.2007. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner had inadvertently noted a wrong date and due to this reason he could not appear before the trial Court on 11.1.2007. Father of the petitioner had died on 28.12.2007 and his mother after Criminal Misc. No.M-6900 of 2009 (O&M) -2- prolonged illness has died on 16.1.2009. The absence of the petitioner before the trial Court, thus, not intentional. The petitioner absented on 11.1.2007 and was declared a proclaimed offender vide order dated 29.11.2007. Thereafter, his father died on 28.12.2007 and his mother expired on 16.1.2009. However, there is no explanation as to why the petitioner remained absent from 11.1.2007 till the date he was declared a proclaimed offender. His application seeking anticipatory bail was dismissed by Additional Sessions Judge, Jalandhar on 6.5.2008. Even thereafter, the petitioner did not make an effort to surrender before the trial Court. It appears that the plea taken by the petitioner that he had noted down a wrong date is an afterthought. Accordingly, this petition is dismissed. (SABINA) JUDGE March 10, 2009 anita