IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Misc. No. M-29464 of 2009 (O/M). Date of Decision : November 18, 2009. Ashwani Bhatia ...... Petitioner(s). Versus. State of Haryana ..... Respondent(s). CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH. Present:- Mr. Nonish Kumar, Advocate, for the petitioner . Mr. Y.P. Malik, A.A.G. Haryana, for respondent-State. Mr. J.S. Mehndiratta, Advocate, for the complainant. AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH, J. (ORAL). Counsel for the petitioner states that in compliance of order dated 22.10.2009, passed by this Court, the petitioner has joined the investigation. Counsel for respondent-State, on instructions from S.I. Krishan Lal Bhagwan, Police Station Mahesh Nagar, District Ambala, does not dispute this fact. He states that the petitioner is, as of now, not required for the said purpose. Counsel for the complainant, however, submits that some gold articles were handed over to the complainant, which is yet to be recovered from the petitioner. He further states that delay in registration of the F.I.R. was primarily because of certain social pressures and, therefore, the complainant could not approach the police authorities earlier. Criminal Misc. No. M-29464 of 2009 . I have heard counsel for the parties and have gone through the records of the case. Keeping in view the fact that the petitioner has joined the investigation and also keeping in view the fact of delay in lodging F.I.R., the order dated 22.10.2009 is hereby confirmed. However, the petitioner shall be bound by the provisions of Section 438 (2) Cr.P.C. Any observations made herein above shall have no bearing on the trail. (AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH) JUDGE November 18, 2009. sjks. -2-