IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Misc. No. M-5886 of 2009 Date of decision: 20th March, 2009 Tarsem Lal … Petitioner Versus State of Punjab … Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE KANWALJIT SINGH AHLUWALIA Present: Mr. Gurcharan Dass, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. Mehardeep Singh, Assistant Advocate General Punjab for the State. KANWALJIT SINGH AHLUWALIA, J. (ORAL) Present petition has been filed under Section 438 Cr.P.C. seeking grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner in case FIR No. 14 dated 30.01.2009 registered at Police Station Kurali, District S.A.S. Nagar Mohali under Section 7 of Essential Commodities Act and Section 120-B IPC. On March 3, 2009, this Court had passed the following order: “Petitioner is stated to be Depot-holder under the Public Distribution System. Allegation against the petitioner is that he was selling wheat received on subsidized rates for disbursement to people below poverty line at a higher rate. Counsel for the petitioner submits that only 2000 Kgs of wheat was received in the A.P.L. Scheme. It is further submitted that only 240 kgs. of wheat was sold and 1760 Kgs. of wheat was in the stock. Counsel further submitted that even 240 Kgs. of wheat has been sold to the persons entitled to the same and nothing has been sold for benefit. Counsel has attached documents to support the averments. It has been Criminal Misc. No. M-5886 of 2009 further submitted that petitioner is ready to co-operate with the Investigating Agency to ensure that nothing has been sold illegally. Issue notice of motion to learned Advocate General, Punjab, for 20.3.2009. Meanwhile, in the event of arrest, petitioner shall be released on interim bail to the satisfaction of the Arresting Officer. Petitioner shall join investigation as and when called for. Petitioner shall also abide by the conditions specified under Section 438(2) Cr.P.C.” Counsel for the State, on instructions from ASI Lakhwinder Singh, states that petitioner has joined the investigation and he is no longer required for further custodial interrogation. For the reasons stated in order dated March 3, 2009 and in view of the statement made by counsel for the State, interim bail granted to the petitioner vide order dated March 3, 2009 is made absolute till submission of report under Section 173 Cr.P.C. (challan). Thereafter, petitioner will be permitted to furnish regular bail bonds to the satisfaction of the trial Court. With these observations, present petition is disposed off. [KANWALJIT SINGH AHLUWALIA] JUDGE March 20, 2009 rps 2