IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Misc. No. M-33253 of 2011 Date of decision : December 14, 2011 Maninderjit Singh @ Manna ....Petitioner versus State of Punjab ....Respondent Coram: Hon'ble Mr. Justice L.N. Mittal Present : Mr. Anupam Bhardwaj, Advocate, for the petitioner Mr. RS Rawat, Assistant Advocate General, Punjab L.N. Mittal, J. (Oral) Accused Maninderjit Singh alias Manna has filed this petition for bail in case FIR No. 113 dated 24.8.2011, under sections 399, 402 IPC, registered at Police Station Lopoke, District Amritsar. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case file. According to the prosecution version, petitioner and his co- accused were arrested on the basis of secret information while they were planning to commit dacoity and various weapons were recovered from them. Learned Additional Sessions Judge declined bail to the petitioner vide order Annexure P/1 on contention of prosecution that two other cases i.e. FIR No. 114 of 2011 under section 25 of the Arms Act and FIR No. 115 of 2011 under section 22 of the NDPS Act also stood Criminal Misc. No. M-33253 of 2011 -2- registered against the petitioner. However, learned State counsel, on instructions from HC Hardev Singh clarified that FIR No. 114 of 2011 has been registered under section 22 of the NDPS Act against co-accused Satnam Singh whereas FIR No. 115 of 2011 has been registered under section 25 of the Arms Act against co-accused Manjit Singh and none of the said FIRs is against the present petitioner. Learned counsel for the petitioner as well as State counsel conceded that petitioner's co-accused Deepak Singh @ Deepu, Ranjit Singh @ Kalu and Ranjit Singh @ Lada have been granted bail by learned Additional Sessions Judge vide order dated 14.10.2011, Annexure P/2. From them recovery was of iron rod, sword and sword respectively whereas from the petitioner recovery was of kirch, a sharp edged weapon. The petitioner is, thus, on parity with Deepak Singh etc. three co-accused who have been granted bail by Sessions Court vide order Annexure P/2. The petitioner is in custody since 24.8.2011 i.e. for more than 3½ months. In view of the aforesaid but without commenting anything on the merits of the case, the instant petition is allowed. Bail to the satisfaction of Chief Judicial Magistrate/Duty Magistrate, Amritsar. ( L.N. Mittal ) December 14, 2011 Judge 'dalbir'