Criminal Misc. No. M-21607 of 2009 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Misc. No. M-21607 of 2009 Date of decision: December 11, 2009 Bhajan Lal -Petitioner Versus State of Punjab -Respondent Coram Hon'ble Mr. Justice Rajan Gupta Present: Mr. PPS Tung, Advocate, for the petitioner. Mr. AS Jattana, Addl. AG, Punjab. Rajan Gupta, J.(Oral) This is a petition under Section 439 Cr.P.C. seeking regular bail in a case FIR No. 43 dated 26-2-2008 registered against the petitioner under Sections 323,324,307,34 IPC at police station Sadar Hoshiarpur. Mr. Tung has argued that the injury in question was caused in a sudden altercation, which took place due to dispute over a pipe for irrigating the land. The petitioner is stated to be in custody for the last more than one year. According to counsel, trial is still at its initial stage. He, therefore, prays that the petitioner deserves to be enlarged on bail during pendency of the trial. Learned State counsel, however, opposes the prayer for bail on the ground that the allegations against the petitioner are serious. He, however, does not dispute the fact that the trial is still at its initial stage as only one prosecution witness has been examined so far. Without expressing any opinion on merits of the case at this Criminal Misc. No. M-21607 of 2009 2 stage and keeping in view the fact that the petitioner has been in custody for the last more than one year and the trial may take a considerable time to conclude, I feel that no useful purpose would be served by detaining the petitioner in custody during pendency of trial. Accordingly the instant petition is allowed and the petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail to the satisfaction of Chief Judicial Magistrate/Duty Magistrate, Hoshiarpur. [Rajan Gupta] Judge December 11, 2009. 'ask'