IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Crl. Misc No. M-5696 of 2009 Date of decision : 20.05.2009 Sadhu Singh ....Petitioner V/s State of Punjab ....Respondent BEFORE : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJAN GUPTA Present: Mr. H.R. Noharia, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. Shailesh Gupta, DAG Punjab for the respondent-State. RAJAN GUPTA J. (ORAL) This is a petition for regular bail in a case registered against the petitioner under Sections 406/420/467/468/471 IPC at police station Bhadaur District Barnala vide FIR No. 23 dated 31.03.2008. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that petitioner has undergone incarceration since 06.04.2008 and only four prosecution witnesses have been examined so far. According to the counsel, the allegations in the charge-sheet is of cheating and criminal breach of trust for an amount of Rs. 24,51,106/-. Learned counsel for the State has opposed the grant of bail to the petitioner on the ground that allegations against the petitioner are serious in nature. However, he has submitted that trial of the case is going on and total of 65 prosecution witnesses have to be examined in this case. Keeping in view the fact that petitioner has already undergone incarceration for a period of almost 13 months, I am of the considered view Crl. Misc No. M-5696 of 2009 -2- that petitioner deserves to be enlarged on bail. Since trial will take some time to conclude, no useful purpose would be served by detaining the petitioner in custody during the pendency of the trial. This apart, petitioner being local resident, the chances of his escaping from the process of law appear to be remote. Accordingly, the petition is allowed and the petitioner is ordered to be released on bail to the satisfaction of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Barnala. 20.05.2009 (RAJAN GUPTA) Ajay JUDGE