BAIL APPLN. 2007/2026 $~89 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + BAIL APPLN. 2007/2026 DEEPAK MAAN @ PRINCE .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Sunil Dalal, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Ankit Rana, Ms. Shipra Bali and Mr. Bharat Khurana, Advocates. versus THE STATE GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Ms. Shubhi Gupta, APP for the State. SI Mohit, P.S.: Narela Industrial Area. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANUP JAIRAM BHAMBHANI O R D E R % 22.05.2026 CRL.M.A. 16575/2026 (exemption) Exemption granted, subject to just exceptions. The application stands disposed of. BAIL APPLN. 2007/2026 By way of the present petition filed under section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (‘BNSS’), the petitioner seeks anticipatory bail in case FIR No. 0046/2025 dated 20.01.2025 registered under sections 111(2)(a)/111(2)(b)/111(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (‘BNS’), at P.S.: Narela Industrial Area, Outer North District, Delhi. 2. Mr. Sunil Dalal, learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioner submits, that the subject FIR was registered on 20.01.2025, but the This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 30/05/2026 at 11:12:55 BAIL APPLN. 2007/2026 Investigating Officer (‘I.O.’) called for the presence of the petitioner by notice dated 31.03.2026 issued under section 35(3) of the BNSS about 01 year and 02 months later. 3. Mr. Dalal submits, that the petitioner has joined the investigation on no less than 10 occasions, and during this period the petitioner was granted interim protection by the learned Sessions Court vidé order dated 04.04.2026. It is however submitted, that subsequently, vidé order dated 08.05.2026 the learned Sessions Court has dismissed the petitioner’s anticipatory bail plea. 4. Mr. Dalal argues, that as would be seen from a perusal of reply dated 25.04.2026 filed by the I.O. before the learned Sessions Court, the I.O. has said that he requires from the petitioner information about the source of funds/EMIs for a certain vehicle, which the petitioner is using, as well as the source of fire-arms stated to have been recovered from the petitioner in an earlier case being FIR No. 14/2025 dated 06.01.2025. 5. Mr. Dalal argues that in order dated 15.01.2026 passed by the Supreme Court in Satender Kumar Antil vs. Central Bureau of Investigation,1 the Supreme Court has said that for offences attracting punishment of upto 07 years, issuance of notice under section 35(1)(b) of the BNSS is the rule and arrest under section 35(6) is a clear exception. 6. Mr. Dalal submits, that the petitioner deserves interim protection at the stage of issuance of notice on this petition itself. 1 2026 SCC OnLine SC 162 This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 30/05/2026 at 11:12:55 BAIL APPLN. 2007/2026 7. The court has also heard Ms. Shubhi Gupta, learned APP for the State, who submits that a perusal of the subject FIR dated 20.01.2025 would show that the offence inter-alia under section 111 of the BNS has also been alleged against the petitioner, which is punishable with upto life imprisonment. Accordingly it is argued that the principle cited from Satender Kumar Antil is not applicable to the petitioner. 8. Learned APP further submits, that a perusal of the subject FIR would also show that the petitioner is being investigated for engaging in ‘organised crime’ including extortion, murder, apart from creating terror in the area. Ms. Gupta submits, that the petitioner is believed to be a notorious criminal, who is running an organised crime syndicate in his own name. 9. Ms. Gupta submits, that though the petitioner did join investigation on earlier occasions, he has failed to answer purely objective questions as regards the source of funds for purchase of his properties and vehicles; and also as to the source from where he acquired fire-arms that were recovered from him in earlier cases. 10. Ms. Gupta submits, that since the I.O. is investigating a case of ‘organised crime’, the source from where the petitioner and his gang members acquired fire-arms for committing various offences at various points in time, is extremely pertinent. 11. Upon a conspectus of the foregoing submissions, and considering the nature of the investigation that is required in case FIR No. 0046/2025 dated 20.01.2025 registered under sections 111(2)(a)/111(2)(b)/111(4) of the BNS at P.S.: Narela Industrial Area, Outer North District, Delhi, This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 30/05/2026 at 11:12:55 BAIL APPLN. 2007/2026 against the petitioner, this court is not inclined to even issue notice on the present anticipatory bail petition. 12. The petition is accordingly dismissed at the stage of issuance of notice itself. 13. Pending applications, if any, stands disposed-of. ANUP JAIRAM BHAMBHANI, J MAY 22, 2026/hb This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 30/05/2026 at 11:12:55