IN THE 209 Gurdeep Singh @ State of Punjab CORAM : HON'BLE Present :- Mr. Mr. ***** VINOD S. BHARDWAJ The Bharatiya Nagarik petitioner in case Sections 103(1), 27 of the Arms Act, 2. Briefly of Aryan, son of on 18.06.2025. Upon hospital; however, any statement at 19.06.2025 against As per the said information, of the accused Naveen of his own. It development would motive, harboured that, acting upon along with him in and wanting to THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AT CHANDIGARH CRM-M-71625 Date of decision: @ Deep Soni VERSUS HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VINOD Mr. C.L. Verma, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. Mohit Kapoor, Sr.DAG, Punjab. ***** BHARDWAJ, J. (Oral) The instant first petition has been filed Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for case bearing FIR No.0103 dated 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Act, 1959 at Police Station Garhshankar, Briefly stated, the facts of the present of Amit Kumar, was received at the Upon receipt of the information, however, none of the relatives of the deceased at that time. Subsequently, the FIR against accused Naveen Kumar on the information, the deceased had earl Naveen Kumar but was contemplating was informed that the accused would adversely affect his business harboured animosity towards the deceased. upon the said motive, the accused Naveen in his car to an isolated place. On vomit, the accused is stated to PUNJAB & HARYANA CHANDIGARH 71625-2025(O&M) decision: 02.02.2026 ...Petitioner ...Respondent VINOD S. BHARDWAJ petitioner. Punjab. filed under Section 483 of the grant of regular bail to the 19.06.2025 registered under Sanhita, 2023 and Sections 25 & Garhshankar, District Hoshiarpur. present case are that the dead body the Civil Hospital, Garhshankar information, the police reached the said deceased came forward to make FIR came to be registered on the basis of secret information. earlier been working at the shop contemplating opening a separate shop accused apprehended that such a business and, on account of the said deceased. It was further informed Naveen Kumar took the deceased On the pretext of feeling unwell to have stopped the car and SUMIT SINGH GUSAIN 2026.02.03 11:08 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 2 209 CRM-M-71625-2025(O&M) thereafter fired at the deceased while he was sitting inside the car, resulting in his death. 3. The accused Naveen Kumar was arrested on the same day, i.e. 19.06.2025. During the course of investigation, he is stated to have made a disclosure statement alleging that he had discussed the matter with his friends, namely Gurdeep Singh and Gurmukh Singh, sons of Som Nath, to the effect that his cousin Aryan was planning to open a separate ready-made garments shop, which would ruin his business. As per the disclosure, the said persons advised him to kill Aryan and also provided him with a .32 bore pistol. It was further disclosed that, in pursuance of the conspiracy hatched with the said persons, the accused took the deceased in his car bearing registration No. PB- 24-E-0923 to Ludhiana. While returning from Ludhiana at about 10:30 p.m., the accused stopped the car in a forest area of Shahpur, took out the pistol concealed under the seat of the vehicle and fired at the deceased. 3. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner contends that the investigation in the present case is already complete and as per the complete investigation, Naveen Kumar alone fired the shot at the deceased Chirag Puri @ Aryan. It is contended that the weapon used in commission of the offence was a licenced firearm belonging to Gurmukh Singh, brother of the petitioner herein. He further contends that no recovery of any nature whatsoever has been effected from the petitioner and that he has been nominated as an accused in the case solely because he is a friend of Naveen Kumar, being brother of Gurmukh Singh. It is further submitted that the petitioner has clean antecedents and that he is in custody since 20.06.2025. The investigation in the case is complete and the charges was framed on 15.12.2025. The prosecution has cited as many as 22 witnesses but none has SUMIT SINGH GUSAIN 2026.02.03 11:08 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 3 209 CRM-M-71625-2025(O&M) been examined so far, indicating that the trial is likely to take a long time to conclude. 4. Learned State Counsel does not dispute the facts as aforesaid and contends that the petitioner is brother of Gurmukh Singh and that the weapon used in the commission of offence belonged to said Gurmukh Singh. He however does not dispute the clean antecedents of the petitioner. 5. I have heard learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respective parties and have gone through the documents appended along with the present petition. 6. Taking into consideration the age of the petitioner i.e. 20 years; the nature of the allegations levelled against him, his clean antecedents and the present stage of the trial, wherein not a single prosecution witness has been examined so far, I deem it appropriate to allow the present petition. 7. The instant petition is allowed and the petitioner is ordered to be released on regular bail on his furnishing requisite bail bond/surety bond to the satisfaction of the trial Court/Duty Magistrate, concerned. 8. It is made clear that the petitioner shall not extend any threat and shall not influence any prosecution witnesses in any manner directly or indirectly. 9. The observation made hereinabove shall not be construed as an expression on the merits of the case and the Trial Court shall decide the case on the basis of available material. 10. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand disposed of. 02.02.2026 (VINOD S. BHARDWAJ) Sumit Gusain JUDGE Whether speaking/reasoned : Yes/No Whether reportable : Yes/No SUMIT SINGH GUSAIN 2026.02.03 11:08 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document