CRM M-32045-2025 -1- IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH 219 CRM M-32045-2025 Date of Decision: 12.08.2025 Manjit Singh ...Petitioner Versus State of Punjab … Respondent CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE N.S.SHEKHAWAT Present : Mr. Kunal Dawar, Advocate, for the petitioner. Mr. Ravneet Joshi, Deputy A.G., Punjab. N.S.SHEKHAWAT , J. (Oral) 1. The petitioner has filed the instant petition under Section 482 of the B.N.S.S., 2023 with a prayer to grant anticipatory bail in case FIR No.24 dated 07.04.2025 registered under Section 7A of P.C. Act, 1988 as amended by P.C. (Amendment) Act, 2018, (Section 6192) of BNS, 2023, erstwhile Section 120-B of IPC added later on) at Police Station Vigilance Bureau, Patiala, Punjab. 2. The FIR in the present case has been registered on the basis of the statement made by Kumar Gaurav and the same has been reproduced below:- “Statement of Kumar Gaurav son of Shri Shashi Pal resident of House No. 852, Ward No. 5, Mohalla Telian, Sirhind, District Fartehgarh Sahib, age around 50 years AMIT RANA 2025.08.22 17:37 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this judgement/order CRM M-32045-2025 -2- M.No. 98889-90796, stated that I Kumar Gaurav s/o Shri Shashi Pal is a resident of House No. 852, Ward No. 5, Mohalla Telian, Sirhind, District Fartehgarh Sahib, and I am working as private Taxi Driver at Fatehgarh Sahib. Today I went to agent Paramjit Singh, booth no. 63, Fatehgarh Sahib Court to get my driving license and to get one learning license prepared. Where I talked to Paramjit Singh and asked him about the expenditure on these licenses. Then he told me that government fee for learning license is Rs. 520 and government fee for driving license is Rs. 1385. But to get these licenses prepared, bribe is to be paid to the employees of R.T.A. office. So on both these licenses total expenditure will be Rs. 5000/-. That I had made this entire audio/video recording on my phone. But I am a poor man, as such I could not pay this bribe. Then regarding this I have reached your office with 10 notes of Rs. 500/500 and above-mentioned recording after loading it in a memory card. Where I am handing over to you the memory card of the above recording, regarding demand of bribe from me in the name of employees of RTA office by above Paramjit Singh and Indian currency notes of Rs. 500/500 totaling Rs. 5000/-. I may be provided justice by taking appropriate legal action against above Paramjit Singh as per law. Statement recorded, read over and is correct. (Kumar Gaurav). Attested Inspector Sukant Chaudhary Separate Unit Fatehgarh Sahib, dated 07.04.2025”. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the allegations in the present case were mainly levelled against Paramjit Singh, co-accused. The co-accused Paramjit Singh was arrested in the present case and has been granted the concession of bail. He further AMIT RANA 2025.08.22 17:37 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this judgement/order CRM M-32045-2025 -3- contends that during custody, Paramjit Singh had suffered a disclosure statement and named Pawandeep Singh as one of the accused in the present case. Later on, Pawandeep Singh was also arrested on the same day and he suffered disclosure statement in police custody, naming the petitioner as one of the accused. He further contends that in fact the petitioner is only employed to ensure proper scrutiny of the documents, whereas the tender of preparation of driving licence has already been awarded by the Court to an external agency. So the entire work of preparation of driving licence had been executed by the officials of the external agencies. Even, while referring to the Whatsapp chat (Annexure R-1), learned counsel submits that the petitioner had never demanded or accepted any money from the complainant and he has been falsely arrayed as accused in the present case. 4. On the other hand, a detailed reply has been filed by way of an affidavit of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Bureau, Unit Fatehgarh Sahib and the same is taken on record. Learned State counsel submits that the FIR was got registered by the complainant alleging that the officials of regional transport authority were demanding illegal gratification from the complainant for preparing the driving licence. Consequently, the complainant approached Paramjit Singh, who was acting as an agent of RTO office and he told the complainant that Manjit Singh Senior Assistant RTA Office, i.e., the petitioner used to obtain illegal gratification from him AMIT RANA 2025.08.22 17:37 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this judgement/order CRM M-32045-2025 -4- for preparation of driving licence and even Pawandeep Singh was also involved in the present case. Pawandeep Singh was arrested in the present case and the receipts regarding preparation of licence were recovered from the shop of Pawandeep Singh on raid. Even, Pawandeep Singh disclosed that he used to write letter ‘P’ on the applications received by him as reflecting the first letter of his name, so that Manjit Singh, i.e., the petitioner, may identify the applications forwarded by him and the licences would be prepared without any delay, after charging illegal gratification. He further contends that even the mobile phone of Pawandeep Singh has been recovered and the Whatsapp chat (Annexure R-1) with Manjit Singh, present petitioner has been found and from the chat, it is apparent that Pawandeep Singh was requesting the petitioner to approve driving licence of several persons, from whom the amount of bribe had been received. Even, the petitioner had received several communications on Whatsaap from Pawandeep Singh, co-accused and the amounts for preparing such driving licences had been collected by the present petitioner. He further contends that at this stage, sufficient evidence has been found collected by the Investigating Officer, which clearly establishes the complicity of the petitioner in the crime. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record. 6. In the present case, the petitioner was working as a senior assistant in RTA Office, Fatehgarh Sahib. During investigation, it has AMIT RANA 2025.08.22 17:37 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this judgement/order CRM M-32045-2025 -5- been found that several files, on which letter “P” was written, have been recovered from the office of the present petitioner. This clearly shows that the files were submitted to his office by Pawandeep Singh, co-accused. Even, Pawandeep Singh was instructing him on Whatsapp to approve the files for issuance of driving licence, in which the bribe had been received by him. Apart from that, it is also evident that the petitioner was handling with the work of preparation of driving license officially. At this stage, sufficient evidence has been collected by the police, which proves the involvement of the petitioner in the RTA scam. Thus, in the present case, custodial interrogation of the petitioner would be required to unravel the modus operandi adopted by the accused, to know the involvement of higher officers of RTA, Fatehgarh Sahib and to recover other related files as well. 7. Finding no merits, the petition is ordered to be dismissed. 8. These findings have been made for the limited purpose of the disposal of the present bail petition and shall not be construed as an expression of opinion on the merits of the case. 12.08.2025 (N.S.SHEKHAWAT) amit rana JUDGE Whether reasoned/speaking : Yes/No Whether reportable : Yes/No AMIT RANA 2025.08.22 17:37 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this judgement/order