CRM-M-31376-2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH 204 CRM-M-31376-2026 Decided on: 01.07.2026 Aarav Chaudhary …...Petitioner Versus State of Punjab …...Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY VASHISTH Present: Mr. Sandeep Chopra, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. Vinay Malhotra, DAG Punjab Mr. Mayur Karkra, Advocate and Mr. Abhishek Chhokar, Advocate for the complainant **** SANJAY VASHISTH, J. (ORAL) 1. Prayer in this petition, filed under Section 482 of the BNSS, 2023 (earlier Section 438 Cr.P.C.), is for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner, who has been booked in a criminal case arising out of FIR No.157 dated 27.09.2025, registered under Sections 420, 506 IPC (Sections 318, 351(2)(3) IPC) at Police Station Urban Estate, District Patiala. 2. Short reply by way of an affidavit of Sh. Jangjit Singh, PPS, Deputy Superintendent of Police, City-II, Patiala on behalf of the respondent-State has been filed in the Court today. The same is taken on record. 3. Complainant-Lalit Mohan Garg got registered FIR and relevant part of it reads as under: REENA 2026.07.02 11:02 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh CRM-M-31376-2026 :I am Lalit Mohan Garg son of Mr. Amarjit Garg resident of House No. 16-Z, Tej Bagh Colony, Patiala (Phone: 97791-26693). My daughter Harshita Garg is presently a resident of 5 K, Gara Court, Brooke Water, Queens Land, Australia, who lives in Australia as a student. The above mentioned Aarav Chaudhary developed a friendship with my daughter Harsita Garg through social media and started alluring her. My daughter is about 19 years old. Who being a student, considers it her responsibility to protect the honor of her family, but the above Aarav Chaudhary first allured her and then started blackmailing her by obtaining her photographs on Instagram and started threatening that if she will not give him money, then he will edit her photographs and will make something unusual (Putha-Sidha) by editing them and will defame her through social media, that my daughter got scared and fell to her talks, who under blackmailing tactics he got lakhs of rupees transferred from my daughter in his own account and in the accounts of the Tarandeep Sharma, Dev Shastri etc mentioned in the subject. Sometime for his own needs, sometimes to buy phones the money was got transferred in the name of shopkeepers and there is evidence regarding all the transactions. Aarav Chaudhary transferred approximately Rs. 9,35,705/- from June 5, 2024 to 16.11.2024. Thereafter, Aarav Chaudhary transferred Rs. 1,62,317/- (Rupees One Lakh Sixty Two Thousand Three Hundred and Seventeen) to the account of Tarandeep Sharma in November 2024. In this sequence Rs. 1,03,250/- (Rupees One Lakh Three Thousand One Hundred and Fifty) was transferred to Dev Shastri's account on November 22 and 25 of 2024. After this, Aarav got transferred Rs. 1,65,583/- (Rupees One Lakh Five Thousand Five Hundred and Eighty Three) to HDFC Bank account on 29.08.2024, claiming it for household needs, for purchasing a phone. The entire amount mentioned above Australian dollars, the total value of which in Indian currency is about Rs. 13,65,567/-, the aforesaid entire amount was deposited in different accounts of the accused mentioned in the subject, which was transferred in the account of Aarav Chaudhary in the bank at Patiala and in the accounts of the accused, regarding which I have evidence. It is worth mentioning that account of Aarav Chaudhary is in Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited bearing account number is 5746498777 (IFSC Code KKBK0000131) and Tarandeep Sharma's Punjab National Bank account number is XXX0056 (IFSC Code PUNB0000100) and the UPI ID of Dev Sashtri is devshastriji555@oksbi, in State Bank of India. The above accused are still continuously blackmailing him, that all this manipulation and fraud is being conducted from Patiala, it is necessary to stop this fraud, because according to our own information, the above accused have cheated many minor girls and student girls by alluring them in their nets and cheated them of REENA 2026.07.02 11:02 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh CRM-M-31376-2026 lakhs of rupees. Therefore, by submitting the application, it is requested that a case be registered against the accused and they be punished according to the law and that justice be delivered to us by returning our aforessaid amount. I fully expect justice from you. With thanks. Yours faithfully dated 07.01.2025 SD/-Lalit Mohan Garg Lalit Mohan Garg son of Mr. Amarjit Garg, resident of house number 16-2, Tej Bagh Colony, A Patiala (Phone: 97791-26693).” 4. Broadly speaking, allegations in the FIR is that petitioner developed contact on Instagram with complainant's daughter aged 19 years. He allured the girl and then started blackmailing daughter of the complainant. Under demand and pressure, daughter of the complainant got deposited a total Indian currency of an amount of Rs. 13,65,567/- in the account of petitioner – Aarav Chaudhary @ Aarav and his other associates/co-accused namely Tarandeep Sharma and Dev Shastri etc. He further contends that infact there was a monetary transaction between petitioner and the complainant and after concocting the version, just for the sake of recovery of the amount, false criminal case has been got registered. 5. Learned counsel for the complainant submits that petitioner is habitual in committing similar kind of offences. He has placed on record photocopy of the application dated 21.04.2023, submitted by one Jaswinder Singh, resident of # 350, near Ganesh Mandir, Rajpura Town, Rajpura, wherein similar allegations, regarding tracking of daughter of the applicant therein after alluring her and blackmailing the said girl by extorting an amount of Rs. 25 lacs. 6. In response to this, learned counsel for the petitioner argues that infact said complaint has been compromised amongst the members of concerned parties, including the petitioner. 7. In addition, learned counsel for the complainant also points out that earlier one FIR No. 0093 dated 25.07.2024 under Section 64(2)(f) of BNS, 2023 REENA 2026.07.02 11:02 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh CRM-M-31376-2026 was registered against the petitioner at Police Station Urban Estate, Patiala, however, due to compromise, in her statement while appearing before the Court, prosecutrix resiled and proceedings are still pending. 8. Considering all the facts in its entirety and other instances, one of the similar nature, I do not find any substantial reason to consider the plea of grant of anticipatory bail, therefore, the petition is dismissed. (SANJAY VASHISTH) 01.07.2026 JUDGE reena Whether Speaking/Reasoned: YES/NO Whether Reportable: YES/NO REENA 2026.07.02 11:02 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh