CRM CRM CRM CRM----M M M M----30724 30724 30724 30724 136 136 136 136 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT Mandeep Singh State of Punjab and another Date of Decision: Date of Decision: Date of Decision: Date of Decision: Date of Uploading: Date of Uploading: Date of Uploading: Date of Uploading: CORAM: CORAM: CORAM: CORAM: Present Present Present Present: SUMEET GOEL SUMEET GOEL SUMEET GOEL SUMEET GOEL hand: 2. apprehends that, in case, release of his passport before the concerned Court, observations made in the order dated 20.05.2026 30724 30724 30724 30724----2026 2026 2026 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CRM CRM CRM CRM----M M M M----30724 30724 30724 30724----2026 2026 2026 2026 Mandeep Singh versus Punjab and another Date of Decision: Date of Decision: Date of Decision: Date of Decision: July 21 July 21 July 21 July 21, 2026 , 2026 , 2026 , 2026 Date of Uploading: Date of Uploading: Date of Uploading: Date of Uploading: July 21 July 21 July 21 July 21, 2026 , 2026 , 2026 , 2026 HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL Mr. J.P.S. Sidhu, Advocate for the ***** ***** ***** ***** SUMEET GOEL SUMEET GOEL SUMEET GOEL SUMEET GOEL, J. (ORAL) , J. (ORAL) , J. (ORAL) , J. (ORAL) The following substantive prayer has been made in the ““““i) It is therefore, respectfully prayed that the present petition may kindly be allowed and JMIC Bathinda may kindly be directed to release passport of petitioner and petitioner shall be granted 4 months time to travel to Australia as p deposited by petitioner before court of JMIC Bathinda by filing CRM-1702-2026 in compliance of orders dated 21.04.2026 passed by this court in CRM-M-21434 of 2026 in case FIR No. 14, dated 05.04.2019 (P-1), U/s 406 IPC (Section Women Bathinda District Bathinda and now petitioner wants to rejoin his job at Australia and to complete his pending works at Australia as petitioner had already joined investigation and petitioner is ready to comply with conditions by this court and no useful purpose will be served by keeping petitioner at India as decision of above case will take longtime. ii) It is further prayed that LOC proceedings dated 16.04.2021 (P initiated against petitioner may kindly already joined investigation on orders of this court and is ready to cooperate with investigation / trail and no useful purpose will be served by continuing with LOC Proceedings. Learned counsel for the petitioner submit apprehends that, in case, he files an application for travelling abroad as also for his passport before the concerned Court, observations made in the order dated 20.05.2026 may stand in his way. The said observations read thus: 1111 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CHANDIGARH CHANDIGARH CHANDIGARH 2026 2026 2026 2026 ....Petitioner ....Respondents HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL Advocate for the petitioner. The following substantive prayer has been made in the petition in It is therefore, respectfully prayed that the present petition may kindly be allowed and JMIC Bathinda may kindly be directed to release passport of petitioner and petitioner shall be granted 4 months time to travel to Australia as passport of petitioner was deposited by petitioner before court of JMIC Bathinda by filing 2026 in compliance of orders dated 21.04.2026 passed 21434 of 2026 in case FIR No. 14, dated U/s 406 IPC (Section 316(2) of BNS 2023) PS District Bathinda and now petitioner wants to Australia and to complete his pending works at Australia as petitioner had already joined investigation and petitioner is ready to comply with conditions as may be imposed by this court and no useful purpose will be served by keeping petitioner at India as decision of above case will take longtime. It is further prayed that LOC proceedings dated 16.04.2021 (P-4) initiated against petitioner may kindly be dropped as petitioner had already joined investigation on orders of this court and is ready to cooperate with investigation / trail and no useful purpose will be served by continuing with LOC Proceedings.”””” Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner he files an application for travelling abroad as also for his passport before the concerned Court, observations made in the may stand in his way. The said observations read thus: ....Petitioner s petition in It is therefore, respectfully prayed that the present petition may kindly be allowed and JMIC Bathinda may kindly be directed to release passport of petitioner and petitioner shall be granted 4 assport of petitioner was deposited by petitioner before court of JMIC Bathinda by filing 2026 in compliance of orders dated 21.04.2026 passed 21434 of 2026 in case FIR No. 14, dated 316(2) of BNS 2023) PS District Bathinda and now petitioner wants to Australia and to complete his pending works at Australia as petitioner had already joined investigation and as may be imposed by this court and no useful purpose will be served by keeping 4) be dropped as petitioner had already joined investigation on orders of this court and is ready to cooperate with investigation / trail and no useful purpose will be s that the petitioner he files an application for travelling abroad as also for his passport before the concerned Court, observations made in the MAHAVIR SINGH 2026.07.21 18:09 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this order/ judgment CRM CRM CRM CRM----M M M M----30724 30724 30724 30724----2026 2026 2026 2026 2222 ““““3.1 At this juncture, it would be apposite to note herein that learned counsel for the petitioner has brought forth a copy of the order dated 06.05.2026 passed by the JMIC, Bathinda, which reflects that the petitioner has deposited his passport with the said Court. The passport shall remain deposited with the said Court subject to further orders from this Court/any other competent Court. The said order is taken on record and marked as Mark ‘A’.”””” 3. The aforesaid condition was imposed only by way of a condition/ term for affording anticipatory bail to the petitioner. There is no gainsaying that the concerned Court, before whom an application for travelling abroad/ release of passport is made, is duly competent to decide such an application. Even observations made in para 3.1 ibid reflect that said passport is to remain in custody with the Court, subject to any other orders from this Court/ any other any other any other any other Court Court Court Court. 4. In view of the above, petition in hand is disposed of disposed of disposed of disposed of, reserving liberty in favour of the petitioner to file an appropriate application for travelling abroad/ release of his passport before the concerned Court, which shall essentially be ratiocinated upon on merits thereof without being influenced by the observations contained in para 3.1 ibid. It is expected that, in case, such an application is preferred, the concerned Court shall make an earnest effort to decide the same expeditiously. 5. Pending application(s), if any, shall also stand disposed of. (SUMEET GOEL) (SUMEET GOEL) (SUMEET GOEL) (SUMEET GOEL) JUDGE JUDGE JUDGE JUDGE July 21 July 21 July 21 July 21, 2026 , 2026 , 2026 , 2026 mahavir Whether speaking/reasoned: Yes/No Whether reportable: Yes/No MAHAVIR SINGH 2026.07.21 18:09 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this order/ judgment