CRM-M-32356-2026 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH 219 CRM-M-32356-2026 CHARANJIT SINGH ......Petitioner Versus STATE OF PUNJAB ......Respondent Decided on : 20.07.2026 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY VASHISTH Present: Mr. Parambir Singh, Advocate, for the petitioner. Mr. Vinay Malhotra, DAG, Punjab, assisted by ASI Rajinder Pal Singh. **** SANJAY VASHISTH, J. 1. Present petition, i.e. CRM-M-32356-2026 is filed by the petitioner – Charanjit Singh, seeking grant of regular bail, in case, FIR No.144 dated 08.12.2022, under Sections 103, 253, 324, 61, 191(3) and 190 of BNS (corresponding to sections 302, 216, 427, 120-B, 148 and 149 of IPC) and sections 25, 29 and 30 of Arms Act, registered at Police Station City Nakodar, District Jalandhar Rural. LAVISHA 2026.07.21 17:24 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh CRM-M-32356-2026 2 2. In regard to the incident of committing double murder at about 8.15 PM on 07.12.2022, FIR in the present case was got registered by complainant – Harminder Singh, which reads as under:- “Stated that I am resident of aforesaid address and I am running a shop of readymade garments at Royal Tower shop No.8 in Nokodar City. As per routine I alongwith my son Bhupinder Singh alias Timy aged about 40 years and Gunman Mandeep Singh No.1390 went to the shop at 8:15 AM in the morning on our Breeza Car bearing No.PB-36-H-2525. At about 8:15 PM after closing the shop my son Bhupinder Singh was sitting on the driver seat and on the conductor seat Constable Mandeep Singh No.1390 was sitting and I had not still sat in the vehicle that all of a sudden 2-3 young men came on motorcycle and started firing bullets towards my son Bhupinder Singh alias Timmy and Constable Mandeep Singh. On being pereplexed, I immediately went there and saw that on account of bullet injuries my son Bhupinder Singh and Gunman Mandeep Singh were under extreme pain and Mandeep Singh told me that he has also fired from his weapon. After making arrangement of the vehicle I took my son Bhupinder Singh and Guman Mandeep Singh immediately to Kamal hospital Nakodar in injured condition and got them admitted. Where on account of suffering many bullet injuries my son Bhupinder Singh expired and Mandeep Singh Gunman on account of bullet injuries was taken to Capitol Hospital Pathankot Road, Jalandhar in injured condition after making arrangement for the vehicle where he is under treatment. In the month of LAVISHA 2026.07.21 17:24 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh CRM-M-32356-2026 3 November my son has received a call on whatsapp number 60147676177 on 01.11.2022 and they have demanded a sum of Rs.30,00,000/- as extortion money. Regarding which the police has provided security to us by providing two Gunman whose name is Constable Mandeep Singh No.1390 and second Gunman constable Parminder Singh No.1864. Unidentified persons committed a wrongful act by firing upon my son and due to which my son Bhupinder Singh had expired. Strict legal action be taken against these unidentified persons. I have heard my statement which is correct. Sd/ Harwinder Singh.” 3. Counsel for the petitioner submits that names of the petitioner does not find mention in the FIR. 4. Learned counsel further places reliance upon the order dated 21.05.2024 passed in CRM-M-4872-2024 (Annexure P-3), whereby concession of regular bail has been granted to co-accused, namely, Gagan Gill @ Gagan, by the Coordinate Bench of this Court. 5. Relying upon the said order, counsel for the petitioner contends that petitioner is similarly situated to the said co-accused – Gagan Gill alias Gagan. Further submits that petitioner has remained in judicial custody for a period of more than three years and seven months, and trial is progressing at a slow pace. Out of total 69 prosecution witnesses, only 9 have been examined, while 3 have been given up. Thus, it is prayed that concession of regular bail be granted to the petitioner in the present case. LAVISHA 2026.07.21 17:24 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh CRM-M-32356-2026 4 6. In response to the arguments addressed by learned counsel for the petitioner, learned State counsel, produces the custody certificate dated 18.07.2026 in Court today, which is taken on record. Office to tag the same at appropriate place. A copy thereof has been handed over to the counsel for the petitioner. As per the custody certificate, in the present case, petitioner – Charanjit Singh alias Channi alias Shiva has already undergone 03 years 06 months and 26 days period inside jail and he is not involved in any other criminal case, apart from the present one. 7. Learned State counsel has also filed status report dated 19.07.2026 in the Court today and the same is taken on record. Registry is directed to tag the same at the appropriate place on the file. 8. Learned State counsel, while opposing the prayer and submissions advanced by learned counsel for the petitioner, submits that petitioner has been found to be involved in the present case, as he had allegedly hired the contract killers on account of non-payment of the ransom amount. On the strength of these allegations, learned State counsel contends that petitioner does not deserve the concession of regular bail in the present case. 9. This Court has heard the learned counsel for the parties and has perused the record available before it. 10. Complete narration of the prosecution case is reflected in paragraph Nos.2 and 3 of the order dated 21.05.2024 passed by the LAVISHA 2026.07.21 17:24 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh CRM-M-32356-2026 5 Coordinate Bench of this Court in CRM-M-4872-2024, whereby co- accused Gagan Gill @ Gagan was granted the concession of regular bail. For the sake of brevity, relevant extracts thereof are reproduced hereunder:- “2. Status report by way of affidavit of Shri Kulwinder Singh, PPS, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sub Division Nakodar, District Jalandhar (Rural) on behalf of the respondent-State, in compliance of the order dated 05.02.2024 passed by this Court, has already been filed. 3.1 FIR was lodged on the statement of Harminder Singh, as per which his son Bhupinder Singh @ Timmy had received a ransom call of 30 lakh on ₹ WhatsApp on 01.11.2022. Security was provided to Bhupinder Singh @ Timmy. On 07.12.2022, at about 8:10 AM, Bhupinder Singh @ Timmy accompanied by his gunman Constable Mandeep Singh had gone to their shop at about 8:10 AM in his Breeza car, when at about 8:15 AM, 2-3 young boys came on a motorcycle and fired shots to both of them. Complainant ran towards the vehicle of his son and noticed bullet injuries to his son Bhupinder Singh @ Timmy as well as Gunman Mandeep Singh. They were taken to the hospital. Bhupinder Singh @ Timmy had died. On 09.12.2022, Constable Mandeep Singh also succumbed to injuries. 3.2 Status report reveals that initially Mohammad Yasin, Sonu Daggar and Kamaljit Singh @ Kamal confined in different jails, were arrayed as accused in the case on the basis of secret information and so, LAVISHA 2026.07.21 17:24 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh CRM-M-32356-2026 6 their production warrants were got issued, but no clue could be found against them and so, they were got discharged. On 10.12.2022, Constable Rattan Singh, after seeing the video of the commission of murder, identified the assailants to be Manga Singh @ Geeta Singh, Kamaldeep Singh @ Deep and Khushkaran Singh @ Khushi. All three of them were arrested. 1 pistol and 4 live rounds were also recovered from them. In their disclosure statements, these assailants also revealed the involvement of various other persons in planning and commission of the murder. On the basis of those statements, Amrik Singh, Sajan Singh, Thakur Singh, Amandeep Singh Purewal, Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda, Karan and Akash were nominated as accused vide DDR No.22 dated 14.12.2022. Akash and Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda were arrested on 16.12.2022; whereas Amrik Singh, Sajan Singh and Thakur Singh were arrested on 23.12.2022. An XUV car was recovered from Akash, whereas pistol of 32 bore and 3 live cartridges were recovered pursuant to the disclosure statement of Amrik Singh. 3.3 Status report reveals further that during interrogation co-accused Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda, he disclosed about the involvement of Charanjit Singh and Gagan Gill @ Gagan (present petitioner) in the crime. Both of them were nominated in the case. Petitioner was arrested on 16.12.2022. During interrogation, said Gagan Gill @ Gagan (petitioner herein) disclosed that on 07.12.2022 Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda, Amrik Singh, Sajan Singh, Thakur Singh, Manga Singh, Kamaldeep Singh @ Deep and Khushkaran Singh @ Khusi had come to the Malri LAVISHA 2026.07.21 17:24 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh CRM-M-32356-2026 7 farm house after committing crime. Petitioner was already present there. Amrik Singh kept 2 pistols with him, whereas 1 pistol of 30 bore and 2 live rounds were handed over the Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda. Said Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda handed over that pistol and 2 rounds to the petitioner and then they went away. Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda took the aforesaid pistol and 2 rounds from the petitioner on 08.12.2022. Later on, said pistol and rounds were recovered from Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda.” 11. A careful perusal of the order dated 21.05.2024 passed in the case of co-accused Gagan Gill @ Gagan (supra) reveals that, as per the prosecution case, three of the assailants were identified from the CCTV/video footage, namely Manga Singh @ Geeta Singh, Kamaldeep Singh @ Deep and Khushkaran Singh @ Khushi. Upon their arrest, one pistol along with four live cartridges was allegedly recovered from them. Thereafter, on the basis of their disclosure statements, several other accused, namely, Amrik Singh, Sajan Singh, Thakur Singh, Amandeep Singh Purewal, Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda, Karan and Akash, were nominated in the present case, vide DDR No.22 dated 14.12.2022. Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda and co-accused Akash were arrested on 16.12.2022. Subsequently, in the disclosure statement allegedly made by Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda, names of Charanjit Singh (present petitioner) and Gagan Gill @ Gagan also surfaced. It is not disputed that co-accused Gagan Gill @ Gagan has already been granted the concession of regular bail by a Coordinate Bench of this Court. LAVISHA 2026.07.21 17:24 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh CRM-M-32356-2026 8 12. Insofar as petitioner-Charanjit Singh is concerned, this Court finds that his case stands on the same footing as that of co-accused Gagan Gill @ Gagan, as both came to be implicated on the basis of the disclosure statement of petitioner-Gurwinder Singh @ Ginda. There is nothing on record to indicate that petitioner-Charanjit Singh is involved in any other criminal case. He has remained in judicial custody for a period of approximately three years and seven months, while trial is progressing at a slow pace. 13. In view of the totality of the facts and circumstances, nature of the allegations, principle of parity with the co-accused who has already been enlarged on bail, prolonged period of incarceration, and slow progress of the trial, this Court is of the considered opinion that petitioner-Charanjit Singh has made out a case for grant of regular bail in the present case. 14. Consequently, prayer made in the petition is allowed. Petitioner – Charanjit Singh is ordered to be released on bail, subject to his furnishing bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of the learned trial Court/ Chief Judicial Magistrate/ Illaqa Magistrate/ Duty Magistrate concerned, if not required in any other case. 15. Needless to observe that the petitioner shall not extend any threat and shall not influence any prosecution witness in any manner directly or indirectly. 16. Any of the discussion done and recorded here above, shall not be construed as an expression of opinion on the facts of the case. LAVISHA 2026.07.21 17:24 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh CRM-M-32356-2026 9 Therefore, trial Court is expected to decide the case by taking an independent view, on the basis of evidence available on record, as expeditiously as possible, in accordance with law. 17. Petition stands disposed of. (SANJAY VASHISTH) JUDGE 20.07.2026 Lavisha Whether Speaking/Reasoned: YES/NO Whether Reportable: YES/NO LAVISHA 2026.07.21 17:24 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh