217 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CCCCRRRRM M M M----M M M M----22223333000011117777----2222000022226666 DECIDED ON: 23.07.2026 KKKKAAAARRRRAAAANNNNBBBBIIIIRRRR SSSSIIIINNNNGGGGHHHH AAAALLLLIIIIAAAASSSS KKKKAAAANNNNNNNNUUUU .....PETITIONER VERSUS SSSSTTTTAAAATTTTEEEE OOOOFFFF PPPPUUUUNNNNJJJJAAAABBBB .....RESPONDENT CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY VASHISTH. Present: Mr. Angrej Singh Sarwara, Advocate, for the petitioner. Mr. Vinay Malhotra, DAG, Punjab. SSSSAAAANNNNJJJJAAAAYYYY VVVVAAAASSSSHHHHIIIISSSSTTTTHHHH ,,,, JJJJ ((((OOOORRRRAAAALLLL)))) 1. Present petition has been filed under Section 483 of the BNSS,2023 (corresponding to Section 439 Cr.P.C) for grant of regular bail to the petitioner, in FIR No.90 Dated 18.09.2024 under sections 309(4), 191(3), 190 of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and sections 25, 27 of Arms Act 1959 (Sections 310(2), 61(2), 249, 111(2), 111(3) and 111(5) of BNS were added subsequently), (Corresponding to Sections 392, 148, 149, 395, 120-B, 212 IPC), at Police Station Kathu Nangal, Amritsar. 2. On the statement made by complainant namely Harminder Singh, Branch Manager, FIR in question was registered, which reads as under:- “Today on dated 18.09.2024 at about 03:10 PM five person came outside the Bank and at that time the sweeper of the Bank Som Pal son of Swaran Pal resident of village Ludhar was brooming outside the Bank and then the said five person brought him inside the Bank and at that time inside the gate the Security Guard Paras Bhandari was standing and all five LAVISHA 2026.07.23 14:37 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh CRM-M-23017-2026 -2- persons while scuffling with him entered inside the Bank and one person got hold of Security Guard Paras Bhandari from his collar and when he tried to got himself saved then two person took out pistol and one person took out local-made pistol and two person empty-handed entered inside the Bank. At that time inside the Bank, the employees Manoj Bedi son of Davinder Kumar Bedi resident of Gali No.2 opposite Government Senior Secondary School Chheharta, Mandeep Singh son of Sukhdev Singh resident of village Fatehgarh Shukarchak, Gaganpreet Kaur daughter of Ranjit Singh resident of House No.1153 Sandhu Colony Majitha Road Amritsar, Paras Bhandari son of Rajesh Kumar resident of Chogawa Road Chawinda Devi (Security Guard), Sompal son of Swaran Pal resident of village Ludhar and customer Amanpreet Kaur wife of Gurinder Singh resident of village Ajaibwali, Husanpreet son of Gulshan Singh resident of village Ajaibwali and Talwinder Singh son of Surjan Singh resident of Kaler Mangat were present. That thereafter, the said person took the mobile phones of the present employees and customers and kept with them and thereafter, the said persons got gathered all the employees and customers at one place and made them to sit and thereafter, one person who was armed with pistol went inside the cash counter and at that time inside the cash counter Cashier Gaganpreet Kaur was present and one person who was armed with pistol he stated to the employee of the Bank Manoj Bedi to bring the DVR of the CCTV cameras and the said person and Manoj Bedi went inside my room and along with my room in the another room the DVR of the CCTV cameras is affixed and the said person after going inside the said room removed the DVR of the CCTV cameras. That this person who has went inside the cash counter the said person put the cash in the bag of the Cashier and he asked for one more bag and the person along with him after making my laptop bag empty gave the said bag to the person who was standing inside the cash counter and he also filled the said bag with the cash. Thereafter, the said five unidentified person while going outside after taking the keys of the shutter from the Cashier Gaganpreet Kaur and both bags containing cash and mobile phones went outside and after going out closed the shutter and thereafter thrown away the mobile phones and keys of the shutter outside and ran away. That all these five unidentified persons have came on two motorcycles and after taking along the two bags filled with cash LAVISHA 2026.07.23 14:37 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh CRM-M-23017-2026 -3- ran away from the spot. Thereafter, we gave the information to you and on checking of the details of the cash from Cashier Gaganpreet Kaur, it transpired that all the aforesaid five unidentified persons have ran away with the total cash amount of Rs.25,70,580/- rupees. Thus, the strict legal action may kindly be taken against all the five unidentified persons. I have got recorded my statement before you and same is read over to me and admitted to be true. Sd/- Harminder Singh.” 3. There are total 17 accused in the present case, who are found involved in the bank dacoity. Names of all the 17 accused are mentioned here below:- (1) Karanbir Singh (petitioner herein) (2) Satnam Singh (3) Kashmir Singh (4) Paramjit Singh (5) Shamsher Singh (6) Sunveer Singh (7) Baldev Singh (8) Harpreet Singh (9) Gurpreet Singh (10) Anuradha (11) Mandeep Kaur (12) Dhanwant Singh (13) Jasbir Kaur (14) Ajay (15) Sriniwas Rao (16) Sneha (17) Jagmohan Rao LAVISHA 2026.07.23 14:37 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh CRM-M-23017-2026 -4- 4. Total amount allegedly looted in the present case is Rs.25,70,580/-. 5. As per the order dated 08.09.2025 passed by learned Additional Sessions Judge, Amritsar, declining bail to the petitioner (Annexure P-2), it is noticed that during the course of investigation, Paramjit Singh was nominated as an accused in the present case and was subsequently arrested. During interrogation, he disclosed that he was in the habit of committing dacoities, in connivance with Kashmir Singh @ Sheru. He further disclosed that both of them were also involved in FIR No.169 of 2023, registered under Sections 392 and 34 of the IPC, in which he had been arrested and was released on bail in December 2023. During the course of investigation in the present case, Kashmir Singh @ Sheru was arrested on 13.10.2024, and a sum of Rs.5,00,000/- was recovered from his possession. 6. Petitioner is inside jail for a period of approximately one year, four months and twelve days. He also has other criminal antecedents. 7. Considering the nature and gravity of allegations, recovery effected during the investigation, petitioner's criminal antecedents, and stage of the proceedings, no ground is made out for grant of concession of bail at this stage. AAAAccccccccoooorrrrddddiiiinnnnggggllllyyyy,,,, pppprrrreeeesssseeeennnntttt ppppeeeettttiiiittttiiiioooonnnn ssssttttaaaannnnddddssss ddddiiiissssmmmmiiiisssssssseeeedddd.... (SANJAY VASHISTH) 22223333....00007777....2222000022226666 JJJJUUUUDDDDGGGGEEEE Lavisha Whether speaking/reasoned Yes/No Whether reportable Yes/No LAVISHA 2026.07.23 14:37 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document PHHC, Chandigarh