(1.) The petitioner seeks anticipatory bail under Section 438 Cr.P.C. in case FIR No.160/2016 under Sections 420/468/471 IPC registered at Police Station Rajender Nagar. Status report is on record. I have heard the learned counsel for the parties including the counsel for the complainant and have examined the record.
(2.) Allegations against the petitioner are that he forged and fabricated a degree of B.Com (Pass) of Delhi University and on its basis pursued higher education from Symbiosis Institute, Pune, Maharashtra; he also succeeded in getting employment in various prestigious private firms.
(3.) Learned counsel for the petitioner urged that the original 'degree' has since been misplaced by the petitioner. Self-attested photocopy of the original degree has been given to the Investigating Agency. He further urged that original Transcript of Marks dated 5.3.2015 from University of Delhi has also been made available by him to the Investigating Agency. The present FIR has been lodged on the complainant of Vandana Gupta with whom he has property dispute. She has no locus standi to lodge any such complaint to settle private score. The petitioner has since joined the investigation and his custodial interrogation is not required. Learned APP, assisted by the complainant's counsel, urged that the petitioner has not deliberately produced the original 'degree'. As per the information received from the concerned authorities under Right to Information Act, the 'degree' in question was never issued and has been forged and fabricated.