HARMESH SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HARMESH Singh, petitioner, seeks bail in case FIR No. 18 dated 7.2.2001 registered under Sections 302/404/201/364 read with Section 34, Indian Penal Code, with Police Station, Khuiyan Sarwer, District Ferozepur.

(2.) THE present case was registered on the statement of Kashmir Singh. On 25.1.2002, Kashmir Singh had gone to meet his brother Arjan Singh at Ferozepur. Arjan Singh was not present in the house and his sister-in-law Jagir Kaur informed him that on 23.1.2001 Arjan Singh had gone to the Sugar Mill to attend his duties where he was employed but had not returned thereafter. Kashmir Singh then went to sugar mill and enquired about his brother. He was informed that Arjan Singh had attended to his duty on 23.1.2001 but thereafter he was absent and had not come to join his duty. The complainant searched for him in his relations. When he did not find Arjan Singh, he lodged Daily Diary Report No. 24 dated 27.1.2001 with Police Station Sadar, Fazilka wherein he mentioned that his brother Arjan Singh was missing since 24.1.2001 and he has failed to locate him. Subsequently, the complainant came to know that Arjan Singh was abducted by Des Raj, his nephew Harmesh Singh, residents of village Chakkeva, Police Station Sadar, Jalalabad, and by Jagir Kaur, sister-in-law of the complainant, in a Maruti car bearing registration No DDR-2597 after he was taken from sugar-mill, Bodi Wala Pitha. The complainant had also mentioned that Jagir Kaur was having illicit relations with Des Raj and Harmesh Singh which was objected to by Arjan Singh.

(3.) COUNSEL representing the petitioner-accused, while pressing for bail, has strenuously urged before me that the only evidence collected by the prosecution is an extra-judicial confession which on the face of it is unacceptable because it is highly improbable that petitioner-accused who is resident of Chakkhiva which is located at a distance of 40 kms. from village Khipawali, would have travelled all the way to make a confession before him regarding his involvement in the crime and that too when it is not the case of the prosecution that petitioner-accused had any acquaintance with him earlier to the alleged confession. He has also submitted that the medical evidence has failed to even establish the death of Arjan Singh and connect the recovery of jaw with him. It was pointed out by him that at no stage, the story of illicit relations of Jagir Kaur earlier to the disappearance of Arjan Singh had surfaced as had come during investigation of the case and that petitioner- accused has been in custody for the last more than 8 months.