SAKATTAR SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner seeks grant of regular bail in respect of a case registered against him vide FIR No.166 dtd. 11/10/2017 at Police Station City Malout, District Sri Muktsar Sahib, under Ss. 409/420/465/467/468/471/477-A/120-B IPC and under Ses. 13(1) C, 13(1) D of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

(2.) The allegations, as per the FIR, in nutshell are to the effect that Sandeep Singh, Junior Assistant and Rajwinder Singh, Senior Assistant, while working in Accounts Branch of Water Supply and Sanitation Division, Malout had manipulated salary bills of the employees and G.P. Fund during the period in question i.e. October, 2013 to February, 2016 and had, thus, embezzled an amount of Rs.1.33 crores approximately, which was deposited in the 3 bank accounts of Sandeep Singh.

(3.) Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that he has falsely been implicated in the present case and that even as per the FIR, it is co-accused Sandeep Singh in whose personal accounts the entire amount of Rs.1.33 crores had been deposited. It has been submitted that the petitioner has been roped in as an accused solely on account of the fact that he was working as Clerk at the time when the alleged embezzlement had taken place and on the premises that he was supposed to issue tokens when bills are presented and to forward the same to Senior Assistant, who further forwards to the District Accounts Officer (DAO) and further on to the Drawing and Disbursing Officer. It has further been submitted that the petitioner has not benefitted in any manner and had been performing his duties diligently and it could have been on account of inadvertence only that the alleged fraud did not come to his notice. It has been informed that identically situated co-accused Malkiat Ram has already been granted bail by this Court vide order dtd. 17/1/2023 passed in CRM-M-1286-2023.