SURJIT SINGH Vs. CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, CHANDIGARH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is second application filed by the petitioner for grant of regular bail in FIR No. RCCHG2011A0023 dated 30.11.2011, registered under Sections 420/465/467/468/471/477-A/120-B/109 IPC at Police Station CBI/ACB/Chandigarh. His earlier application for grant of regular bail was dismissed by this Court, vide order dated 23.12.2014, passed in CRM No. M-30984 of 2014. Briefly stated, a criminal case was registered against the petitioner for forgery and misappropriation of bank money, amounting to Rs. 2,85,19,099/-. In this regard, FIR No. 80 dated 5.5.2009 was registered under Sections 420/465/467/468/471/477- A/120-B/109 IPC at Police Station City Kotkapura, District Faridkot, at the instance of Shri J.S. Kochher, Branch Manager, Punjab and Sind Bank, Kotkapura Branch, District Faridkot (in short 'the Bank').

(2.) It is further stated that, the said Bank filed CRM No. M- 34998 of 2009, seeking direction to transfer the investigation pertaining to FIR No. 80 dated 5.5.2009, registered under Sections 420/465/467/468/471/120-B/109 IPC at Police Station City Kotkapura, District Faridkot, to the CBI. This Court, vide order dated 21.9.2011 (Annexure-P-7), transferred the investigation to the CBI, and the CBI was directed to complete the investigation within six months from the date of taking over the investigation. It is stated that now the petitioner was arrested on 12.2.2014 and he is entitled to regular bail.

(3.) I have heard learned counsel for the petitioner, learned senior standing counsel for CBI and have also carefully gone through the file.