City resident gets bail after returning government land

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12

In an out of the ordinary case, a Jalandhar resident accused of fabricating orders to get revenue entries changed in his name before occupying a government area has returned the land to the state.

He has also deposited Rs 5,000 per year per acre for the use of the government land and has joined investigations. Taking the facts into consideration, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday confirmed anticipatory bail to accused Balraj Singh.

In his petition placed before Justice Rajbir Sehrawat, Balraj Singh was seeking bail in a cheating and forgery case registered on September 28, 2017, for the offences punishable under Sections 420, 406, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC registered at the Mehatpur police station in Jalandhar district.

During the pendency of the present petition, the petitioner was granted interim protection against the arrest in November last year. The court further directed the petitioner to handover the possession back to the state. He was also directed to deposit an amount for the use of the government land.

His counsel submitted that the order regarding return of the land’s possession and deposit of the compensation had been complied with by the petitioner. He had also joined the probe.

The state counsel, on the instructions from a police officer, submitted that he did not dispute the fact that the petitioner had handed over the possession to the state. It was also not disputed that the petitioner deposited the compensation.

“In view of this, but without commenting on the merits of the case, the present petition is allowed. Interim order dated November 13, 2017, is made absolute qua protection of the petitioner against arrest,” Justice Sehrawat asserted.