Fake bail surety racket busted in Kapurthala

A case involving alleged fake bail sureties has come to light in Kapurthala, prompting the registration of criminal proceedings under Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code. The matter is currently being heard by Additional District and Sessions Judge Gurmeet Tiwana.

According to ASI Jagdish Kumar, the case was registered following a statement by Sahil Bachan, a resident of Baba Deep Singh Nagar, Patiala. Sahil had earlier been arrested in Case No. 46 dated July 18, 2024, under Sections 21/29/61/85 of the NDPS Act at Dhilwan Police Station, Kapurthala district. He was lodged in Kapurthala jail until the court granted him bail.

Sahil stated that his bail bonds were arranged by his brother, Ravinder Bachan, who allegedly produced three individuals as sureties before the court — Jarnail Singh, Gurwinder Singh (a Panchayat member) and Harbans Singh — all residents of Bhad Pura village in Patiala district. Another person, Satpal Singh alias Sunny, a resident of Dashmesh Nagar, Sri Muktsar Sahib, was also named in the proceedings.

After the court accepted the sureties, Sahil was released from jail. However, he later failed to appear for court hearings, citing family issues. Consequently, the court issued notices to the sureties. When summoned, the Panchayat member and the witness informed the court that the surety papers were fake and had been fraudulently prepared without their knowledge.

Sahil revealed that after his release, he came to know that his brother Ravinder had allegedly contacted a person named “Sunny” from Patiala, who arranged the fake sureties. For a payment of Rs 25,000, Sunny allegedly procured fraudulent surety documents in the Kapurthala court, facilitating Sahil’s release from jail.