Punjab-Haryana High Court
Karandeep Singh vs State Of Punjab on 16 April, 2026
Author: Jasjit Singh Bedi
Bench: Jasjit Singh Bedi
CRM-M-59373-2025
::1::
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
(109)
CRM-M-59373-2025 (O & M)
Date of decision: 16.04.2026
Karandeep Singh .... Petitioner
V/s
State of Punjab ...Respondent
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JASJIT SINGH BEDI
Present: Mr. Karanjit Singh, Advocate and
Mr. Shivam Joshi, Advocate,
for the petitioner(s).
Mr. Harkanwar Jeet Singh, AAG, Punjab.
Mr. Ashish Aggarwal, Advocate,
for the complainant.
*****
JASJIT SINGH BEDI, J. (Oral)
The prayer in this second petition under Section 483 BNSS, 2023 (Section 439 Cr.P.C.) is for the grant of regular bail to the petitioner in case FIR No.343 dated 11.12.2021 under Sections 302, 307, 34, 108, 120-B, 111, 112, 201 IPC and Sections 25/27/54/59 of the Arms Act registered at Police Station B-Division, District Amritsar.
2. The present FIR came to be registered at the instance of the complainant-Sandeep Gupta and reads as under:-
SUKHPREET KAUR2026.04.16 05:57 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document chandigarh
CRM-M-59373-2025 ::2::
Statement of the complainant-Sandeep Gupta, son of Ashok Gupta, resident of House No. 126, Shiwala Colony, Amritsar, aged approximately 50 years, mobile phone number 99144- 17773:
"I reside at the above-mentioned address and run a business of iron goods at Prakash Iron Store, 293, East Mohan Nagar, Amritsar. My father, Ashok Gupta, and my son Vishesh, alias Vishu, are also engaged in the same business. We open our shop daily at 10:00 AM and close it at 7:00 PM. Today, on 11-12- 2021, at around 7:30 PM, after closing the shop, my father and I sat in our Innova car. My son Vishesh alias Vishu, along with his driver Prince (son of Ratan Singh, resident of Street No. 01, near Lakhwinder Grocery Store, Ghanu Pur Kale, Chheharta, Amritsar), sat in his Santro car, bearing registration number PB02-DR-7238, to head home. Three young men on a motorcycle approached us from the direction of Chheharta Road and stopped slightly behind our cars. Their faces were covered. Two of them, aged between 28 and 30 years, came forward. One was holding a pistol and, with the intent to kill my son Vishesh alias Vishu, fired at the car from the front. The bullet hit the windshield and struck the glass. Then, the two young men approached my son's side of the car and fired 3-4 more shots with the intent to kill him. Hearing the noise, we raised an alarm. The three assailants fled the scene on their motorcycle. My son told me, 'Papa, I've been shot in the stomach. I got into the car with him and instructed the driver to take us to EMC Hospital, Amritsar. My son is currently under treatment, and doctors are attending to him. The motive behind this attack is enmity. About a month ago, my nephew Shivam SUKHPREET KAUR got engaged to Mehak, daughter of Sanjeev Aul, resident of 2026.04.16 05:57 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document chandigarh Pathankot. A few days later, Karandeep Singh (son of CRM-M-59373-2025 ::3::
Sukhjinder Singh, resident of Got Khokhar Village, Tibber Police Station, Gurdaspur), who was staying with Rakesh Arora, a resident of Aman Avenue, Amritsar, called us over. Along with my relative Rajneesh Kant Mahajan, I went to Rakesh Arora's house, where Karandeep Singh told us, 'I have been in a relationship with the girl, and I want to marry her. Break off this engagement, or I will shoot the boy or the girl. I informed the girl's father about this, and he filed a complaint in Pathankot. Due to this enmity, Karandeep Singh, along with two accomplices, fired directly at Vishesh alias Vishu with the intent to kill him, injuring him. I have given my statement and request action to be taken. "Statement recorded and verified: SD/ Sandeep Gupta.
3. On the receipt of the information of the aforesaid occurrence, the investigating officer immediately proceeded to the EMC Hospital and recorded the statement of the complainant (Sandeep Gupta) and sent the aforesaid statement with his endorsement to the Police station 'B' Division, Amritsar for the registration of FIR. He also obtained an opinion about the fitness of injured Vishesh @ Vishu but he was declared unfit to make a statement by the doctor. After the registration of the aforesaid FIR, the investigating officer inspected the place of occurrence, prepared its rough site plan and took into Police possession broken pieces of glass and 3 empty shells of .32 bore bullets from the spot of occurrence. A bullet removed from the body of injured after operation was also handed over to the investigating officer by the doctor, which was also taken into Police possession. SUKHPREET KAUR 2026.04.16 05:57 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document chandigarh CRM-M-59373-2025 ::4::
4. During the medical treatment, the condition of the injured Vishesh @Vishu deteriorated and he was taken to Mendanta-Medicity Hospital, Gurgaon for treatment but he could not survive and succumbed to his injuries on 16.12.2021 at the said hospital. His post mortem examination was conducted at Civil Hospital, Gurugram, Haryana vide MLR No. PKC- 144/2021 dated 16.12.2021. The cause of death described in the aforesaid post mortem report is reproduced as under :-
"The cause of death in this case is shock and hemorrhage following ante-mortem multiple firearm injuries described above and its consequences were sufficient to cause death in normal course of life."
5. On the receipt of the information of the death of Vishesh @ Vishu, offence under section 302 was added in the case vide GDR No. 14 dated 16.12.2021.
6. During the course of investigation of the present case, accused Manjinder Singh himself joined the investigation and made a statement before the SHO PS B-Division, Amritsar that on 11/12/2021 at about 7.00 PM, accused Karandeep Singh (petitioner) had come to FCI warehouse, Gurdaspur for testing of rice. On that day, Karandeep Singh was not having any vehicle and Karandeep Singh had asked him to drop him at his house. He (Manjinder Singh) had gone to drop Karandeep Singh at his house. On the way, they had eaten pizza and thereafter, Karandeep Singh got unwell. Hence he (Manjinder Singh) had taken Karandeep Singh to Civil Hospital, SUKHPREET KAUR 2026.04.16 05:57 Gurdaspur and got him admitted there. Karandeep Singh was given I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document chandigarh CRM-M-59373-2025 ::5::
treatment and was discharged at about 8:15 PM. It was also stated that at that time Karandeep Singh received a phone call from someone and he panicked. Karandeep Singh told him that he had sent Shelly for some work, who had fired a gunshot at someone. Hence, he also panicked and thereafter, he had dropped Karandeep Singh outside the house of an uncle of Karandeep Singh. The statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C. of Manjinder Singh was also recorded in this respect before the Court of the JMIC, Amritsar. Pertinently, this witness has now been summoned to face Trial under Section 319 Cr.P.C.
7. Subsequently, accused Karandeep Singh son of Sukhjinder Singh resident of village Goth Pokhar, Tehsil Batala, District Gurdaspur surrendered in the court of the Judicial Magistrate, Amritsar on 26.12.2021. He was arrested on the same day and subjected to custodial interrogation. During custodial interrogation, he suffered a disclosure statement dated 27.12.2021 disclosing therein that he was having a love affair with Mehak daughter of Sanjiv Aul but her father performed her engagement for marriage with the son of the owner of Parkash Iron Store, Amritsar and when he came to know about that, he requested the family members of Shivam to break his engagement with Mehak but they refused to do so and due to their refusal, he got irritated and got killed Vishesh @ Vishu to stop the marriage of Mehak with the connivance of his friends Mohammad Saqib son of Gulam Mohammad Dar resident of 90 Feet Road, Usmanabad, Umarheir, Buchpura, Srinagar, Shelly son of Arjan Dass resident of village SUKHPREET KAUR 2026.04.16 05:57 Bariar, District Gurdaspur, Gurmit Singh @ Mita son of Dhanwant Singh I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document chandigarh CRM-M-59373-2025 ::6::
resident of village Khusahalpur, Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur and his unknown friend. He further disclosed that after this occurrence, they went to Delhi and parked the Swift Car used in the occurrence in a parking at Nizamudin, Delhi. The aforesaid Swift car No. JK-01-AP-9800 was recovered from the parking of mosque situated at Nizamudin, Delhi pursuant to his disclosure statement.
8. On the basis of the disclosure statement of Karandeep Singh, Mohammad Saqib Dar along with co-accused Shelly Kumar son of Arjan Dass resident of village Kaunta, Police station Dina Nagar, District Pathankot, Gurmit Singh @ Mita son of Dhanwant Singh resident of village Khusahalpur, Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur and his unknown friend were nominated as accused in the aforesaid case vide GDR No.26 dated 30.12.2021 and offence under section 120-B IPC was also added.
9. On 26.02.2022, Mohamad Saqib Dar was arrested at District Courts Complex, Srinagar after he was handed over to the arresting officer by the Station House Officer, Police station Ahmed Nagar. He was brought to the Police station B Division, Amritsar on 27.02.2022 and subjected to custodial interrogation. During his custodial interrogation, Mohamad Saqib Dar disclosed that he, co-accused Karandeep Singh and Mehak were class fellows at Partap World School, Pathankot where he and co-accused Karandeep Singh used to live in the same room of the hostel and became good friends. He further disclosed that after passing out of the school, he and SUKHPREET KAUR 2026.04.16 05:57 co-accused Karandeep Singh used to meet frequently and also used to visit I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document chandigarh CRM-M-59373-2025 ::7::
each other's houses. Karandeep Singh was having a love affair with Mehak and wanted to marry her. On 26.11.2021, Karandeep Singh had come to Srinagar at his house and resided there for some days and during that time, he (Karandeep Singh) got transferred Rs one lakh in his bank account and thereafter, he transferred Rs. 40,000/- and Rs. 50,000/- in the accounts of some unknown persons on the asking of co-accused Karandeep Singh out of that amount. On 10.12.2021, they both came to Gurdaspur from Srinagar in a Swift Car and on next day, they met co-accused Manjinder Singh son of Baldev Singh resident of village Kot Mohan Lal, District Gurdaspur and co-accused Karandeep Singh discussed something with Manjinder Singh in isolation and thereafter he (Karandeep Singh) asked him (Mohammad Sadiq Dar) to pick up Shelly Kumar and his friends from Mahni Bridge and drop them at Amritsar in his Swift car. He further disclosed that he (Mohammad Sadiq Dar) picked up co-accused Shelly Kumar and his two friends i.e. Gurpreet Singh @ Mani (bail dismissed vide common order dated 13.08.2025 passed in CRM-M-64975-2024), Gurmit Singh @ Mita and Happy alias Sandeep Singh (bail dismissed vide common order dated 13.08.2025 passed in CRM-M-17479-2025), from Gurdaspur in the swift car of Karandeep Singh and dropped them at Bus Stand of Amritsar. On reaching at Bus Stand Amritsar, co-accused Shelly Kumar and Gurpreet Singh @ Mani shifted in an I20 car driven by an unknown person, whereas Gurmeet Singh @ Mita and Happy remained in his (Mohammad Sadiq Dar) SUKHPREET KAUR 2026.04.16 05:57 car and he dropped them at some industrial area. Mohammad Sadiq Dar I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document chandigarh CRM-M-59373-2025 ::8::
further disclosed that after dropping them at Amritsar, he returned to Gurdaspur and thereafter he and co-accused Karandeep Singh went to Delhi in the same Swift car. After reaching Delhi, they parked the aforesaid Swift car in parking of a mosque at Nizamudin and then he returned to his home at Srinagar. He also claimed that he did not know about the planning of co- accused Karandeep Singh, and he was used by him in the entire incident. He disclosed that Karandeep Singh had got murdered the deceased to break the engagement of Mehak by hatching a conspiracy with other co-accused Manjinder Singh, Shelly Kumar, Gurmit Singh @ Mita, Gurpreet Singh @ Mani, Happy and the unknown driver of I20 car. On the basis of the aforesaid disclosure statement of Mohammad Saqib Dar, the aforesaid Gurpreet Singh @ Mani, Happy R/o Batala, Manjinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh @ Mani and the unknown car driver were also nominated as co- accused in this case vide GDR No. 25, dated 10/03/2022.
10. During the course of investigation of the present case, on the basis of the evidence on record, the offence under Section 108 IPC was added vide GDR No. 12, dated 12.01.2022 and offence under Section 111, 112 IPC was added and offence under Section 108 IPC was deleted vide GDR No. 25, dated 23.03.2022.
11. The final investigation report (challan) under Section 173 Cr.P.C. qua Karandeep Singh was presented on 25/03/2022 and a supplementary final investigation report (supplementary challan) under SUKHPREET KAUR 2026.04.16 05:57 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document chandigarh CRM-M-59373-2025 ::9::
Section 173 (8) Cr.P.C. qua Mohammad Saqib Dar was presented on 24/05/2022 before the Court.
12. During investigation, the co-accused Gurmeet Singh was brought on production warrant on 10.01.2023 and he was arrested in this case. During custodial interrogation, he suffered a disclosure statement. The name of the co-accused Happy Batala was identified as Sandeep Singh @ Sandeep Happy S/o Lakhbir Singh R/o Village Dheer, PS Sadar Batala. At the time of the commission of the offence, Sandeep Singh @ Sandeep Happy was driving the motorcycle and the accused Gurmeet Singh @ Meeta and Shelly Kumar had fired gunshots at the deceased Vishav Gupta.
Thereafter, they had fled away from the spot on the motorcycle of Sandeep Singh @ Sandeep Happy. It was also disclosed that the co-accused Mohammad Saqib Dar had dropped Gurmeet Singh @ Meeta and Sandeep Singh @ Sandeep Happy Batala at the place of occurrence on his car Swift. The supplementary challan under Section 173 (8) Cr.P.C. qua co-accused Gurmeet Singh @ Meeta was presented on 07.04.2023.
13. During the course of investigation, the ownership of the car Swift No. JK01-AP-9800 used in commission of the crime was verified from the office of RTA Srinagar and was found to be in the name of Jahoor Ahmad Gajuri R/o Srinagar who had sold this car to Mohammad Saqib Dar on 22.06.2021 through his friend Imtiaz Ali Bhat R/o Srinagar vide written agreement, but he had not got transferred this car in his name. SUKHPREET KAUR 2026.04.16 05:57 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document chandigarh CRM-M-59373-2025 ::10::
14. During the course of investigation Gurpreet Singh @ Mani and Shelly Kumar were declared POs on 01.08.2023 by the Court of the JMIC, Amritsar. Thereafter, PO-Gurpreet Singh @ Mani was detained at the Mumbai Airport by the Airport authorities. He was handed over to the local police of Police Station B-Division, Amritsar. Thereupon, Gurpreet Singh @ Mani was arrested on 07.08.2023. During interrogation, he disclosed that at the time of the commission of the crime he was also accompanying the co- accused. Co-accused Shelly, Happy and Meeta had fired gunshots at one boy (deceased) and injured. Thereafter, they had fled away from the spot. Accused Manjinder Singh was found innocent but as mentioned above, has now been summoned under Section 319 Cr.P.C.
15. Sandeep Singh @ Sandeep @ Happy Batala was arrested on 12.05.2024. He was produced before the jurisdictional Court and sent to judicial custody.
16. As per investigation, the deceased Vishesh @ Vishu got murdered due to mistaken identity and in fact, the petitioner-Karandeep Singh and his accomplices had conspired to commit the murder of Shivam, with whom engagement of Mehak was performed. The deceased Vishesh @Vishu was a cousin of Shivam, the actual target.
17. The learned counsel for the petitioner contend that the petitioner has been falsely implicated in the present case. There is no admissible evidence inculpating him in the commission of the offence. One SUKHPREET KAUR 2026.04.16 05:57 Mohammad Saqib Dar has been granted the concession of bail vide order I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document chandigarh CRM-M-59373-2025 ::11::
dated 15.04.2025 passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court (Annexure P-5). As the petitioner is in custody since 26.12.2021 but only 18 out of the 54 prosecution witnesses have been examined so far, the Trial of the present case is not likely to be concluded anytime soon and therefore, he is entitled to the concession of bail.
18. The learned counsel for the State and the counsel for the complainant, on the other hand, contend that the petitioner is the main accused. He was in a relationship with one Mehak who later, was engaged to Shivam. This was not to the liking of the petitioner. He got his accomplices to commit the murder of Vishesh @ Vishu, the cousin of Shivam, the actual target. Two co-accused of the petitioner, namely, Gurpreet Singh @ Mani and Sandeep Singh had sought the concession of bail before this Court. Their bail application came to be dismissed vide common order dated 13.08.2025. The said order was challenged before the Hon'ble Supreme Court by way of a Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No.17623/2025 by one of the co-accused/Gurpreet Singh @ Mani and the said Court too dismissed his bail application. The case of the petitioner is on a worse footing inasmuch as he is, in fact, the main accused and the motive for commission of the offence lay with him. Therefore, he is not entitled to the concession as prayed for.
19. I have heard the learned counsel for the parties.
20. As per the prosecution case, the petitioner was in relationship SUKHPREET KAUR 2026.04.16 05:57 with Mehak who was engaged to be married to one Shivam. The petitioner I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document chandigarh CRM-M-59373-2025 ::12::
had threatened the family of Shivam. Later, he in connivance with the other accused got Vishesh @ Vishu, the cousin of Shivam murdered. The co- accused of the petitioner, namely, Gurpreet Singh @ Mani and Sandeep Singh sought the concession of bail before this Court and their bail was dismissed vide common order dated 13.08.2025. Against the said order, Gurpreet Singh @ Mani approached the Hon'ble Supreme Court where his bail application met the same fate. As many as 18 of the 54 prosecution witnesses stand examined after Manjinder Singh, co-accused was summoned to face Trial as an additional accused under Section 319 Cr.P.C. (Section 358 BNSS, 2023). Therefore, the Trial is proceeding at a steady pace.
21. In view of the above, I find no merit in the present petition and the same stands dismissed.
22. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand disposed of accordingly.
( JASJIT SINGH BEDI)
April 16, 2026 JUDGE
sukhpreet
Whether speaking/reasoned Yes/No
Whether reportable Yes/No
SUKHPREET KAUR
2026.04.16 05:57
I attest to the accuracy and
integrity of this document
chandigarh